Brand Research

Stage 1: Where Do You Stand?

Every company has a position. Usually companies just grow with very little steering of their brand so they end up, for better or worse, with the image they have today. Our brand image programme begins with brand research to find out what the brand values are and how they are seen in the eyes of customers and potential customers.

We use two techniques. The first sorts out the issues that people value in a brand and determines the role they play in influencing the image of a company. The second technique draws out the softer issues that make up a corporate position so that we can measure the 'fit' of the brand and see how it could be developed.

Stage 2: Goals & Strategy

Stage 2 involves B2B International working with our client to set brand image goals and to determine how they should be achieved. The goals will be based around the strengths that were flushed out by the research. There would usually be some aspiration built into the goals, so that the 'brand mission' for the company has something to aim towards - a particular image that it wants to build.

Stage 3: Aligning The Company With The Brand Position

With a thorough understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses and with a goal for the brand, B2B International works with the client to establish a corporate position. For most companies this involves working with all levels of staff to ensure they are aligned to the goals and know the part they can play to ensure that the position is achieved.

In stage 3 (as well as in stage 2) we work closely with our client's advertising agency to ensure that they are in agreement with the positioning goals and can devise advertising messages that communicate the branding mission.