How do you build a strong brand? And why should you try? A strong brand is a valuable asset for your company because when developed properly, it carries a lot of advertising punch in a small package. Merely seeing the name conjures up specific images and emotions. And that translates to familiarity and added sales. Here, then, are three (out of many) important principles to follow if you want to build greater brand power.

1. Powerful brands are tightly focused. What comes to mind when you see the name Ferrari? Most likely, you think of expensive, exciting, high-performance sports cars. Probably red. Ferrari builds only sports cars. And they generally have a two-year waiting list for every one they build.

What if Ferrari decided to build a $20,000 4-door sedan? What would the perception of Ferrari become? What would your perception be? If you’re like most, the entire line of exciting sports cars would lose much of its luster. Ferrari would be “a company that makes sports cars and inexpensive family sedans.” Suddenly, not so glamorous, is it?

Porsche used to be like Ferrari. Build only sports cars, make ‘em fast, fun, exciting to drive. Now Porsche builds sports cars and SUVs. And soon, a 4-door sedan called Panamera.

What if Coca Cola started offering Coca Cola Coffee drinks? And fruit punch? And flavored non-fat milk drinks? And vege-drinks?

The practice of expanding your brand with more and more items is called line extension. The theory is that if your brand is popular, slap the name on more and more stuff. It may help the bottom line for a short time, but over the long haul it dilutes the meaning of the brand. And when the brand becomes diluted in the public’s mind, the stage is set for market share takeover by a more focused brand.

If you want to sell items not directly related to the core products that built your brand, fine. Form a new company and sell those items under a new name. Like Honda did with Acura, Toyota with Lexus, and Nissan with Infiniti. Volkswagen, sadly, didn’t learn this lesson and its recent luxury car, the Volkswagen Phaeton, totally bombed and production quickly ceased. $90,000 for a Volkswagen? Sold in Volkswagen showrooms alongside Beetles and Jettas? What were they smokin’?

2. Shoppers are generally bored by new brands, but love new categories. Perfect case in point: film vs. digital photography. It may seem contradictory, but sometimes to build a strong brand you have to tout the category instead of the brand.

When the public quickly caught on to the benefits of digital photography, advertising the name “Nikon” or “Canon” or “Fuji” became of little benefit. Advertising “Exciting New Digital Cameras by Nikon” etc. was the way to go. The digital revolution also allowed new names into the photography game. Panasonic. GE. Sony. A new brand, let’s say Sony, advertising “Sony cameras” would have produced yawns. But Sony digital cameras was another story, because people trusted Sony’s electronics capabilities.

Oh, in case you’re wondering if Sony wasn’t guilty of a poor line extension decision by adding cameras to their lineup, you can rest easy. Sony’s category is home entertainment, not just TVs. Sony digital cameras fit right in, and now you can view your Sony digital photos on your Sony TV. Logical.

If your product happens to occupy a new category, headline the exciting part—the category. Then go into your product features and benefits and show why you’re great within that category.

3. When possible, combine the brand and company names. Then each can reinforce the other. Zippo is the company, and Zippo is the lighter. Coca Cola is the company, and the product name. Kleenex. Swiffer. You get the picture.

Most companies won’t fit in this shoe, however. In that case, your brand name should dominate the packaging. Unless the brand name is generic. An example would be Campbell’s Chunky soups. “Chunky” is a generic brand name, so you have to ask for Campbell’s Chunky soups. If you ask for “chunky” soups, you’ll find numerous companies making them—the store clerk would be pointing all over the place. If you avoid using a generic brand name, customers will begin calling the product by just the brand name. And then you have a strong brand being built.

There are many factors to consider in building a strong brand. Let’s look at more of them soon. In the meantime, focus on how well your brands fit in with these first three principles.

Michael Cooney,Co-founder, Global Brand Development, a marketing and Advertising Consulting group. 818-522-1970
www.globalbrand.com