An amplitude of branding frameworks is guiding marketers on how to grow strong brands. These theories and models have been translated into numerous books inspiring marketers on how to achieve brand success. Trying to capture and simplify this abundance of theories and framework, we found we could group them in five schools of thought or Brand Religions:
- The Classic Religion, the foundation of marketing inspired by Kotler, Keller,… highlighting the importance of differentiation.
- The Influencer Religion, emphasizing the power of word-of-mouth and their impact on brand leverage.
- The Penetration Religion, inspired by Byron Sharp, stating that brands grow by building mental & physical availability.
- The Relationship Religion, stressing the importance of emotions and relationship marketing.
- The Experience Religion, where the experience itself become the product.
All these branding frameworks do not only define brand strength, but also which metrics to pursue and how these should be measured, influencing ultimately what we research and how.
From developing a brand key, testing a communication campaign to tracking brand performance, we understand and master these different schools of thought and actively use this expertise when defining the leading approach for your brand challenges.