Brand Consultant & Agency Roles
A brand agency is a firm that specializes in creating and launching brands, as well as rebranding. The role of a branding agency is to create, plan and manage branding strategies for clients, but can also involve support in terms of advertising and other forms of promotion.
In order to develop a more profound understanding of the function of these organizations it is initially important to capture the idea of branding. In short, branding is the process of developing a company's brand, including a name, identity system and messaging platform. These aspects will develop what is referred to as a brand message, which will then be applied to marketing campaigns to spread that message. A brand represents a promise to your customers, what they can expect from your products/services, and essentially what differentiates your offering from competitors.[
It is a vital element across all industries, as it allows organizations to gain competitive advantage, define a coherent brand communication strategy, and to increase and reach the target market.
All organizational sectors, whether it is a business, non-profit organization, or even a government agency, use branding agencies. Most often, organizations look to hire branding agencies in order to produce brand strategy and brand identity.
Brand consultant vs the advertising man
There is generally a misconception regarding the relationship between these two agencies. Often, branding agencies and advertising agenciesare seen as being interchangeable entities. This however is not the case, and although they overlap in some respects, their scope and focus is different.
Essentially, the difference between these two agencies is the difference between strategy (branding) and tactics (advertising). Brands play an integral role in a firm's business strategy. In fact, the terms "company" and "brand" are often used synonymously for one another.
On the other hand, advertising is more focussed on the process which firms use to market and communicate to existing and potential customers. A branding agency goes beyond this scope, and whilst commonly performing similar services to a traditional advertising agency, is involved in a larger strategical process.
Leading brands and the role of branding agencies
In a constantly evolving economy with increasingly competitive markets a greater stress is being placed on developing a brand that is widely recognized by the public. People trust brands; they develop loyalties towards them, buy them and believe in their superiority.
Leading brands: Coca-Cola
For decades now Coca-Cola has often been considered as the most successful and widely recognized brand in the world. In a survey conducted by Interbrand, an American branding consultancy, it was found that Coca-Cola's brand equity was valued at $63.5 billion, which represents just under half of the company's true market value.[5] An executive at Coca-Cola stated, "If Coca-Cola were to lose all of its production-related assets in a disaster, the company would survive. By contrast, if all consumers were to have a sudden lapse of memory and forget everything related to Coca-Cola, the company would go out of business."
Coca-Cola has collaborated with a number of branding agencies over the years. More recently, in the light of a new global campaign, Coca-Cola has partnered with ten agencies (including WPP, Wieden+Kennedy and McCann) with the aim, as a Coca-Cola spokesperson stated, "of uncovering the best ideas and marrying those to executional excellence". The spokesperson went on to add, "this approach allows us to harness thinking from some of the best agency minds in the industry and see the great work that comes from collaborating". The statement acknowledges the collaborative and creative process involved in brand management, which is generally an integral concept involved in branding.
It is also important to note that even the most successful brands will seek branding support. Evidently this will generally not come in the form of large rebranding strategies, but will often be more focussed on specific areas, and in particular those related to reaching, attracting and retaining the target market.
Changing trends: Apple
Despite having headed Interbrand's list of the 100 most valuable brands for 13 consecutive years, Coca-Cola has now been replaced by Apple, whose surge to the top highlights the dominance of technology in today's society. In fact, three of the top five most valuable brands are technology companies.
This data stresses another key element that must be addressed by branding agencies, which is the value of innovation and the need to exploit trends. With the rise of the technology domain comes the emergence of new channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, Google and Twitter, which organizations use to advertise their brand.
With this change in trends comes a different approach to branding. Agencies must be naturally innovative and flexible in order to have any hope of surviving in such a fast-paced environment. Furthermore, with branding becoming an increasingly vital element to a firm's success, many organizations believe it is in their best interest to seek external support.
Job description of a branding consultant
Branding consultants provide analysis, solutions, and general marketing expertise to help companies successfully sell their products. They typically work for management consulting firms or advertising agencies and interact with a client company's brand managers or marketing executives. Branding consultants develop and help implement strategies for both new and existing products, and can influence all phases of marketing, from design and distribution decisions to advertising and public relations messaging.
Duties of a branding consultant
Branding consultants begin by gathering data, performing market research to identify target markets and assess consumer perceptions, competition, business trends, and product value. Consultants can also perform internal audits to ensure the needs and goals of a company's departments are aligned. This research informs the development of an overall brand strategy, which can affect logo and package design, pricing, placement, advertising campaigns, and customer service messaging. Decisions influenced by branding consultants include where to distribute a product, what medium is best for advertising and how to shape product messages for different demographics.
Requirements to become a branding consultant
Entry-level positions within consulting firms and marketing departments can be acquired by completing a bachelor's degree program in marketing, business, or a related field. Coursework should include communications, sales strategies, and finance. Entry-level positions that can build toward work as a branding consultant include brand assistant, product manager, sales, management analyst at a consulting firm, and advertising account manager.
It's common for professionals to enhance their work experience by completing a business or marketing master's degree program, which can increase opportunities for advancement into leadership positions at consulting firms and advertising agencies. Many universities offer a Master's of Business Administration with concentrations in brand management, marketing, or communications.
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