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Brands are one of a company’s most valuable intangible assets; and branding strategies are emerging as a priority to be developed.Branding is especially important as to influence the consumer and his perceptions by driving choices and loyalty within the competitors set. A Brand is shaped in the consumer’s mind and branding strategies aim at creating information that people must obtain about a product /a service / an organization. The first is an aspect especially true in the case of a design furniture brand, which considers the product and his identity as the main touch point of the brand. According to this initial information people will develop a preference regarding a firm’s brand, they will decide whether to choose a particular brand or from those of competitors. In a world of overwhelming choices, the process of collecting and assessing information is increasingly hard for consumers. It is even harder when this information is complex, like that of a product identity or a knowledge that a brand delivers to its consumers. But, once collected this information on the brand people start to structure and store it in their memory, this is the origin of the behavioural brand loyalty. Then the choice people make is discrete (yes or not, 1 or 0, I like or I dislike) and durable. It means that once the brand loyalty is established it will then be very difficult to change people’s mind and alter their choices. The way to manage this competitive advantage is to develop a strong branding strategy, aimed at building up the appropriate connection between the brand and the information related to the product/service/organization in order to enable people to make the appropriate mental associations. Furthermore, as J.N. Kapferer stresses in his book: “… a brand encapsulates in its name and its visual symbol all the goodwill created by the positive experiences of clients or prospects with the organization, its products, its channels, its stores, its communication and its people. However, this means that it is necessary to manage these points of contact (from product or service to channel management, to advertising, to internet site, to word of mouth, the organization’s ethics, and so on) in an integrated and focused way. This is the core skill needed.” (The new strategic brand management, 2008).
This workshop has given the opportunity to experience how firms create a brand image linked to a product identity and make decision regarding their branding strategies; in order to have a more practical and realistic view of the above matter MDF Italia company will cooperate with Domus Academy and provides itself as a case for a new branding strategy implementation. MDF Italia is one of the most well-known brand in the furniture sector in Italy. MDF Italia also represents the typical Italian design furniture company: currently in transition from the entrepreneurial roots to a managerial business model, from an identity strictly connected to the products to growing brand equity.
The strategic objective of this workshop was to shift from hard to soft MDF Italia, from being producer and seller of tangible goods to a provider of experiences and services that are immaterial and intangible. Upon that shift, we were asked to conceive an innovative unique selling proposition for MDF Italia to gain market share and leadership through the brand that must be able to conjure up a big idea, and attractive; experienced by people at contact points; activated by deeds and behaviours; communicated; distributed. More in detail : • Design an integrated branding strategy to enhance brand attraction and end consumer loyalty for MDF Italia. • Conceive new retail experiences, services, spaces and occasions around the brand “MDF Italia”. • Elaborate communication strategies to launch and promote the proposed innovations. • Reflecting upon the MDF Italia product portfolio, by highlighting on the iconic products willing to generate product and brand identity and how to move them towards innovative and fresh perspectives, such as new communication campaign, innovative distribution systems or updated materials and finishing. • Open the innovation MDF Italia product portfolio by involving young generations throughout social media channels. • Develop a visual communication system, integrated with the distribution spaces, delivered by combining different technologies, from traditional print to digital/ interactive technologies and mobile solutions, across different media.
Proposed project will be available on request to sukhadadahale@gmail.com