Aglamesis Bro's Brand Building Tool Kit

History
The story begins during the late 1800’s in

charming gathering place with exquisite

the countryside outside of Sparta, Greece.

ambiance. Nine years later, the brothers

Thomas Aglamesis left his home at age

added an ice cream plant with modern

sixteen to seek opportunity in America.

refrigerated cooling machinery. During the

A few years later, his brother Nicholas

depression, they sold The Metropolitan

joined him.

location in Norwood and their business

In 1908 they opened their first ice cream
parlor, The Metropolitan, where they
churned their ice cream flavors by hand
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became known as it is today, Aglamesis
Bro’s. A honeymoon in the 1960’s brought
the love of New Orleans into the decor.

in metal cylinders, using rock salt as a

Over the years, they have gained a national

freezing agent. Soon after, the brothers

reputation for outstanding quality.

added candy making to their culinary

The parlor in Oakley remains virtually

manufacturing talents. In 1913, they

unchanged and is considered to be one

opened a second location in Oakley. Built

of (if not) the last original ice cream

with Portuguese marble and embellished

parlor from a bygone era. Today, the third

with exotic Tiffany lamps, tile floors,

generation of the Aglamesis family proudly

sculptured ceilings and an authentic

run this century-old establishment. 1

player piano, the store was considered a
1 Aglamesis Bro’s (2013). History [Web]. Retrieved from:
http://www.aglamesis.com/pages/content/history.html

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Executive Summary
The goal of this project is to evaluate Aglamesis Bro’s brand
equity pyramid, develop a brand equity statement and increase
brand resonance among customers. After primary and secondary
research, paired with the guidance of the MS and MBA
programs in the Lindner College of Business at the University
of Cincinnati, we were able to prepare the following Brand
Builder’s Took Kit.
This Brand Builder’s Tool Kit consists of 4 main parts: a Brand

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Equity Pyramid, a Brand Equity Statement, a Synthesized
Executional Converter, and an Authenticity Audit. To complete
each of these pieces, we conducted primary research with
Aglamesis Bro’s’ management team, several staff, and completed
7 “laddering” interviews with brand champions. Secondary
research included web and various print sources. We found that
the Aglamesis Bro’s brand is full of authenticity and has a strong
local brand presence.
6

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Laddering Interviews
In order to understand the customer’s perception of Aglamesis
Bro’s we conducted 7 laddering interviews with customers at the
Aglamesis Bro’s’ parlor in Oakley. The interviewees ranged from
long time customers 50+ years to newer customers who learned
about the location only a few years ago, all of whom considered
themselves brand champions.
We asked these questions:
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•

How did you find out about Aglamesis Bro’s?

•

What is you favorite flavor of ice cream? Why?

•

What is your favorite candy or confection? Why?

•

What is the Aglamesis Bro’s experience for you? Why?

•

Where do you typically buy it/how do you normally
consume it? Why?

•

Do you think it is worth the price? Why?

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“Aglamesis is an institution.”
“You can taste the difference.
You’d never throw away a bite
of Aglamesis chocolate, even

What We Learned from the Brand Champions

Secondary Research

Aglamesis Bro’s reaches people through many different channels:

“I love Aglamesis Brothers ice cream, it

“I grew up walking to this Aglamesis on

has been a family favorite for as long as I

hot summer days and nights for an ice

can remember. A locally-made ice cream

cream cone, or if I was lucky, a chocolate

parlor within walking distance is quite a

milk shake with whipped cream and those

treat. The shop is adorable, with marble

little flower shaped butter cookies (that

counters and old-fashioned tables. The

they no longer have :(!!!). I have NEVER

chocolates are amazing, I recommend

had a better chocolate shake, I cannot

•

received the candies as a gift.

if it wasn’t the flavor that you
were hoping for. You simply
put it back in the box and save

•

of chocolate in Cincinnati. If
you hand me that Aglamesis box,
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I know that am eating the best
confection in Cincinnati that

Customers learned about Aglamesis Bro’s on TV shows like
Modern Marvels & The History Channel and intentionally

it for later.”
“Aglamesis is the gold standard

Many customers first discovered Aglamesis Bro’s when they

travelled to the Oakley store.
•

Word of mouth through friends & family

them for the holidays, especially around

figure out what it is about theirs, what

People come for/commit to Aglamesis Bro’s because of:

Easter when they have their cream eggs.

that special flavor is, but there is just

•

The quality & hand craftsmanship of the candies and

Their chocolate ice cream is perhaps the

nothing like it. Their Easter candy is

ice-cream.

best chocolate ice cream I have ever tried,

beautiful and yummy and for old-timey

cheap compared to it. I look at

•

Local & unique, nostalgic experience.

rich and dark, and can only be improved

ambiance it cannot be beat.”

other brands and wonder “who

•

Atmosphere encourages families to slow down and enjoy

with their marshmallow topping. Their

(Marla, 9/2/11)

their surroundings.

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ices are also fantastic, the champagne

you can get. Anything else looks

would buy that!?”.
“It’s a place of ‘very special

•

Generational tradition of visiting the store .

occasions’. It was like going to

flavor is my favorite. The service is also

•

Its a part of Cincinnati’s history and many people bring out

very nice, always full of enthusiastic high

of town family and friends to the parlor.

school and college students.”

The Maisonette for Chocolate.
Even walking in and getting a
scoop of ice cream felt more
special than any place else.”

(Caitlin, 1/23/12)

“Aglamesis Brothers always has some sort
of homemade candy along with their
fabulous ice cream which make great
gifts.” (Monica, 11/30/11)

1 “Aglamesis Bro’s,” Yelp.
Retrieved from: http://
www.yelp.com/biz/
aglamesis-brotherscincinnati

Brand Essence

Customer Based Brand Equity Pyramid
Building a strong brand is critical to the longer term success of

Emotional Benefit

an organization. Although there are many strategies to build a
strong brand, there are four fundamental steps that each strategy
should align with:

Consumer Benefit

1. Establish depth and breadth of brand awareness
2. Create brand meaning through unique associations
3. Establish favorable experiences

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Functional Benefit

4. Forge relationships characterized by loyalty
To understand where Aglamesis Bro’s is positioned along this
continuum, this project uses Keller’s Customer-Based Brand
Equity pyramid model 1 . The following sections analyze the

Product Attributes

pyramid, which is the basis for the subsequent strategy analysis.

1

Keller, Kevin Lane. Building Customer-based Brand Equity: A Blueprint for Creating Strong
Brands. Cambridge, MA: Marketing Science Institute, 2001. Print.

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Product Attributes
The primary characteristics of Aglamesis Bro’s revolve around
the use all natural ingredients, hand made, and an experiential,
old-style parlor setting.

Point-of-Difference
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Experience, Selection,
Soda Fountain

All Natural, French Style Ice Cream Hand Made On Location
Hand Dipped Chocolate Covered Candy Made From Scratch
Seasonal Ice Cream And Candy Flavors - Hand Selected Fruit + Nuts
Old Fashioned Style Ice Cream Parlor - Original Silver Bowls And Dishes
Imported Marble From Portugal - Tiffany Lamps - Sculptured Ceilings
Hand Packed Pints - Sold In Grocery Stores And Online
Family Oriented – Family Business - Locally Owned
Gift Cards - Merchandise

Point of Parity

Price, Taste, Quality

Candy Competitors

Esther Price, Godiva,
Russell Stover

Ice Cream Competitors

Greater’s, UDF

Neighborhood Meeting Places Greater’s, Panera, Starbucks

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Functional Benefits
The brand uses only natural, high quality ingredients.
Customers are aware of that strategy and are willing to pay a
price premium.
The brand’s hand-made manufacturing processes consistently
produce a high quality.
There is a clearly articulated and implemented style and history
that stems from the family’s love of New Orleans and their
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Greek roots.
Sincerity, excitement, and competence are all part of
the presentation.

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Family Environment - Special Occasion Destination
One Stop Shop for Ice Cream and Chocolates
Consistent and High Quality Product
Unique Gifts and Holiday Items


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A Fun Place To Go and Have Great Ice
Cream and Candy that is Made the Old
Fashioned Way Using All Natural Ingredients

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Customer Benefits
Customers know that Aglamesis Bro’s great taste comes from the
use of all natural ingredients and time tested recipes.


Customers look forward to a historical ice cream experience at
a community landmark. Its a place they go to have fun, to share
with their family and friends, and to celebrate life’s moments.

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Emotional Benefits
Customers who purchase the products understand Aglamesis

A Trusted Place to Go
to Celebrate the Special
Moments of Our Lives

Bro’s commitment to quality ingredients and taste as well as
Aglamesis Bro’s sincere commitment to their customers and the
community. As a result, customers consider Aglamesis Bro’s to be
likable, trustworthy experts.
Customers perceive Aglamesis Bro’s as unique and better than
other brands. This is critical to building intense and active
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relationships and supports an expansion of Aglamesis Bro’s
awareness driven by profile associations.
The customer’s emotional responses are oriented toward fun,
excitement and social-approval that comes from recurring
positive quality and life’s moments experiences.


One Stop Shop for Pyramid -and Chocolates
Brand Equity Ice Cream Level 4

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As good as it
always was

A Trusted Place to Go
to Celebrate the Special
Moments of Our Lives


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Brand Essence
Customers perceive Aglamesis Bro’s as a “Step-Back-in-Time”
generational ice cream experience and know that the ice cream


and candies are as good today as they were when Thomas and
Nicholas started the business.

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Brand Equity
Aglamesis Bro’s is an institution: its a family run business that
understands that people need trusted places to go to enjoy life’s
daily triumphs. It’s a place where families can grow up, people
can celebrate special occasions, and where they come home after
they’ve been gone.
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Aglamesis Bro’s is about the art of making great ice cream and
candy in the heart of the neighborhood. It’s about caring for
your customers, doing the right thing and going above and
beyond. It’s about staying true to a hard work ethic that was
spawned in the struggle of immigrating to America and the
backbone of survival in the great depression. It’s about honoring
their Greek heritage and the passion for New Orleans that was
sparked during a honeymoon 60 years ago.

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Current Belief

Desired Belief

Value Proposition Reasons to Believe

There is no real “quality difference” in

Aglamesis Bro’s offers a quality old -

Aglamesis Bro’s allows me to “step-back-in-time” and is a place to

ice cream and I mainly buy it at the

fashioned ice cream and I can taste the

celebrate the special moments of my life. Aglamesis Bro’s offers

store to eat at home. All candy is made

difference. When I go to the parlor

me the opportunity to purchase and share unique quality candies.

and tastes the same.

I can enjoy a unique experience with
friends and family. I am able to show
the people that I give gifts to that I love

Brand Hierarchy

them by giving them unique and quality

The Aglamesis Bro’s is a Branded House. Which means they

chocolates made the sincere way.

are the core brand. They work to build brand awareness and
resonance through the brick and mortar stores that sell ice cream

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Current Do

Desired Do

I buy ice cream and candy at the

I go to Aglamesis Bro’s to celebrate life

grocery store for consumption in my

with my loved ones and for my gift

home. If I go to the parlor to get it, it

giving needs.

is counter service only.

and candies as well as pints of ice-cream available for purchase
at local grocery stores.

Core Brand Promise
As good as it always was.

Brand Character
Authentic, Boutique, Sincere, Fun.

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Synthesized Executional Converter
For Its Prime Prospects

That Prime Prospects can believe in because

People who appreciate and want to experience good chocolate and

1. Generational, word-of-mouth testimonials and media attention

ice cream and gift givers.

Who Have These Characteristics
1. Enjoy nostalgic experiences that connect them to the past.

and validation.
2. Everything is original, from the location, the marble tables
& counter tops, Tiffany lamps to the original sincere way of
making chocolate, sodas and ice cream.

2. Have a desire to share a part of Historic Cincinnati.
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3. Crave quality taste.
4. Want to support local businesses.

The Brand Provides These Benefits
1. Historic building and traditional product that offers a unique
“step back in time” experience.
2. Consistent high quality products made with time-tested recipes.
3. Highly informed, customer oriented staff.

The Benefit(s) that give this brand the
“right to win” in the marketplace are:
1. One of the last original ice cream parlors in the nation.
2. “Customer First” culture and service.
3. Connecting people & community though a unique generational
experience that is a “step back in time”.

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The Authenticity Audit
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This section assesses and rates the authenticity associated with
Aglamesis Bro’s referencing the book Building Brand Awareness:
7 Habits Of Iconic Brands 1 . The strategies that individual brands
leverage to achieve authenticity will vary and the extent of each
dimension’s implementation will vary. We have evaluated each of
the 7 Habits on an ice cream cone scale of 1-5.

1

Beverland, Michael. Building Brand Authenticity: 7 Habits of Iconic Brands. Houndmills,
Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.

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Storytelling
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Most days, you can find “Mr. A” in the store sharing stories
and connecting with customers and friends. All of the employees
also know the story of the two brothers and the history of the
company. These stories are shared within the Aglamesis family
and within the community.
Customers have their own stories associated with Aglamesis Bro’s
that they love to share. The Oakley store is part of the thread
of people’s lives, becoming integral with life’s events: birthday
parties, first dates, engagements, weddings, and even funerals.

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Appearing as Artisinal Amateurs
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Aglamesis Bro’s has been making ice cream and candy by hand
for over 100 years. Their commitment to the “sincere” experience
- chocolates and ice cream that are hand made following the
original craft methods from 1908, using the same machinery and
created in the same location – contributes to the artisinal amateur
perception. While they may strive to create an appearance that
they may not have any formal training or sophisticated facilities,
they truly are experts.

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Sticking to Your Roots
Aglamesis Bro’s stays true to the neighborhoods in which they
operate. The “customer-first” mentality is a core Aglamesis Bro’s
value and the staff go out of their way to make sure their customers
receive the outstanding service and quality that they expect.
Recipes and ingredients, classic flavors and seasonal items are
consistent with the original vision. In our interview, Dianne Lytle
talked about the frozen yogurt craze and how customers were
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asking them for this type of product. After research and extensive
consideration, they decided to stick to ice cream because they aren’t
experts in yogurt.
They still manufacture culinary delights in the kitchen above the
parlor, which used to be Mr. A’s home. And, they still use original
silver and glass serving pieces and provide table service even though
it would be much more efficient to use dishwasher safe glasses
and over the counter ordering. Expansion, franchises and new
distribution channels are limited and partnership opportunities are
selectively considered.

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Love the Doing
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Aglamesis Bro’s loves the craft of ice cream and candy making
and it shows in the quality of their products. Mr. A is involved
in the production activities and is a face seen daily at the Oakley
store. Their commitment to making ice cream and candies the
“sincere” way speaks to the espoused love of craft and their quest
for product excellence.

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Market Immersion
Market Immersion suggest brands should ensure they are relevant by
gaining inspiration from their surroundings. Aglamesis Bro’s does this
by employing their customers – mainly high school to college students.
Most love both ice cream and confectionary items.
The management staff stays up to date on the trends of ice cream
flavors and candy by visiting trade shows and reading trade magazines.
Mr. A. trusts his gut to bring back historical flavors, even in the face
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of skepticism. For example, tried and trusted recipes, like Pineapple
Pecan ice cream, have made a come back and its one of their best
seasonal summer sellers. They intentionally keep their flavor variations
small so that they can try different flavors with smaller risk. Aglamesis
Bro’s also seeds their fan base by taking suggestions on seasonal flavors
or specialized candies from customers.

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Be At One With The Community
Aglamesis Bro’s plays up their connections to local communities
by philanthropically supporting their local neighborhoods and
community entities. This generally includes churches, schools, and
animal shelters in the Oakley and Montgomery areas.
While they are still a popular place for community to gather today,
we learned that in the 1940’s Aglamesis Bro’s would stay open until
midnight every night because their shop was the place to gather and
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socialize. This built links to their community.
Aglamesis Bro’s is also a popular destination spot for people to
take visiting family members, it is the site of many engagements,
first dates and we were told last year, even a wedding. Dianne Lytle
indicated these types of community interactions really have become
the fabric of the culture at Aglamesis Bro’s.
Many of the customers who were interviewed shared that they have
posted a positive review on their Facebook page, but none of them
are “friends” of the Aglamesis Bro’s page.

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Indoctrinate Staff Into the Brand Cult
Aglamesis Bro’s excel in this area. Mr. A and the management
team take a deep interest in the development of their associates.
They treat their employees like family and like to see them grow.
Mr. A remembers his associates and will ask them about school

“One of the best parts of
working here is to see someone
that used to worked at the shop
bring in their family and say,
“hey I used to work here and
now I am a doctor”.

-Amy

and life. He leads by example, by getting behind the counter and
serving ice cream and chocolates. He is very customer oriented
and so are his managers. Since Mr. A is in the store most everyday,
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most of the staff has a story about a positive encounter with him.
These stories help to intertwine the staff into the store’s history.
Aglamesis Bro’s is on the ball about managing employee
performance. All workers have an orientation when they join the
company, which consists of a tour of the ice cream and chocolate
factories and an in depth look at their history. Training revolves
around the ideas of hard work and customer service so new
employees start out by learning table service and washing dishes.

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Our Thoughts & Suggestions
Salience: Depth and Breadth of Customer Awareness
Even though Aglamesis has a 100 year history in Cincinnati, there
are still a significant number of people in the metropolitan area that
have never heard of the brand or tried the brand.
Idea: Focus on expanding awareness to align with where life’s
moments are found, increasing radio advertisement.
Resonance: Engage with Community - Use Social Channels
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“ Tour the Plant” YouTube video
Today, Aglamesis Bro’s does not offer tours because the candy and
ice cream making space is too small.
Idea: Create a video tour which they could host on their site, post
on YouTube and other and social media pages to enable their
customers to “experience the production”.

Engage With Your Social Community: Market Immersion and Be at one
with the Community
In our interviews, many people do post about Aglamesis Bro’s on
Facebook, but few liked the official page or even knew it existed.
Idea: Use the parlor and the web site as an opportunity to promote
the Facebook page (currently 1,785 likes) and Yelp reviews.
Idea: Establish a program to donate $1 to a local community charity
for every check-in at Aglamesis Bro’s or new like on Facebook.
Idea: Highlight staff and customer stories on their page. For example:
publicize engagements, weddings, celebrations and daily events
on the Facebook page. Engage staff to create the posts.
Idea: Encourage photo shoots to “seed the fan base”.
Idea: Involve customers by having a “vote for the new seasonal
flavor” campaign on Facebook page.

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Style and Design: Design the Experience
Today, there are many moments of truth” - the important points in the
customer experience - that Aglamesis Bro’s could improve to enhance the
old parlor feel and increase the consistency between locations, while still
maintaining artisinal amateur authenticity. Moments of truth revolve around:
•

First Impressions Front Door + Curb Appeal - fresh paint says it all

•

The Next Step: Inside: Where Do I Look? What do I do?
•

Chocolate Display Cases - use beautiful period dishes to display
candies and streamline items to highlight what’s important.

•

Take Home Candy Displays - use period items to display candies
and polish the presentation.

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•

Serving Dishes + Organization - store non-period items out of
sight and remove the clutter so the silver and glass is what gets
the attention.

•

Wall + Table Menus + Traffic Flow + Interior Decor - create a
consistent visual to guide customers through the experience.

•

On The Way Out - The Cross Sell - make it easy to see and pick up the
impulse buy on the way out the door. Kids like candy in low places.

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Thank you
The team wishes to thank Dianne Lytle, Amy Sandmann and the
Oakley fountain counter staff for sharing their insights and their
enthusiastic support of this project. Their passion, energy and
love for Aglamesis Bro’s is the cornerstone of what makes a visit
so special 100 years after the first scoop of ice cream was served.

Nicole Breitenstein, Dianne Hardin,
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Alissa Simons, Karen Wellman

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