The document discusses how brand values are the foundation for authenticity, coherence and emotion in marketing. It argues that developing a coherent brand personality starts with identifying the core values that define the brand. These values should be reflected internally within the company and externally through the brand's products, customer experiences and communications. The document provides examples of brands that demonstrate strong coherence through their values and brand management.

1. Brand values as the root
of authenticity, coherence
and emotion in marketing
Renzo Rizzo, Direttore della Practice
Business Innovation e del Master in
Marketing Management e Innovazione alla
Fondazione ISTUD Business School
www.istud.it

2. Business Innovation Practice
ISTUD Business School
‣ Established in 1970 by initiative of Assolombarda and a group of large
Italian and multinational companies, ISTUD (acronym for Institute for
Management Studies) has accompanied the evolution of Italian
Management, contributing to the diffusion of a modern management
and leadership culture in many Italian companies and subsidiaries of
multinational companies, both large and medium/small.
‣ Its purpose is to support the growth and competence development of
companies that want to compete through a new and sustainable
economic model, based on the creation of value for all the stakeholders
involved in the economic process such as a company’s customers,
collaborators and partners, shareholders and investors, as well as the
very social context where the company lives.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

3. Business Innovation Practice
Brand values as a basis for a coherent,
authentic and emotional relationship with
customer
‣ Coherence, authenticity and
emotional connection are ever
more important as a brand and
company communication
becomes more fragmented and
less controllable.
‣ A brand is the personification of a
company offering, and at its best
it can be a guide through the
increased complication of the
market, and a center of meaning
for customer relationship with
companies.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

4. Business Innovation Practice
So it is important that brands have an
attractive and coherent personality
‣ Personality is the particular
combination of emotional,
attitudinal, and behavioral
response patterns of an
individual.
‣ According to the trait theory,
personality is defined by traits -
habitual patterns of behavior,
thought, and emotion.
‣ According to this perspective,
traits are relatively stable over
time, are different across
individuals, and influence
behavior.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

5. Business Innovation Practice
Developing a coherent brand personality
starts with the values that identify the brand
‣ The values that attract us to a
brand can have different
emotional strength, depending on
whether they relate to a material Expression and ideals
values
promise, to an expected
experience, or to intangible ideas
that fulfill our self expression
Experience and
desires and aspirations. aesthetics values
‣ A unique combination of values
characterizes the brand, setting it
apart from the competition and at Effectiveness and
the same time determines its functional values
potential emotional strength and
intangible content.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

6. In 1999, Timberland PRO was created to bring boots and shoes to working
professionals that consider their footwear a necessary tool of the trade.
Each year since, Timberland PRO® footwear has out-classed the competition
Business Innovation Practice
by continually delivering ground-breaking innovations designed to keep
Coherence through the products workers in various professions safe, comfortable and energized on the job.
In 2009, PRO launched stayonyourfeet.com to promote the Timberland PRO® Endurance work boot. The site
highlighted the benefits of our exclusive Anti-Fatigue Technology while allowing visitors to search for sector-
specific jobs in their area, helping workers stay on their feet in more ways than one during the tough economy.
‣ We love the outdoor and take And while sales of Timberland PRO® series were flat in 2009, it was actually a positive sign in a category that
took a particularly big hit last year. With innovative new products and expanded markets on the horizon, we
pride in equipping people to fully expect Timberland PRO to return to its historical growth pattern as the economy improves. With a maniacal
focus on the consumers we serve, innovation-laden product and ever-growing brand recognition, the Timberland PRO®
enjoy it as much as we do. series remains an important and natural extension of our core brand.
ounger consumers expect products to be technical
and durable, but they also want edgy styling and
construction mindful of its environmental impact. This
‣ We are masters of shoemaking consumer has spoken and we listened. Launched in the Fall of
2009, Timberland® Mountain Athletics® has become the marquee
label of our outdoor performance product. This trail-running and
and storytelling. hiking line was designed to fuse trend and innovation, featuring
Green Rubber™ soles made of 42% recycled rubber to help outdoor
enthusiasts leave the environment the way they found it.
‣ True to our environmental values.
To target this younger, faster consumer, we launched an aggressive,
multi-faceted marketing campaign that included blogs, mobile
media, a public relations blitz and a celebrated ad campaign
consumers, action sports and environmentalism. Timberland is
featuring television, print and outdoor. We supported the campaign
engaging these more traditional shoppers by bringing innovation
‣ While our heritage products have
with Timberland® Mountain Athletics® retail store displays to
to our rugged, proven and dependable outdoor product.
generate buzz about this dynamic segment of our business.
Timberland uses innovative components, compounds and
lassics are classics for a reason. still learning from the launch of our Timberland®
Though we are They aren’t of a particular
withstood the test of time, with
constructions to take our consumers anywhere—from the summit
time or place, and were never made to satisfy a trend. We
Mountain Athletics® footwear, it met our expectations of reconnecting
to the sidewalk. We’re one of the few brands with the ability to
have silhouettes that haveoutdoor worn by generations and “halo” effect that
with the been consumer, and helped create a
bring a rugged heritage plus a distinct look and feel to a range of
are just as relevant now as they were in theon all of our outdoor they areIn 2009, we saw
continues to shine 1970s, because products.
each generation we continue to
outdoor-wearing occasions. As we continue to provide outdoor-
a resurgence of our tried-and-true outdoor hiking silhouettes, led
the perfect balance of craftsmanship, function and fashion. Last year proven gear to consumers—marketed thoughtfully and produced
by core day-hiking performance boots and shoes. The traditional
we made a concerted effort to focus on our classic styles through in an environmentally respectful way—we’re confident that our
make products for light, fast and
outdoor footwear segment is being influenced by younger
better distribution, greater visibility and adding fresh twists. The resurgence as an authentic outdoor retailer has only just begun.
Abington Collection is a perfect example, combining styles from
decades past with subtle design elements and colors that bring them
further performance: into the modern era.
The marketing campaign for our Classics product taps into the
Classics
consumer’s insistence on great value, especially in light of macro-
economic trends. We also entered into high-visibility collaborations
with key upscale retailers such as Saks, Collette and Stüssy,
Performance creating limited-edition collections sold only through their doors.
These partnerships, while small in scale, are big in impact and help
After nearly 40 years, the iconic 10061 is still the product we base all others on.
Earth-keepers
We make these Classics products efficiently, which gives us the
to elevate the brand.
flexibility to test and nurture new product ideas. In the year ahead,
To create even more buzz, we continue to give the consumer artistic
Timberland Pro
we expect Classics to play a significant role, driving a large
control through our Design Your Own Handsewn (DYOH) program, portion of footwear sales in each region. These styles are rugged,
which followed on the heels of our successful Design Your Own Boot durable and outdoor-capable, making them a true reflection of the
program. DYOH allows consumers to choose from various leather Timberland® brand.
options, colors, laces, embroidery, hand stitching and hardware to
create a truly one-of-a-kind shoe. The program was particularly
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it
successful in Asia in 2009, and will continue to build brand cachet
12
in that region in 2010.

7. Business Innovation Practice
Coherence through the key
engagement points
‣ Awareness through wom and
advertising images, and web site.
‣ Purchase through dedicated stores
and the web.
‣ Music and perfume, people
behaviour and looks
‣ Products of consistent quality and
recognizable design.
‣ Customer service.
‣ Direct engagement with the brand.
‣ Coherent visual, physical,
emotional manifestations.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

8. Business Innovation Practice
Coherence through the key
engagement points
‣ OVS Industry, leader in the
Italian apparel sector with
870M€ sales: a new
interpretation of shopping,
characterized by constant
renewal, quality and a fair
price.
‣ Strong Italian positioning,
present throughout.
‣ Collections from collaboration
with famous designers like
Ennio Capasa, Elio Fiorucci
and Davide de Giglio.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

9. Business Innovation Practice
Coherence from the inside out
‣ Zappos, an on-line retailer of
shoes and clothing, is so
focused on customer service
and on one-to-one relationship
that it moved its headquarter
from California to Nevada (near
Deliver WOW Through Service
Las Vegas), in order to find Embrace and Drive Change
better personnel to staff for its Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
call canter. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
Pursue Growth and Learning
‣ The company service and Build Open and Honest Relationships
Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
frugality values are very Do More With Less
coherent with the band values. Be Passionate and Determined
Be Humble
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

10. Business Innovation Practice
Coherence from the inside out
‣ ... apply one key principle to the
production of artisanal ice cream
(...): purchasing ingredients of
absolutely high quality.
‣ (...) they start for a quest from
Langhe up to Sicily and Central
America, looking for the best the
world of agricolture has to offer.
‣ Only fresh seasonal fruit, from the
best areas in italy and from their
own farm, no use of colorants
and flavors, only fresh whole milk
of top quality for the creams,
organic eggs and a selection fo
the best cocoas and coffee form
Central America.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

11. Business Innovation Practice
The basis for brand authenticity
Values and Positioning
principles of and personality
the company of the brand
‣ “Why is internal marketing so important? Because it is the best way to
help employees make a powerful emotional connection to the products
and services you sell. Without that connection, employees are likely to
undermine the expectations set by your advertising” (Colin Mitchell,
Ogilvy & Mathers).
‣ But even with the best marketing skills you can not fake values, either
you have them or you don’t... and it shows.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

12. Business Innovation Practice
A model to build a coherent brand
personality Story Substance
(thoughts) (behaviour)
Stages
(relationship)
‣ A brand’s combination of Participation
values sets it apart and Expression and Knowledge
defines its potential emotional ideals values attributes
strength. Integration
‣ The brand expresses itself
through its products and their
Usage
attributes... Experience and
Sensory
‣ ... and through the various aesthetics
attributes
values
engagement moments of the Purchase
customers’ journey from
awareness to bonding and
participation in the brand. Evaluation
Effectiveness
‣ The brand values must be and functional
Functional
attributes
coherent with the company values
Awareness
internal values.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

13. Business Innovation Practice
The role of marketing, as we live it at
ISTUD Business School
“marketing... learns about (customers)
needs, desires and fears and designs and
supplies products with those considerations
in mind; (different from sales) it does not try
to make buyers want what the seller has,
but to have what buyers want (or might
want)...”
Theodore C. Levitt, After the sale is over, HBR, July/August 1983
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it

14. Business Innovation Practice
ISTUD Business Innovation
‣ Help identifying the values that can set your brand apart, and drive
coherence in the various elements of the brand equity web.
‣ Use methods proven by direct management and consulting
experience of its consultants, teachers and coaches.
‣ Development of brand strategy, equity, architecture, marketing mix.
‣ Brief and guidance of agencies that develop visual branding,
communication, packaging, product, web presence.
‣ Education and coaching for marketing people.
Renzo Rizzo Global Marketing 2011; rrizzo@istud.it