6: Discovering Brand Blind Spots

Question 1

mental blind spot

Answer 1

• inability to perceive particular objects or understand certain concepts
• brain may ignore visual image if attention is other-directed
• loss of perception can be due to a taxed brain

Question 2

company night blind spots

Answer 2

• occurs when marketers do not have enough information about their customers to make effective branding decisions
• consumers may not know their needs and preferences or be able to fully articulate
  their thoughts and feelings about brands (ex. pillow)

(* multiple research approaches reduce blind spots in branding
* choice of research method depends on PLC)

Question 3

what ultimately determines a brand’s meaning

Answer 3

the marketplace

Question 4

what can managers do to contribute to blind spots

Answer 4

managers can unknowingly fill in their own beliefs and desires about brand’s meaning

Question 5

brand managers are pressured to do what 2 things with regards to realigning brand meaning?

Answer 5

1) reduce the time and resources used in brand building; and
2) expand their brand’s portfolio of products and services
* Can lead misalignment with brand identity

Question 6

rear view blind spots can result in managers ……..

Answer 6

moving their brands in wrong direction
and actually benefit the competition

Question 7

what should managers ask when wanting to reorient brand measure?

Answer 7

ask
* “what evokes the brand?

(not:
“what does the brand evoke?)

**“When you think of [insert the cue], what brand comes to mind?”

Question 8

forward associations

Answer 8

start from the brand and spread outward, determine a brand’s
meaning

Question 9

reverse associations

Answer 9

start outside with a cue and move inward to brand, determine a
brand’s dominance in a category

Question 10

how can managers simplify the brand focus

Answer 10

• discontinue all marginal activities that distract from successfully building the brand
• focus on doing the most effective things extraordinarily well

think:

“If a particular marketing activity were not currently being done, would I choose to start doing it now?”

Question 11

what is the goal for brands?

Answer 11

to own one single, relevant benefit in the customer’s mind