Tie It All Together

Now that you have read this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

• You can define branding and brand strategy.
• You can identify the characteristics of a solid branding strategy.
• You can explain the concepts of brand equity and value proposition.
• You can list and discuss the benefits of branding from the advertiser’s and buyer’s points of view.
• You can describe the strategic framework that can be used to solve problems.
• You can discuss how to conduct a situation analysis to understand problems and opportunities.
• You can explain the function of a brand audit.
• You can discuss the SWOTs and apply them to the solution of a problem.
• You can distinguish between marketing objectives and advertising objectives in a strategy.
• You can explain the DAGMAR model for setting objectives.
• You can create a marketing strategy that demonstrates correct usage of the marketing mix.
• You can create an advertising strategy that demonstrates how creative and media strategy are combined to solve an advertising problem.
• You can create a creative brief that demonstrates the Big Idea and is applied to an advertising opportunity.
• You can describe and evaluate the asymmetric communications brief.

Use What You’ve Learned

1. Have you seen the new Smart car? If you have, you are probably part of the buzz that has been heard recently about this new concept car that has made it to the streets. The car seats two, is available in three different models, and costs between about $12,500 and $17,000. The most significant fact about the Smart car is that it gets about forty-five miles per gallon. That fact alone has become central to Smart car’s initial introduction to the driving public. Has “small” finally become better than “large, extralarge, and supersize”? The manufacturer of the Smart car is betting on it. Investigate the Smart car. Once this is done, construct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for the Smart car. Evaluate the car’s likelihood of success.
2. Is there a Chick-fil-A in your neighborhood? If there is, you’ve probably eaten at one of the fastest-growing food franchises in the southern United States (see http://www.chickfila.com). Chick-fil-A has a unique approach to running their business. Using the company’s Web site and search engines, your task is to investigate the Chick-fil-A organization in order to conduct a situation analysis. During your investigation be sure to comment on the perceived competitive situation, customer situation, and economics and costs that impact or affect the company and its industry. Once you have completed your situation analysis, conduct a brief brand audit of Chick-fil-A. What are your conclusions about Chick-fil-A and its business model? Discuss your audit and opinions with peers.

Digital Natives

Most young adults have had some experience with MySpace or other Web communication sites. Security issues aside, millions of people are communicating in previously unheard-of ways via the Internet. One area of concern, however, is how to protect younger communicators from the dangers of an open Internet. Many parents of preteens have banned them from popular more adult social networking Web sites. A relatively new social networking Web site, however, has been designed with the preteen in mind. Stardoll (http://www.stardoll.com) provides a mechanism for preteens to communicate and chat with other preteens via a “MeDoll” that can be dressed and accessorized from a long list of celebrity avatars.

Go to the Stardoll Web site and familiarize yourself with its components. Your challenge is create a short creative brief to promote this Web site. The objective of the communication is to attract more viewers and participants. Present your brief in class if time permits.

Ad-Vice

1. Describe the role that Catherine Captain plays in the SS+K Spotlight feature in this chapter. Assess her communication skills. Illustrate a positive skill and a negative skill that she seems to possess.
2. Pick one of your favorite brands and summarize its history in the marketplace. As you research your favorite brand, comment on any brand strategies that you notice. Comment on your brand’s perceived brand personality, brand equity, and viability.
3. Pick any brand and apply the summary benefits of branding to your choice. Remember to discuss the benefits of branding to both the buyer and the advertiser or maker of your brand.
4. Pick any company and create a new product for them to manufacture. Following the guidelines in the chapter, create a situation analysis of the firm and of your new creation. Examine the differences between the two “situations.” Should the company make your product? Explain.

Ethical Dilemma

According to information presented in the Digital Natives section, preteens and teens can go to a monitored Web site and participate in a communication community that is structured just for them. The Web site (http://www.stardoll.com) advocates protection for its viewers and participants from controversial topics, visuals, and conversations that plague more adult-oriented Web sites.

One of the purposes of this Web site appears to be the protection of its young participants from more adult-oriented content and exploitation. Examine the Web site and its policies. From an ethical point of view, assess the Web site and its capabilities for protecting its visitors. Can the organization’s implied protection promise be delivered? Summarize your thoughts.