Freedom of Movement - Exploring Potential Growth Strategies

After recently discussing the process for brand growth for Freedom of Movement, a South African lifestyle brand, in an online discussion forum I decided to expand further on this thinking and consider more options for their possible growth. The possibilities I considered include launching a new brand, extension strategies, multi-brand strategies and endorsement strategies. Each of which aligns to a specific strategy to enter either new or existing markets, using either new or existing products.

New Brand Launches

 

According to Klopper and North (2011) this involves the development of a new brand, often in a product class not served by an organization. It’s important to consider whether the new brand would not be better off under the name of an existing brand in the portfolio. For example if FOM wanted to launch sparkling water. It would be a good idea to ask whether this product should not be under their existing brand as an instore offering. Launching as a separate brand could be costly and cause confusion for stakeholders.

FOM: Stay free and keep moving

Multi-Brand Strategies

 

A multi-brand strategy involves marketing products under different brand names. In this strategy, a product is introduced under a new brand name without any links to the FOM brand (Riezebos et al., 2003:234). Under this heading FOM could look at launching more lifestyle products under a different brand. The difference may be in the price or whether the new products are misaligned to FOM’s values.

 

The advantages would be reducing competitor awareness, targeting different points in the market or experimenting with different types of brands and markets. In doing so they could essentially be their own competition and run the risk of cannibalization.

 

Endorsement Strategies

 

This is when a product brand is positioned differently from the parent brand while still maintaining the values and associations of the parent band. An endorsement strategy that FOM have utilized very well is their endorsement with Siya Kolisi. What FOM and Siya Kolisi share is a passion for authentic design, South Africa and the upliftment of communities. Both brands have been able to leverage their positive associations off each other to create a powerful endorsement strategy.

Freedom of Movement x Siya Kolisi

Extension Strategies

 

The growth strategy that I landed on for FOM was a brand extension strategy, which is used to enter a new product category using an established brand name. I thought that this strategy suited the brand and would allow the brand to continue growing in their intended direction. As FOM are a strong brand, this strategy will allow them to confidently launch new products.

 

These new extensions need to be aligned with the core vision and values of FOM. It's important to consider how FOM’s consumers will react to these extension as a misalignment can result in confusion for stakeholders. It’s important to gauge what the consumer knows and feels about FOM and if these extensions will add value. DelVecchio (2000:457) states that brands can reduce the risk through the following extensions; line extensions, brand extensions and co-branding.

 

Line Extensions

 

FOM could launch a new product that is similar to their already popular products. For example new colours or sizes of their already popular ‘vellie’ range. Or new forms of already popular bags they produce. All these small changes or perceived improvements have a number of advantages of increased sales and increased brand awareness. However, if an extension fails it could damage FOM’s brand.

Another growth strategy within their existing range is to focus more marketing campaigns on existing products and grow these products in their existing markets.

Various FOM Products

Brand Extensions

 

FOM could make use of a brand extension by creating a new product in a different category. For example; branching out into a category like wetsuits because they believe that FOM would do well within the surfing market. By leveraging their strong brand name and their associated quality, consumers reduce their risk when purchasing a new product. This market isn’t too different from their current product range so it won’t create confusion and skepticism from consumers.

 

Co-Branding

 

According to Simonin & Ruth (1998) brands from different organizations  could align to engage in strategic or tactical brand building programs. Two strong brands can gain an advantage by releasing a product that displays a logical relationship. FOM could co-brand with another local brand, like Pedersen & Lennard for example, and create an umbrella that still fits into both brands market category. They would be able to leverage off each other to grow sales and awareness. They could quickly extend their brand portfolio this way and reach a larger audience.

 

Conclusion

 

I think that with an extension strategy FOM could grow their brand and see an increase in sales and brand awareness. They need to carefully consider each extension to avoid any confusion and negative influence it may have on their brand.

 

References

 

DelVecchio, D. 2000. Moving beyond fit: The role of brand portfolio characters in consumer evaluations of brand reliability. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 9(7):457-471

 

Freedom of Movement Website: https://www.freedomofmovement.co.za

 

Get Smarter. 2023. Brand Growth Strategies (module eight). Available on GetSmarter portal.

 

Klopper, H.B. & North, E. 2011. Brand Management. Pearson: Cape Town.

 

Riezebos, R., Kist, B. & Kootstra, G. 2003. Brand Management: A theoretical and practical approach. Essex: Pearson Educational Limited.

 

Simonin, L.B & Ruth, J.A. 1998. Is a company known by the company it keeps? Assessing the spillover effects of brand alliances on consumer brand attitudes. Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 35, February: pp.30 -42.

 

Land Rover - Have they Maintained their Brand Reputation

Land Rover are a quintessential British brand of off-road vehicles owned by Jaguar Land Rover. Starting out as a utilitarian 4WD off-road vehicle, the brand has grown to focus more on a range of upmarket, luxury sport utility vehicles. In this post I will explore how Land Rover manage their portfolio and how the shift towards luxury vehicles may have effected the brands reputation.

 

Land Rovers Brand Portfolio and How it’s Managed.

 

Land Rover was first introduced by the Rover Company in April 1948 when they released the first series under the name Land Rover. After its success Land Rover established a strong reputation for themselves as a strong off-road vehicle. Thanks to this success they decided to grow their portfolio to enter new and emerging markets.

The brand portfolio is all the brands that fall under the Land Rover banner. In this case Land Rover have their core brands of Range Rover, Defender and Discovery. Each brand contains it’s own sub-brand portfolio, for example Range Rover include Classic, Sport, Velar and Evoque. Alongside these core brands Land Rover also have SVR – their special vehicle operation – and the Land Rover Classic.

 

Land Rover use this portfolio to effectively decide how each brand can be marketed and the value that it adds in its specific market. The Defender and Discovery brands are very different from their showroom cousins, such as the Evoque and Velar. Together they aim to achieve a balanced portfolio while still staying true to the Land Rover vision of a sustainable, smart mobility world.

Land Rover strengthened their portfolio when they realised that one of their brands, the Freelander, was not performing in the market as it should. This can effect the brand portfolio and the brand as a whole so it was discontinued in 2015 in order to strengthen their portfolio.

 

Land Rover have clearly defined the roles of the brands in their portfolio and they view these elements as a holistic strategy that carries and supports their brand goals and vision. They have linked their branding efforts across their portfolio to ensure that their portfolio builds a strong and powerful brand. However, does this portfolio result in a strong reputation.

 

Land Rover Brand Reputation

 

In an age where consumers have immediate access to information, it is important for a brand to maintain a good reputation. In the case of Land Rover, their reputation has shifted over the years due to their strategy change towards luxury vehicles. This shift would have changed the brand reputation as they move towards a new audience.

They have also experienced negativity in the media over their unreliability and the recent incorporation of Jaguar Land Rover. A brand reputation is solely based on how the consumer views their product. So it becomes vital that these incidences are addressed effectively and quickly to maintain the brands reputation.

 

The Consumer's Perspective

 

Walsh et al (2009) proposed a customer based checklist that features five measurable factors that a brand can use to determine their reputation based on customers perception of them. This includes whether the brand is a good employer and how they treat their employees. Land Rover need to ensure a high level of openness and transparency to allow consumers access to this knowledge. Land Rover are quite open about how they engage with their employees and foster their enthusiasm for the brand.

 

Land Rover are also transparency in their dedication for sustainability which shifts peoples perception of the brand. Land Rover aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions across their supply chain, products and operations by 2039. Through their dedication to a sustainable future and their communication through various platforms, Land Rover are able to build a favourable reputation.

 

Conclusion

 

Klopper and North (2011) state that the aim of the brand portfolio is to limit brand confusion and provide clarity on product offerings to stakeholders. Land Rover have created uncertainty within their portfolio through the shift towards more luxury vehicles that has effected their reputation. As brands are scrutinised by consumers more than ever; it appears as though Land Rovers consumers are divided between the original off-road vehicles and the new luxury vehicles. Their portfolio does not bridge that gap to create a unified brand portfolio. In a world that is full of competition, Land Rover could loose out on brand equity if they don’t manage to bridge that gap as they compete with new brands like Ineos Grenadier.

 

Reference

 

Get Smarter. 2023. Brand Reputation (module seven). Available on GetSmarter portal.

 

Land Rover Website (2023), www.landrover.com

 

Klopper, H.B. & North, E. 2011. Brand Management. Pearson: Cape Town.

Walsh, G., Beatty, S.E. & Shiu, E.M.K. 2009. The customer based reputation scale: replication and short form. Journal of Business Research, 62. October, pp.924-930.

National Geographic – The Role of Integrated Marketing and Brand Orientation

National Geographic started out as an academic journal and quickly grew to a household magazine. They are a great example of an organization that centered itself around their brand rather than their product and grew into a society that focuses on using the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of the world. As the world changes and we see a shift towards digital media, National Geographic has announced that their magazines won’t be available on newsstands within the year. In this post I will explore how they stay relevant in this fast changing environment.

 

Integrated Marketing Communication

 

In order to stay relevant and communicate their message effectively they need to focus on Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). This suggests that the brand communicates to the consumer in everything that it does. Klopper and North (2011) suggest that IMC can be divided into three levels; products and services, formal advertising and word-of-mouth.

 

Level 1: National Geographic's Products and Services

 

For a brand like National Geographic, who rely heavily on storytelling to build emotional relationships, it is important that they connect and resonate with their stakeholders. They use various digital and social media platforms to communicate that they are a global non-profit that funds the best and brightest individuals around the world dedicated to their mission.

 

They have utilized all social media platforms to communicate their goal of protecting the wonders of the world. They have effectively created a dialogue between themselves and their consumers, which as Egan (2007:1) states is important for the brand to improve its relationships. National Geographic are very active online and have multiple accounts that each communicate a different theme, allowing them to stay connected to a wide array of people. They target each platform and account to a researched audience to effectively communicate their brand messages.

An example of National Geographic's various Instagram accounts

Level 2: Their use of Formal Advertising

 

This level of communication is more formal and focuses on advertising, PR, design, promotion and sales. According to Evans and Moutinho (1999:199) the main goal of marketing is to add value to a brand for both the consumer and the organization. Value is gained by the organization because of brand awareness that results from marketing communications; and through these communications consumers can engage with the brand. 

Through digital media, National Geographic have partnered with some of the worlds biggest brands in an attempt to raise awareness for their cause. An example of this is their ‘Heroes of the Ocean’ campaign, where they partnered with Rolex to release a documentary about ocean conservation. This content is shared through their various digital platforms and creates an emotional response that resonates with their consumers resulting in re-shares. The use of brand partnership allows these campaigns to reach a far wider audience.

A 20 second clip shared by National Geographic promoting 

the 'Heroes of the Ocean' campaign.

Level 3: Word-of-Mouth Communication

 

National Geographics effective use of digital platforms have allowed them to resonate with their consumers. This is essential as all these media activations are shared by their consumers which helps to spread their message. This can be seen through their ‘Photocamp’ - an initiative started in 2003 to ‘give youth a voice’. They hosted live webinar workshops for young talents from underprivileged communities, where some of their most successful photographers taught and inspired young photographers. In doing so National Geographic have focused on an inside-out approach to spreading their marketing message. They promote these campaigns online which then gets shared via social media platforms effectively communicating their brand message further across multiple digital platforms.

National Geographic Photo Camp Initiative

Klopper and North (2011:183) suggest that it’s equally important to focus on internal marketing and the people involved in the brand as it is to focus on external marketing. National Geographic do this effectively by using brand ambassadors to communicate their messages. These ambassadors are the photographers and storytellers who work with them in creating all their digital content. They give these micro-influencers access to their social accounts to share their message across the multiple digital platforms, reaching their social communities they have strong relationships with.

Conclusion

National Geographic have effectively shifted the value of their product to the value of the brand and the message that brand communicates to their consumer. This is effectively communicated across a wide array of platforms with effective use of modern digital media. Their message of protected the world is effectively communicated through their integrated marketing communication and elicits an emotion response within their consumer that drives the relationship between them. National Geographic are a modern brand for a modern world.

 

References

 

Egan, J. 2007. Marketing Communications. London: Thomson Learning.

 

Evans, M. & Moutinho, L. 1999. Contemporary Issues in Marketing. London: Macmillan.

 

Get Smarter. 2023. Supporting brands through marketing communication (module six). Available on GetSmarter portal.

 

Klopper, H.B. & North, E. 2011. Brand Management. Pearson: Cape Town.

 

National Geographic Website (2023) - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/

 

National Geographic Society Website (2023) - https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/

 

Social Insider Website (2021) - https://www.socialinsider.io/blog/national-geographic-social-media-strategy/

 

Woolworths – the role of contact planning process and how internal marketing is shaping their brand.

 

Don’t you get a positive feeling every time you leave a Woolworths store? Like your life seems better for the experience and you can’t wait to return? You’re not the only one, and this is because the experience has been carefully crafted by Woolworths to ensure every point of contact is a positive one. In this post I will discuss how Woolworths have used internal marketing to inspire employees to promote the brand through every step of the brand contact process.

 

What is Brand Contact?

 

According to Klopper and North (2011) brand contact is any moment a brand performs or expresses itself and influences what stakeholders think, feel and believe about the brand. For a brand like Woolworths this can be experienced from their print media ads, their products and the farewell from employees. All these points and everything in between have an influence on how you perceive the brand. So it is important to ensure that all these points are planned and managed to ensure that it is effective and efficient at delivering their promise.

                                               Quality you can trust - a fresh veg contact point 

The most important group in establishing this brand contact process are the employees as they are customer facing. As Woolworths state on their website; it is important for them to hire and invest in people who share their brand purpose, values and passion to help grow a future-fit business. To effectively do this they need to focus on internal marketing to create a company culture that encourages and inspires employees to live and embody the brand values. By doing so they can entrench their purpose and values through employee engagement. Grossman (2008:4) states that an engaged employee will embody the brands values and go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.

 

What is Internal Marketing and how does Woolworths use it effectively?

 

Internal marketing focuses on promoting the companies purpose and promise to it’s employees so they are able communicate this effectively with their customers. Woolworths have a collective forum of senior executives that deliver a modern and connected people experience to its employees (www.woolworths.com, 2023). They have focused on further entrenching their values and building leadership capabilities. 

Image from the Woolworths "Good Business Report' illustrates 

where they position their employees.

Once a brand has realised that its employees should be treated equally to their customers when it comes to marketing, they can then focus on planning and managing the brand contact process.

 

The brand contact process and the role of the employee.

 

Now that Woolworths have focused their marketing efforts internally and engaged their employees to communicate the brand purpose, they need to focus on how this can be applied through all their contact points to ensure consistency and cohesion. Klopper and North (2011:161) suggests five steps in managing the brand contact process.

 

Step 1 – Establish all points of contact.

 

For Woolworths, it is important to collect an inventory of all the points a consumer may come into contact with their brand. For Woolworths they have contact points with their products and their service. These points are often planned but there are also unplanned contact points consumers have with the brand such as word-of-mouth.

It is important for them to consult their employees on all levels to get a holistic view and identify every possible point of contact. 

Step 2 – Identify the main contact patterns.

 

From this inventory, Woolworths need to identify the main brand contact patterns and identify how and with whom their consumers will interact at each point.

 

Step 3 – Identify the most important brand contact points

 

As Woolworths is an employee run store most of these important contact points involve interaction with employees. It is vital to ensure employees are given the right conditions and motivation in these important instances to add value to the customer experience. Important contact points include the first contact someone may have with Woolworths, the last contact point, frequent contact points and points that resonate with consumers.

Woolworths 'To Go' and the employee interaction is an 

important Brand Contact Point.

Step 4 – Brand contact points must contribute to brand cohesion

Woolworths have stores across the country and it is important for them deliver the same message through all their contact points. Each point must tell the same message to create cohesion across the board.

 

Step 5 – Managing brand contact cohesion

 

Klopper and North (2011:161) suggest that the goal of brand contact planning and management is to achieve brand cohesion and that all contact points serve the brand purpose. Woolworths offer a 12-month experiential learning opportunities and upon completion employees receive a nationally recognised qualification which helps achieve brand cohesion across the country.

 

Conclusion

 

Woolworths are a brand that have focused on their employees and ensure they are aware of the companies values and purpose. By including and engaging their employees they are able to inspire them to live and shape the brand. In doing so they allow the employees to communicate this same message in a cohesive way through all the interactions they have with customers. Effectively spreading their purpose and building strong lasting relationships with customers.

References

Get Smarter. 2023. Brand Contact Planning and Management (module five). Available on GetSmarter portal.

Grossman, D. 2008. Internal Branding: How to Create and Sustain a Successful Internal Brand. London: Melcrum Publishing

Klopper, H.B. & North, E. 2011. Brand Management. Pearson: South Africa

Woolworths 'Good Business Report' (2018) - Good Business Report

Woolworths Website (2023) - www.woolworthsholdings.co.za