Brand concepts are essential for branding, but do you have questions or concerns about what exactly a brand concept is, or how to create one?

This article offers a clear and easy-to-understand overview of what a brand concept is, how to create it, and the important factors to consider during the creation process.

Brand Concept Articulates the Brand’s Values

A brand concept articulates the fundamental values of a brand, representing the value it delivers to customers.

A clear and effectively communicated brand concept is crucial to prevent varying interpretations and ensure consistent brand values. By articulating the brand concept clearly, customers can understand the brand’s value, allowing the brand to be appreciated and valued in the long-term.

How to Create an Attractive Brand Concept

Here are some specific actions you can take to help create an attractive brand concept.

1. Analyze the current situation and conduct market analysis
2. Target setting
3. Clarify the value you can provide to your target
4. Articulate the brand concept
5. Refine the brand concept (Words)

Let’s dive into this step-by-step.

Step 1: Analyze the current situation and conduct market analysis

First, let’s understand the current situation and conduct a market analysis.

To accurately assess your brand’s position in the market, it is recommended to create a positioning map and conduct thorough market research. These strategies will help you understand where your brand stands in relation to competitors and target audience perceptions.

The collected information is examined from the below four perspectives, which include an evaluation of the company as well as that of competitors. This comprehensive analysis allows us to gain insights and make informed decisions.

• Who: Who are the people you are targeting?
• What: What products or services do you offer?
• What for: What are you providing the product or service for?
• What do we want them to become: What do you want your customers to become by using your product or service?

Step 2: Target setting

Next, while taking into account the contents of Step 1, set the target audience.

Consider once again who your target customers are that will benefit from your company’s value proposition and identify their characteristics by considering the below internal and external factors. Consolidate the findings to create a clearer target customer profile.

• Age
• Gender
• Place of residence
• Family composition
• Occupation
• Annual income
• Values
• Worries
• Hopes
• Lifestyle
• Etc.

Step 3: Clarify the value you can provide to your target

We now clarify the value we can provide to the target audience.

Based on the analysis of the current situation we conducted in Step 1 and the evaluation of the market and competitors, identify the unique value proposition of your brand. Focus on determining the ways in which your brand differentiates itself from competitors and delivers value to customers.

Once you identify the unique value that only your company can offer, it will naturally guide you towards determining what needs to be expressed in your brand concept.

Step 4: Articulate the brand concept

From here, we finally move on to the articulation of the brand concept.

Express the brand concept based on the target image, value, and uniqueness defined in the previous steps. At this point, we do not need to be concerned with expressing the brand concept like a catchphrase in an advertisement. Rather, it is more important to convey exactly what kind of brand and what kind of value is being offered to the target audience. Try to make it a single sentence that is as easy to understand as possible.

It is also more effective if it is memorable and impactful to the customer.

Step 5: Refine the brand concept (Words)

Once you have a good foundation, we can move on to the polishing stage.

The choice of words and tone can significantly impact the impression your company makes. Therefore, it is crucial to reevaluate your brand concept to ensure it accurately reflects your company’s identity, consider alternative expressions, and assess if the chosen expression projects a sense of familiarity.

It is also advisable to seek feedback and input from others to gauge their impressions and thoughts. Their perspectives can provide valuable insights into whether your brand concept aligns with your desired impression and expectations, or if there are areas that require further elaboration or adjustment.

Key Points for Creating an Attractive Brand Concept

Finally, we will go over the key points for creating an attractive brand concept.

Pursue Unique, Yet Easy-to-understand Expressions

The first key point is to strive for a brand concept that is both unique and easily comprehensible, ensuring that it resonates with customers and makes sense to them. Avoid sacrificing clarity and understanding in the pursuit of uniqueness.

For example, avoid using industry jargon, internal terminology, or unfamiliar words in your brand concept, as these may confuse customers. Regardless of how compelling your brand concept may be, it loses its significance if it cannot be effectively communicated. It is crucial to choose expressions that resonate with customers and the general public, ensuring clarity and understanding.

Representing the Potential Needs of Customers

Second, you should seek to differentiate yourself from competitors and avoid being overly conventional. It is essential to address not only apparent needs but also the underlying concerns, dissatisfactions, and desires of your customers. By capturing and representing their latent needs, you can provide unique value and stand out in the market.

In marketing, a crucial aspect is identifying the needs that are commonly felt by people but are not widely discussed. This emphasizes the significance of conducting thorough market research and analysis in Step 1. By delving deep into the market, you can uncover unmet needs and seize opportunities that others might have overlooked.

If you can create a brand concept that accurately identifies these potential needs and offers both products and services that can solve them, you will make a good impression on your customers.

Summary

A brand concept is the articulation of a brand’s values.

When developing a brand concept, it is crucial to craft an expression that is easily understandable and resonates with your customers. This involves conducting a thorough analysis of the current market landscape, understanding your target audience and their needs, and incorporating these insights into your brand concept. By following these steps, you can create a compelling brand concept that effectively communicates your value proposition. For more guidance on creating an impactful brand concept for your company, please refer to the article provided.