BrandKey Book A4

Welcome to the Brand Planning Toolset
In today’s tougher world, with

bigger and better competitors, no
easy targets for growth, and the
retailer bar getting higher, we
need to be brilliant at consumer
marketing. Good is no longer
good enough!
Superior brand mixes are our top business priority.
We need to deliver differentiated market positioning
for our brands and drive growth through measurable
marketing objectives.
The introduction of the Brand Planning Toolset is a

response to these challenges and the first deliverable
of the strategic thrust, Brilliant Consumer Marketing.
The toolset provides a common language and

framework for brand planning and the critical part it
plays in delivering our brand growth ambitions across
the business.
We are all committed to building brands and building

business, so we strongly ask you to make the Brand
Planning Toolset work for you, and for our growth
ambitions. We are convinced that these tools, properly
embedded and used in our Divisions, will step up the
quality of our marketing and business planning.
Keki Dadiseth Kees van der Graaf

HPC Division Director Foods Division Director
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 01
BRANDKEY VISION
Overview 05
BrandKey Vision Template 08
User Guide 10
1. Root Strengths 10
2. Competitive Environment 12
3. Target 14
4. Insight 16
5. Benefits 18
6. Values, Beliefs & Personality 20
7. Reasons to Believe 22
8. Discriminator 24
9. Essence 26
Exercises 29
Bringing the Vision to Life 46
RANGE ARCHITECTURE
Overview 55
1. Brand Scope Pyramid 56
2. Range Platforms 61
3. Range Naming Hierarchy 64
4. Platform Keys 66
Exercises 69
Towards the Brand Vision Plan and Brand Marketing Plan 77

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
“A VISION
WITHOUT ACTION
IS JUST A DREAM.
ACTION
WITHOUT VISION
JUST PASSES
THE TIME.
A VISION
WITH ACTION
CAN CHANGE
THE WORLD.”
NELSON MANDELA
01
INTRODUCTION
Brilliant consumer marketing

has always required world-class
inspiration, creativity and rigour,
but these qualities are harder to
develop and apply successfully
today than ever before. The
competitive environment is busier,
economic conditions tougher,
consumers more demanding, and
customers more sophisticated.
For these reasons, our branding challenge has never
been clearer. If Unilever’s business is to flourish and
grow, it is vital that marketers:
> Create compelling, differentiated BrandKey

Visions that provide a clear and inspiring focus
for everything we do.
> Translate BrandKey Visions into tangible

strategic business and brand equity goals
and plans.
> Drive brand growth and development by

turning vision into action in every market.
To help with these objectives, a new Brand Planning

Toolset has been developed, designed to provide a
clear and common language that will enable marketers
throughout Unilever to deliver our brand growth
ambitions.
The Brand Planning Toolset is divided into
three parts:
1. BrandKey: Vision and Range Architecture
NB. The creation of 2. BrandZip: Brand Vision Plan

category strategies which
set the Category goals 3. BrandZip: Brand Marketing Plan
and brand roles and
priorities within it is not in This book focuses on the first of these areas:
the scope of this toolset. BrandKey: Vision and Range Architecture.
02 02
INTRODUCTION
BRANDKEY
What’s new? The Brand Planning Toolset incorporates the learning

built up from the use of BrandKey in recent years. It
also serves to better integrate the activities involved in
brand equity and business planning, and the translation
of strategic vision into local market action.
The key changes > Simplification of the BrandKey tools to focus on the
BrandKey Vision.
introduced are:
> A simple Range Architecture model to help
organise brand ranges and communication.
> Emphasis on building each brand’s core category

strength as our business backbone.
> A Brand Vision Plan to define clear strategic goals

and metrics relating to the development of brand
equity and business performance.
> A Brand Marketing Plan developed at a national

level to specify the detailed actions brands will take
to close the gap between local market starting points
and the strategic brand vision.
Who does what?

BRANDKEY BRANDZIP
BRAND DEVELOPMENT MARKETING

03
INTRODUCTION
It is crucial that Brand Developers and Marketers

work together closely, with a common purpose,
to build brands and business in the marketplace.
However, it is also important to be clear about
their respective roles:
Global Brands > For all global / leading brands, Category SVPs
are responsible for setting the category strategy
and goals as input to the Brand Vision Plan.
> Responsibility for creating the BrandKey Vision,

Range Architecture and the Brand Vision Plan rests
with Brand Developers. The Global Brand Director
leads the work, supported by the Global Brand Team
(including its agencies).
> The President Marketing will approve and

authorise all global BrandKey Visions and
Brand Vision Plans, confirming the positioning,
strategy and portfolio role for each brand. Any
clash of priorities between global brands and
business groups should be referred to the Foods
Marketing Board / Marketing President’s Executive
for resolution.
> The national Brand Marketing Plan is the

responsibility of each National Marketing Director,
supported by the Regional Brand Director / Regional
Category Director.
Regional > Responsibility for creating the BrandKey Vision,

Range Architecture and Brand Vision Plan rests with
Leading Brands the Regional Category Director / Regional Brand
Director, supported by the Regional Brand Team /
Regional Category Team.
> The national Brand Marketing Plan is the

responsibility of each National Marketing Director,
supported by the Regional Brand Director / Regional
Category Director.
Local Brands For local jewels, (and where agreed by the Regional
Brand Director/Regional Category Director) National
Marketing Directors are responsible for BrandKey
Visions and Brand Vision Plans, as well as for Brand
Marketing Plans.
“WORDS ARE OF
COURSE, THE MOST
POWERFUL DRUG
USED BY MANKIND.”
RUDYARD KIPLING
VISION
BRANDKEY
BRANDKEY VISION
“IF I HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO SEE FURTHER
THAN OTHERS, IT WAS
BECAUSE I STOOD ON THE
SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.”
SIR ISAAC NEWTON
05
BRANDKEY VISION
BrandKey Since 1999 Unilever has used

Vision: the BrandKey tool to capture
Overview brand positioning globally. Our
new approach builds on the best
practice and learning to date. We
have simplified the tool overall, but
also added some new elements to
reflect changing needs in the way
we manage our brands.
The BrandKey Vision:
> Is how the Brand Director captures the desired

brand positioning and makes clear inside the
business what the brand stands for, what it will do,
and how it should be done.
> Helps ensure that all internal actions and external

executions (products, packs and promotions) are
guided by the extent to which they contribute to this
desired and differentiated brand positioning.
> Summarises what everyone who works on the brand

must work towards, and where the brand will go, in
the next three to five years.
Brands only exist in the minds of consumers.

Successful brands stand for something clear and are
consistent over time – a set of values and / or attributes
that we call the brand equity. Brand equity is the basis
on which we build sustainable and growing brand
businesses. The BrandKey Vision is the way we
capture what we want the brand equity to be.
This revised version of BrandKey Vision now

replaces the original BrandKey manual.
06
BRANDKEY VISION OVERVIEW
What has BrandKey has changed in a number of ways:

changed?
From To
1. A tool comprised of a Just one BrandKey –

‘Key Positioning’ (current the BrandKey Vision
reality) and a ‘Key Vision’
(future objective)
2. Different BrandKeys One BrandKey Vision –

developed by local teams the brand’s global vision
in different markets for the
same global brand
3. Eight boxes in the A new ninth box

BrandKey template, called ‘Root Strengths’
with no reference to to spell out explicitly the
historic strength brand’s historic strengths
and origins
4. Extension Keys developed A total Range Architecture

for ad hoc line extensions with Platform or Product
Keys created only where
applicable within this
strategic framework
5. Use of consumer Use of the brand’s

language when language to enable
writing BrandKeys us to capture precisely
its strategic intent
07
Key principles > Focus

Each Unilever brand will have only one BrandKey
Vision. In the past, we also used BrandKeys to
capture the current or the local status of global
brands. This will no longer be the case.
> Strategic Intent

The BrandKey Vision should not be a statement
of how consumers see us now, but of what we
intend to build the brand towards in 3-5 years
time. The new BrandKey Vision starts with
the future and describes the desired positioning
of the brand, using the language of the brand and
not of the consumer.
> Simplicity
A BrandKey Vision should contain simple and
inspiring language. Remember that many people
will work with the BrandKey Vision in translation,
so don’t get too enamoured of a clever English
phrase that no one else will understand! Keep
things brief, focused and clear.
08
BrandKey
Vision Template
y
nalit 7. R
erso ea
s
P The brand The proof on
& s
fs
values – what we offer to
e
to
the brand stands substantiate
eli
s, B
Be
for and believes the benefits / brand
in – and its experience.
l ie
lue
personality.
ve
6. Va
9. Essence
The distillation
of the Brand into
The a core idea The single
differentiating or promise. most compelling
functional, and competitive
emotional and reason for
sensory the target or
at
5.
benefits that consumer to

in
Be
motivate choose the

m
ef i
cr
n
i purchase. brand.
ts s
Di
8.
4. Insight
The element of all you know about the target
consumer and their needs (in this competitive
environment) on which the brand is founded.
2. Competitive 3. Target
Environment
The market and alternative The person and the situation
choices as seen by the for which the brand is always
consumer and the relative the best choice, defined in
value the brand offers in terms of their attitudes and
that market. values, not just demographics.
1. Root Strengths
The original product, values and/or benefits
that made the brand great and on which we want to build.
09
Example:
Knorr
BrandKey Vision
y
nalit 7. R
erso ea
s
P on
& s
fs The spirit and Knorr’s taste and
e
to
eli
inspiration of the recipe expertise.

s, B
Be
market-place.
Knorr always goes
l ie
lue
that extra mile.
ve
6. Va
9. Essence
Let’s bring
magic to
Wednesday!
Simply delicious. Let’s bring magic
A touch of magic to Wednesday!
to everyday
meal moments.
“Bloody Mary Soup”.
or
at
5.
in
Be
ef ri
n
its sc
Di
8.
4. Insight
GOOD FOOD IS THE GLUE OF LIFE
Whether we are preparing, eating or sharing it, good food
can enhance our everyday life and transform the way we feel.
Environment Those who understand (or who might
come to see) the importance of
Any culinary product or service which preparing and enjoying good FOOD,
our target consumers might use when and who understand its power to
they want something to eat. enhance everyday life. Whether old or
young, these people see how they can
(without too much effort) bring something
a little special to an everyday meal.
1. Root Strengths
“Chefmanship”
Green and yellow colours
“Soup is life – Soup is Knorr”
10
BRANDKEY VISION
BrandKey
Vision:
User Guide
The original product, values and/or benefits

that made the brand great and on which
we want to build.
We must understand and respect what has been

fundamental to the brand’s consumer appeal in the
past, and know what foundations we are building on.
This does not mean that, in moving forward, we
have to drag past ‘baggage’ with us. But we must very
consciously recognise the implications of moving the
brand on from whatever it was that made it famous in
1. Root the first place.
Strengths Most brands have their origins in clear, relatively
simple and easy-to-communicate products and
What made us famous benefits. But over time, as we have extended the
in the first place? range offering, we may have lost that clarity, and even
begun to take some aspects of the brand’s heritage
for granted.
A brand’s Root Strengths may be a product
format or a highly distinctive brand property, a
specifically focused discriminator or a strong core
value – or indeed a combination of these.
The important thing is that, whatever they are, the
Root Strengths will have played a critical part in
establishing the brand’s credibility and its
distinctiveness. They will have been, and will very likely
continue to be, important touchstones for our
consumers. They are therefore things that we ignore at
our peril.
11
BRANDKEY VISION USER GUIDE
Root Strengths are critical when assessing the merits

of any brand extension. They will influence both what
the brand can do credibly and how it should do it. If a
proposed extension is inconsistent with our brand’s
Root Strengths, it is unlikely to succeed. That is not to
say that we shouldn’t continue to grow and evolve a
brand over time, but any brand will do best if it remains
true to itself.
We must respect and nurture our Root Strengths:
they are our backbone and will help feed our future
brand growth!
See page 34 for more advice.
Examples:
Becel
> Healthy alternative (to butter)
> Good oils (polyunsaturates)
> Good for cholesterol & heart
> Doctor recommended
Snuggle
> Snuggle bear love
> Snuggle bear softness
> Magic
> Fun / playful
Virgin
> Service quality and innovation
> Fun and entertainment
> Value for money
> Sense of competitive challenge
> (Richard Branson)

12
The market and alternative

choices as seen by the
consumer and the relative
2. Competitive value the brand offers in
Environment that market.
Who loses when we win?
The Competitive Environment describes all the

choices available to the current consumer with which
our brand competes. It is not just a description of
the product category as defined by ourselves or our
retail customers.
Our analysis should do more than describe
the marketplace as it is. We should be able to
reflect emerging threats and opportunities. We need
to go beyond what we learn from research. When
establishing a brand’s future positioning, the definition
should be broad enough to provide your brand with
space to grow.
These are our real brand competitors, eg.
if our brand is an instant soup in a cup, the competitive
environment is the whole snack market! If our ice
cream brand is a favourite with teenagers, we may be
competing indirectly with phone-cards, or other “pocket
money” items.
13
Examples:
Becel pro.activ
All cholesterol lowering food, drinks and supplements.
Sunsilk
The ‘everything you do to your hair’ market. Mass with
class – a unique intermediate price segment between
premium and low price brands.
Rexona
Products which offer accessible and functional
solutions to body odour and wetness.
14
The person and the situation

for which the brand is always
the best choice, defined in
terms of their attitudes and
3. Target values, not just demographics.
Who is our target
consumer?
‘Target’ describes the chooser of the brand, who

may be the user or the shopper. This is the person
for whom the brand is – or wants to be – the first
choice. The chooser should be defined in terms of
attitudes, behaviour and values as well as of socio-
demographics. Sometimes it will be helpful to specify
the situation in which the brand will be the first choice.
Note that when it comes to communication, the
Target may not always be the chooser or the shopper
(eg. it could be doctors for low cholesterol margarine,
and mothers as gatekeepers for children’s products).
The more tightly the target can be defined, the
stronger its appeal can be for that segment.
15
Examples:
Dove
She is quite centred, accepting of her imperfections.
Her self-esteem comes more from how she feels
than how she looks. She is interested in beauty, but
hers is a beauty quest within limits. She values quality
over hype.
Becel
People who don’t take their health for granted,
and who should think about the health of their hearts.
Magnum
Ultimate pleasure seekers (adult).
Axe
14-25 year-old men, fairly cool but still limited in
experience of women. Chasing girls, getting chased by
girls, getting girls is a way of defining themselves as
individuals and men. Peer group approval is critical.
16
The element of all you know about the target

4. Insight consumer and their needs (in this competitive
environment) on which the brand is founded.
What is the consumer
opportunity?
‘Insight’ is the penetrating understanding that hooks

the brand into our consumer’s needs and wants, and
so identifies our brand building opportunity.
Our challenge is to push harder on consumer
understanding to find a true and competitive insight
and not settle for mere observation, obvious truths,
or facts that anyone can see!
True insights go deeper and have an interpretive
twist that helps connect the brand to the consumer
need or wish in a fresh and distinctive way.
We can use the Insight Activator Toolkit to help
us turn our observations and consumer learning into
powerful Insight.
17
Examples:
Omo
“Dirt is experience, dirt is good!”
Lux
“When I look and feel beautiful and special, it seems
that my relationship with the world gets easier. The
world and its possibilities open up to me.”
Sunsilk
“I’m fed up with that plastic, ‘perfect’ beauty. I just
want my hair to look really good because that makes
me feel happier.”
Heart Ice Cream

“In a world of challenges, pressures and opportunities,
people look for small moments of pleasure that are
immediate and intense.”
18
The
differentiating
functional,
emotional and
sensory
benefits that
motivate
5. Benefits purchase.
What’s in it for them?
‘Benefits’ describe the ways in which the brand solves

consumer problems or offers an improvement in some
aspect of their life – the reasons to buy. Brand benefits
will be functional, emotional and/or sensory.
Products in a category may have similar benefits
(clean, healthy hair), but a strong brand must also
provide something to help the consumer prefer that
brand to any other. This can be done either by offering
an additional benefit that differentiates it from the
competition (“brightens your day”) or the ability to
deliver a generic benefit better than the competition
(“tastes more like butter”).
We need to make sure that the functional and
emotional benefits fit together. For example, a washing
powder that is so powerful it can remove every stain
known to mankind is unlikely to be one we can trust
for its gentleness.
If we have a long list of benefits, try to prioritise
them in terms of which ones will be seen as the most
distinctive and the most competitive by the consumer.
19
Examples:
Axe
Seduction – “When I use Axe I feel and appear more
attractive both to myself and those around me”.
Dove
Dove will make skin noticeably softer and
smoother. Dove gives women an uplifting little feeling
about their own beauty.
Becel pro.activ
Dramatically lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol. “Freedom
from my health worries, so I can focus on enjoying life!”
Sunsilk
Functionally: “Wave goodbye to my hair dramas,
whatever they were”. Emotionally: “Makes me feel
happy and good about myself”.
20
The brand
values – what
the brand stands
for and believes
6. Values, in – and its
Beliefs & personality.
Personality
Who are we, truly,
at our core?
‘Values’ describes what the brand stands for. ‘Beliefs’

are the convictions the brand holds. ‘Personality’
describes how the brand behaves, which includes its
style of communication with its audience.
Asking consumers to project the brand’s values,
beliefs and personality can help in defining them. For
instance, if the brand was a person, what kind of
person would it be (its personality), what would it
believe in? What are the values it lives by and the way
it behaves?
Ban the use of ‘fat’ generic words – eg.
modernity, caring, honest – which are too vague and
not discriminating. Use gritty language that avoids
generalisation and gives specific dimension.
21
Examples:
Axe
Masculine. Original. Cool. Fun. Sexy.
Lux
Celebrates the pleasure in being a woman. Alluringly
feminine. Vivacious. Gorgeous. Charismatic.
Disney
Community. Optimism. Decency.
Orange
Believes in the future. Refreshing. Dynamic.
Straightforward. Friendly.
22
The proof
we offer to
substantiate the
benefits / brand
7. Reasons experience.
to Believe
Why should they
believe us?
This provides the evidence for why our brand is better

than alternative brands. It could be superior product
details, expert endorsement, an emotional reason
related to the values of the brand or its heritage.
‘Reasons to Believe’ underpin the brand’s
benefits, values and personality. Having a fabulous
benefit, for instance, will be of no use to the brand
if it isn’t believed.
The Reason to Believe is often not rational.
It may be based on trust or the testimonial of an
expert, where it is seen, and / or who associates with
it. It can also include the brand’s unique authority for
a particular product based on its heritage (eg. Kellogg’s
and breakfast).
Ask how we would justify the brand benefits to a
consumer thinking of buying the brand. What are we
putting forward as the proof?
23
Examples:
Bertolli
Authentic roots in Lucca, Tuscany, producing
olive oil since 1865.
Lipton
Natural goodness of the (tea) leaf and
other ingredients.
Becel pro.activ
Recommended by doctors.
24
The single most

compelling and
competitive
reason for
the target
consumer to
choose the brand.
8. Discriminator
Why choose the brand?
The Discriminator distils the brand’s competitive edge,

the single most compelling reason for the consumer to
choose the brand. It is the point of difference for our
brand that will make the consumer want to buy it. It is
what makes our product not only different, but also
more appealing than its competitors.
Remember that arriving at the Discriminator is an
exercise in judgement. It will not come directly from
research or from the mouths of consumers. It is
something we have to decide on.
Writing it down in one brief sentence compels us
to make choices. It will take many attempts to get it
right and each attempt will force some sacrifices to
be made.
It can be a benefit (“A touch of magic to everyday
meal moments” – Knorr); it can incorporate a reason to
believe (“Superior results that I and others can see, feel
and smell” – Radiant); or it can provide an emotional
value (“Won’t let you down” – Rexona). But, whichever
Discriminator we choose, we must make sure it will be
important in the consumer’s life, credible from the
brand, and different.
Unlike other sections in the BrandKey Vision,
there is a clear advantage to writing this section in
consumer language since it will go into every
communications research brief.
25
Examples:
Lux
Only Lux connects me with my star quality.
Dove
(Only) Dove won’t dry my skin like soap can because
it contains one quarter moisturising cream.
Lipton
Lipton naturalness helps me be the best me.
Omo
Freedom to get dirty.
26
The distillation of the

brand into a core idea
or promise.
9. Essence
What is the brand
idea and rallying cry?
The purpose of the Essence is to inspire, guide and

focus brand team efforts internally. The Essence is
the brand idea, the brand’s rallying cry, its mantra,
its sense of mission. It is the distillation of the brand’s
genetic code or identity into one clear thought.
The Essence should be easy to recognise in
every aspect and activity of the brand. It must be a
single thought which can be used as a benchmark to
tell us what is right and authentic for the brand and
what is not. The Essence should also provide a
powerful springboard that inspires the development of
communication for the brand.
Everyone can recognise a great brand idea.
Creating one is more challenging, but that’s what
brilliant brand development is all about!
27
Examples:
Becel Bertolli Omo

Heart for living! Italian gusto for life. Dirt is good.
Lipton Axe Fair & Lovely

Natural vitality Gives guys the edge Fairness that
(the best me). in the mating game. changes destiny.
Rexona Dove Ben & Jerry’s

Won’t let you down. Beauty without artifice. Joy for the belly & soul.
(Beauty without
stereotypes, without
overpromises. Beauty
from lasting, thoughtful
care.)
“THE BEGINNING
OF WISDOM IS THE
DEFINITION OF TERMS.”
SOCRATES
EXERCISES
EXERCISES
“WE GROW GREAT
BY DREAMS. ALL BIG
MEN ARE DREAMERS.”
WOODROW T. WILSON
29
BRANDKEY VISION
BrandKey If we are ready to create a new vision for the brand,

here’s what to remember:-
Vision:
Exercises > Visioning takes time and is a journey of discovery.
> It requires a creative team mix, blending brand and

category experience with freshness of external
contributors.
> It should explore many different perspectives.
> It requires leadership and judgement. The answer

does not come from the consumer’s mouth.
We must decide.
There follows some creative visioning exercises, which

can help us explore and generate new possibilities for
our brands.
These can be added to the outcome of any Audit
or Scan of brand health and performance to date.
Before we start We should always start the vision workout holistically,

taking a broad overview. The core purpose, beliefs and
values of the brand endure over time, so they’re the
best place to begin.
When considering whether, how and why the

existing BrandKey Vision needs updating, ask the
following questions:
> Is it motivating and inspiring?
> Is it simple and clear?
> Is it credible and relevant to consumers?
> Is it differentiated from other brands?
> Is it true to the brand’s Root Strengths?
Be clear about the scope of work and the areas to

be worked on. Sometimes we may need a radical
re-write, sometimes we need to just sharpen.
Wherever we start, take a big picture approach first.
Once we are clear that we do need to update
our BrandKey Vision, and why, we can begin the
creative journey.
30
BRANDKEY VISION EXERCISES
Brand Visioning The following exercises can help shape the Values,
Beliefs & Personality or Essence parts of the BrandKey
exercises Vision as well as feed into writing a brand manifesto
(see page 46).
> What are we really offering, in a three

word phrase?
Firstly, ban the most used words that appear

in our brand lexicon. This makes lazy brains
work harder and get out of a rut!
Create a phrase (not a list!) that expresses

our vision for the brand in three words, eg.
Ragu : Organised Kitchen Chaos,
Apple : Tools for Creative Minds.
Brainstorm options and select the top few.

Avoid using the ‘banned’ words.
> Defining our role in the world: We put the x in y
As before, ban the words most usually used to

describe this brand. Write a list of alternative
statements that identify our brand’s role in the
world, using the structure: We put the x in y.
For Example:
iMac: We put romance into computers.
Sun Microsystems: We put the dot in dotcom.
Orange: We make a difference to people’s lives,
and help people to communicate and interact better.
An alternative variation is to write We take the x

out of y.
Cif: We take the elbow out of elbow grease.
Generate a short-list of favourites.

31
> What are our core brand beliefs about the world?
Lighthouse brands project a strong point of view

about the world, and a strong sense of who they
are and why that matters. Steve Jobs said in 1997
at the re-launch of Apple: “Apple is not about bits
and bytes and boxes… It is about the belief that
people with passion can change the world for the
better.” What is our brand point of view about the
world – our core beliefs? Generate some beliefs,
speaking as the brand, which make us special,
with a unique personality:
“I am (brand x) and I believe that…”
The beliefs can be from the macro to the micro,

from those that are close to the product, to the
brand’s broader beliefs about life, the universe
and everything.
Share the top favourites and capture all

contributions. Review the themes that resonate
most strongly and motivate the brand team.
Identify a final short-list of core brand beliefs.
Disney: We believe that the fundamental goodness

and resilience of the human spirit can triumph over
adversity. We believe the best in life deserves to
be shared.
Ragu: We believe food should nourish the soul

as well as the body. We believe in the power of
family communion, and that all problems can be
solved around the family dining table over a hot
bowl of pasta.
Having identified the top beliefs, now consider:
> What are the values and personality that derive

from our belief system?
> What behaviours would help manifest and

achieve them?
32
> What are we ‘For’ and ‘Against’?
Create two columns, one ‘For’, the other ‘Against’.

Generate a rich list for each column, based on what
we believe our brand is for and against, across the
whole range of life – relationships, buying habits,
leisure time, etc. Select the items that paint a vivid
picture, eg:
Camper shoes For Against
> The Slow Food > The McDonaldsification

Movement of the world
> Natural, local > Excess consumption
ingredients
> The brand is / is not
Produce two contrasting posters with phrases and

images that clarify what our brand is and is not.
Do this exercise using visuals from magazines and
other sources, as well as words. Probe around the
brand’s boundaries, focusing especially at the
edges of acceptability, in the grey areas where
subtle differences matter.
Avoid using fat generic terms and simplistic black

and white extreme contrasts, eg. We are exciting,
not boring. We are trusted. Is any brand boring,
or untrustworthy? What kind of excitement are we?
Orgasmic, child-like, thrilling, frenzied, euphoric?
33
> Vision Success Circle
Ask the team to think through what successful

achievement of the BrandKey Vision will mean for
them personally as well as for the business using
the Vision Success Circle questions below.
What
wi
y… ll t
a ll e e r s
n yp
T hin ar
so ed b el? Do k th ge
e t
Say ha t’ a
w e fe pertis
Our ow vie r
H ’r e e
t c iffere nt?
ab t’s
p
w ex ou
on nt?
How r us
d re
t
nd
di ur b
lls ll
ski wi
s
ffe ran
o
a
um
we
Fo
ers…
How will
d?
the world
be different
when we
T h i n w it h o u t
succeed?
a ie w e g …
wh d…
Do
…
ka
wh
din
Sa the
ole
b o th
ya
at
m sta n
ut
U
b co
e i n il
v
r ’
ou bra e v e r …
s
nd ’s
m r br n d s … b ra tea s
pe and O ur o ur a
er
t …
iti o H o w lev i
n… n
in U
> Success story newspaper article 2010
Write an article for a trade magazine, as if it is

already five years hence, about the successful
achievement of our vision and the actions taken
that got it there and the specific outcomes.
> Brand Vision Scan
The CMI team will lead a formal review of historical

market and brand performance to highlight key
issues, opportunities and insights. (See the
BrandZip: Brand Vision Plan book.) They will also
input future trends and foresight understanding.
34
Specific Visioning Having first taken a broad-ranging approach to the

vision, the following exercises will help us drill down
exercises into each section of the BrandKey Vision.
1. Root Generate some options, as a group, asking ourselves:

Strengths > What was the brand about, at its best – all our brand
properties and associations?
> What is our Root product – the purest and most

authentic offering of the brand’s benefits?
eg. Kellogg’s Cornflakes, Dove bar soap,
Nivea Crème.
> What is our category backbone and core ‘must win’

category, from which we draw both our market
strength and also our cash?
eg. Knorr Soup and Seasoning.
> What made us famous in the first place and really

drives brand value for our consumers?
eg. Rexona: the consistent promise of unbeatable
efficacy on perspiration and odour.
> Where can the brand’s historic advantage be

leveraged to drive growth?
When we have a list of potential Root Strengths, we

can then assess which are the priorities. Which Root
Strengths are truly central to the brand’s historic and
future relevance and differentiation? Which should
guide everything the brand does in the future?
> Equity Audit: Review the current and historic brand

inventory – all products, names, symbols, logos,
jingles and signals used for brand identification.
(Be sure these are consumer-perceivable.) What are
the visual and/or sensory equities to carry forward
and build? eg. Dove Pour Shot, Snuggle Teddy
Bear, Toblerone Triangle, etc. Audit this in the
context of what is going on in the broader world at
the same time.
> Does the brand’s visual equity today reflect our

desired strategy? This will identify actions we may
need to take to be true to our vision.
This comprehensive understanding of brand history

should be captured so that anyone new on the brand
can get a proper induction into its past.
35
2. Competitive > Brand neighbourhood

Environment Identify three brands from outside our category
which have successfully developed a strong
relationship with our target consumer and are
getting a good share of market.
For each brand identify an initiative that we can

learn from,
eg. Smart Shopper laundry learned from low
cost airlines like Easyjet and budget retailers like
Zara and IKEA to understand what value brands
mean today,
eg. Axe learns from Playstation, Diesel fashion,
Nike, etc.
> Market definition
Who loses when we gain? Consider both our direct

and indirect competition. Define our market without
using category terms (eg. detergent) but rather using
broader benefits (eg. clothes cosmetics). Are we
thinking widely enough about our market and the
opportunities for growth?
Use the Strategic Understanding Planner Tool

questions in Consumer World (http://rwc.unilever.com)
to identify any specific knowledge and gaps:
> What is our competitive set?
> What are the market trend and share positions?
> What do consumers call each segment of the

market?
> Which brands are competitive or complementary

to each other?
> What if we had no more than 10% share?
Re-define our category so our brand has no more

than a 10% share. Describe the new category.
Who are the market leader and the key competitors?
How will we compete better in this market?
What can we learn from this re-definition?
eg. Coca-Cola looks at ‘share of throat’, not just

market share of carbonated soft drinks or colas.
Comfort looks at Health and Beauty for clothes,
not just rinse conditioners.
36
3. Target Often our target markets are defined too broadly. It is

helpful to split our target into two groups to focus our
thinking more sharply.
> Core Target
Focus on a tightly defined core positioning target

(aka the target epicentre, bulls-eye or inspiration
group) rather than our wider total consumption
target. Bring this group to life by describing the
attitudes, needs, passion points and values of
the people for whom the brand is always the
best choice.
A broader consumption target will share some

of the same attitudes and needs on occasions.
However, it helps us to have a defined centre of
gravity in order to focus consumer understanding,
creative channel planning, etc.
For example the consumption target for Axe is 14-25

year old men. However, communication is developed
to appeal to the ‘core’ style-leading 20 year olds, a
group that is aspirational to the broader target group.
Consumption
target
The person
Core we must excite
target and involve
37
> What is our Target ‘For’ and ‘Against’?
Draw up a list what our core target consumers

are ‘For’ and ‘Against’ so that we understand them
in the wider context of their lives.
> 24-hour clock – a day in the life
As consumers go through life they come across

brands at different times in many different ways.
Run a 24-hour study of our core target consumer’s
life to help us understand them holistically, tracking:
> Time of day?

> Doing what?
> Where?
> Brand messages exposed?
> Impact?
> Receptiveness to message?
By analysing this we can develop a deeper

understanding of how our brand can better
connect with its target consumers.
38
4. Insight Insight is the penetrating understanding into

consumers’ underlying needs and wants.
Here are some questions to ask ourselves:
> Does our Insight describe both a relevant human

truth and how it opens the door to the brand?
> Is it fresh and is it inspiring for us?
> Is this just an observation or a deeper Insight?
> Does it hook back into the brand?
> Is it enduring, not fleeting?
> What is the improvement, however small, that using

the product brings into everyday life?
> What would people miss the most if the product

disappeared forever?
> Keep asking why people use the brand / category

and ‘so what?’ until we get to a deep level of
understanding of why the brand is important to
Check the Insight consumers.
database on Consumer
World for inspiration from
different regions about > Challenge received wisdom
our target group,
category and brand. Write down two received wisdoms of the category
Steal with pride! that we believe could no longer be true and explain
why this is the case. Do the same for two apparent
Refer to the Insight truths about our brand.
Activator Toolkit for
further advice on Eg. Does value for money clothing mean low
developing insights. fashion? Zara and H&M prove not.
39
5. Benefits > What are the specific reasons for purchase

and use (not the Reasons to Believe)?
> Is the brand solving a problem or making life better?
> Do we have a unique benefit? eg. Milky Way: the

sweet you can eat between meals.
> Do we deliver more of an important benefit

than actually needed ie. over-commit?
eg. BMW: ultimate driving machine,
Elefante: thickness of tomato paste.
> Can we add a twist?
> Points of difference / points of parity
Consider both points of difference and points of

parity when thinking about your brand’s key benefits.
Points of difference are those unique attributes /

benefits a brand can offer based on consumer
desirability (importance, distinctiveness and
believability) and company deliverability (feasibility,
profitability and sustainability). These drive our
Discriminator.
For a brand to achieve competitive superiority, it is

also important to achieve certain strategic points of
parity. These are the associations that are not
necessarily unique to the brand but may be critical
in establishing competitive advantage.
Competitive points of parity negate competitor points

of difference (eg. Virgin’s Britishness versus British
Airways, Volvo’s excitement versus BMW). Category
points of parity are the benefits a brand must
provide to deliver the basic table stakes in a product
area (eg. the functional efficacy needed for Dove to
enter deodorants or for Axe to market razor blades).
SOURCE: PROFESSOR KEVIN LANE KELLER
> Our role in the world: We put the x in y

(see Brand Visioning exercises, page 30.)
40
6. Values, The upfront brand visioning exercises listed earlier will

all help generate new, distinctive ideas for our Values,
Beliefs & Beliefs & Personality (see page 30–33).
Personality
> What are we really offering, in a three word phase?
> What is our role in the world?
> What are our core beliefs about the world?
> What are we ‘For’ and ‘Against’?

41
7. Reasons We can interrogate many different angles on Reasons

to Believe:
to Believe
History When, where and by whom was the brand created?
Levi's: ‘Since 1879’
Kronenbourg: 1664
Ingredients What are they, how do they work and what are
they called?
Dove: Contains 1/4 moisturising cream.
Product Distinguishing characteristics: colour, texture,

Form thickness etc.
Guinness: Slow pour, black/white;
Machine dishwash brands: Use product layers,
colours and other visual signals as support for
functional claims.
Product What does the brand experience deliver?

Performance Ronseal: Does what it says on the tin.
Users/ Current or past users who can add credibility and

Endorsers relevance.
Lux: Beauty soap of the stars;
Ribena Toothkind: On-pack endorsement by British
Dental Health Foundation.
Manufacturing Unique aspects of how the product is made.

Pret A Manger: Sandwiches hand-made freshly on
the premises.
Values Brand ‘causes’ the company fights for.

Ben & Jerry’s social mission: Community support
& social activities.
Pack The form of the pack itself.

Toilet Duck: Bottleneck shape
Muller Corner: 2-chamber pack design
Toblerone: Triangular chocolate
Place The distribution channel itself.

Sunny Delight: Uses the chill cabinet siting as a
means of conveying freshness and naturalness, etc.
Price How does the price positioning itself communicate?

Stella Artois: ‘Reassuringly expensive’ lager;
Surf: Does the job as well as more expensive options
and goes beyond that to give me little extras that make
me smile.
42
> Peeling the onion
How intensely are we communicating our brand

Reasons to Believe in every layer of the brand
experience? Do not expect our communication to
carry this burden alone.
Everything communicates! Draw a series of
concentric circles. The inner circle represents
the product itself. Explode the layers out to include
all forms of packaging and communication vehicles.
Advertising
PR
o r d of mouth
W
ion chan
is tribut nel
D Price
Pack outer
raphics an
ck g ary pa d te
a rim c
P odu k
xt
P
P r ct
Now list all the Reasons to Believe the brand’s key

benefits in each circle of experience. Give each
Reason to Believe a score, based on:
10 = highly differentiating and in line with our vision
This exercise can also 1 = no differentiation, limited brand equity

be useful in helping to
interrogate other Look across all the circles to see how effectively we
aspects of the BrandKey, have built Reasons to Believe in every experience
eg. Discriminator. layer, and how competitive they are.
43
8. Discriminator Great brands generally discriminate in terms of

Benefits, Personality or Reasons to Believe.
Is our Discriminator:
> Relevant and true?
> Differentiated?
> Consistent with all the other elements of the

BrandKey?
> Related to the consumer insight?
> Expressed in a compelling, simple way, in

consumer language?
Also:
> If our key competitor tried to own this Discriminator,

how would we counter it?
> Are we fully exploiting product dimensions of

differentiation?
Consider ways of delivering a Discriminator:
> Through delivering a unique benefit

Surf: The only detergent to look on the
bright side.
> Over-committing on an area

Flake: The crumbliest, flakiest chocolate.
> Adding a twist

Omo: Dirt is Good!
44
Here are some further challenges to help sharpen

our Discriminator:
> How to take good to great
Think Controversially
GREAT 3. Is it sufficiently > Ask what no one else
SURPRISING? in the category is doing
> Look for an enemy
> Borrow interest
> Look beyond benefits
2. Is it sufficiently Use involving, vivid,

INTERESTING? suggestive language
GOOD 1. Is it sufficiently Focus into a

FOCUSED? competitive edge
SOURCE: EMMA COOKSON, BBH
> Epitaph
Write the epitaph of our brand: if the brand

disappeared tomorrow, for what would it be
remembered and what would people miss most?
> Mind the gap
Do we have concrete plans / ideas to make the

Discriminator a reality? How intensely will we
project and manifest the Discriminator throughout
the marketing mix? (See Peeling the onion on
page 42.)
45
9. Essence > What is our ‘cause’?
Imagine our brand is on a demonstration march

and we are carrying a placard with a slogan on it.
What is the brand cause written on the placard?
What is the mission that we vow to complete,

the banner slogan we would be proud to carry
(or wear on a T-shirt), our brand rallying cry?
Give America the freedom to fly! – Southwest Airlines
Joy for the belly and soul – Ben and Jerry’s
Beauty without cruelty – Body Shop
Take the challenge! – Rexona
> What is our NEW company manifesto?
During the visioning exercises we will generate

much material that elaborates our brand vision.
Write a short brand manifesto that brings this
mission and purpose to life and so supports the
BrandKey Vision.
If we think of ourselves as “Our Brand plc” eg.

Dove Inc., perhaps a company that we recently
bought and are now controllers of, what is the
mission of the company beyond just its products?
Why does the brand need to exist? What are we
trying to achieve? What would people miss if the
brand disappeared? Why should we save the brand,
rather than de-list it? How should we behave as
ambassadors for Our Brand plc?
Remember! We cannot write something inspiring by committee!

Have a leader who will craft it, using the stimulus
developed by the team, into a short and clear statement.
46
BRANDKEY VISION
BrandKey It is essential that everyone who makes marketing mix

decisions for brand development and marketing:
Vision:
Bringing > Understands the BrandKey Vision.
the Vision > Feels inspired by the BrandKey Vision.

to Life > Works in a focused and consistent way towards
building the BrandKey Vision.
If these goals are to be achieved, then the BrandKey

Vision must be brought to life for people. Everyone
who has a role in building the brand must live and
breathe what the vision really means.
There are many techniques that can be used
to ‘activate’ a BrandKey Vision within the business.
For example:
> Visual images

Use pictures and videos to communicate the ideas
and values that lead to the BrandKey Vision – a
picture paints a thousand words.
> Brand ‘manifestos’

Develop a ‘manifesto’ to express the brand’s beliefs
and point of view on the world. By speaking with
the voice and personality of the brand, these
declarations of intent can spell out in greater
detail what is really important to the brand,
eg. Dove campaign for real beauty.
> Brand Stewardship events

“We are all Run events that give people an opportunity to
brand stewards” experience and internalise the brand vision. Involve
Disney Brand them in exercises that take them through the same
Stewardship Guidebook thought processes that led to the creation of the
vision in the first place. For example:
Lux Star sessions,
Dove Stewardship workshops.
47
BRANDKEY VISION BRINGING THE VISION TO LIFE
Example: “As children we laughed, loved to play and the world

was a place to explore and enjoy. Little things made a
big difference, like a day off school or something that
tasted delicious like Wall’s ice cream!
In today’s fast paced and demanding world, people

Wall’s Ice Cream are looking for these small moments of pleasure more
Manifesto than ever.
The magic of Wall’s ice cream, with its heritage,

positive memories and its journey for the senses,
lies in changing people’s mood and helping them to
open up and connect with each other.
At Wall’s we are passionate about spreading this

magic. Our aim is to spark the taste and feeling of
summer in everyone’s day. Life is there to be enjoyed
and we are the fun part of a vital life.
We constantly provide new products and experiences

that excite the senses and inspire people of all ages
to taste the fun side of life!”
48
Examples: Silvia Lagnado, the Dove Global Brand Director, knows

that writing a great BrandKey Vision takes time, sweat,
tears and love. She leads the work on the Dove vision
with the core Global Brand Team (GBT). They consult
widely, using external, creative stimuli to help them
Going Beyond paint Dove’s possible future.
the Dove Vision “I developed the brand vision because I wanted
us to be clear on what things we shouldn’t be doing
Bringing the Brand Vision and that could hurt Dove. We wanted to open up a very
to life through inspiring exciting, inspiring place for people to go. To paint the
stewardship events future of the brand and define what it could be, so that
and manifesto. nobody would ever want to go anywhere else.
For Dove there was a beautiful history to uncover
as the brand was already very successful. It was
important that we all understood it very well.
In ‘inventing the future’ we got a lot of inspiration
from outside people who have nothing to do with the
brand, as well as the GBT who work with the brand
daily.
I led the vision review passionately, almost
neurotically. It was clear to everybody that I was
driving, that I cared and that nothing would get into
it that I didn’t agree with or feel excited by.”
Silvia advises other Brand Directors: “Take
visioning personally and passionately. Do it when
you’re ready to embrace it, because it’s hard. And have
fun! In my view it was the most important thing we did.
I really gave it all the love and attention it needed.”
She also understood that to make sure brand
teams truly ‘got it’, both in their hearts and their heads,
the GBT would need to bring it alive in very vivid ways –
hence the inspiring Dove Vision Brand Stewardship
workshops.
“We ran extensive Brand Stewardship workshops
for everyone, to experience and practise the
implications of the vision. After five sessions, each held
on a different continent, our priorities were understood
by not only all Dove marketers worldwide, but also by
their local agency supporters and senior managers. As
a result, around 1,000 Dove team members now speak
the same language and are on the same wavelength.”
Silvia didn’t stop with the BrandKey Vision. The
GBT moved on to defining a Dove manifesto ‘widening
the meaning of beauty’ to ‘campaign for real beauty’
bringing the Dove Beauty Theory to life and stretching
the brand future even further. She is now creating a
‘Dove Planet’ inside Unilever with everyone working
together to make Dove a truly huge and iconic brand.
49
Dove
BrandKey Vision
y
nalit 7. R
ers>oDove is real. ea
s
P > Dove is a > Dove contains on
& 1/4 moisturising
s
fs > Dove
keeper of promises cream/milk
e
is beautifully (in most categories).
to
eli
uncomplicated. > Dove is mild

s, B
Be
> Dove is optimistic. > Dove products are beautifully
> Dove is timeless. tactile, a pleasure to use.
l ie
lue
> Dove’s beauty: with > Dove’s voice: it

depth of character, always rings true.
ve
6. Va
no stereotypes. Users speak for the

> Dove’s voice:
personal, without
9. Essence brand and the use
of objectives proof.
puffery or clichés.
Beauty Without Artifice
(Beauty without
stereotypes, without
> Dove will elevate overpromises. > Dove’s value
the standard of care Beauty from lasting, of “real”
in every category it thoughtful care.) > Dove’s
enters. It will always “beauty theory”
genuinely improve the > Each category
condition and feel of the
skin or hair.
will have a
meaningful functional or
at
5.
> Dove gives women an discriminator of

in
Be
uplifting little feeling superior care

m
e f about their own ri

n
(see category
i t beauty.
s keys). sc
Di
8.
4. Insight
The yearning for the real (in a world exploding with technology,
fake ingredients, and virtual everything, consumers are
increasingly attracted to the authentic, the hyped, to brands and
institutions that represent the real deal.)
Environment > She is quite centred, accepting
All mass market personal care and of her imperfections.
beauty brands, eg. Nivea, Olay, Biore, > Her self-esteem comes more from
Neutrogena, Pantene, Rexona, as well how she feels than how she looks.
as medium-priced retail brands, > She is interested in beauty, but hers
eg. Bath and Body Works. is a beauty quest with limits.
> She values quality over hype.
1. Root Strengths
TBC
50
Dove Mission To make women feel beautiful every day. By widening

today’s stereotypical view of beauty and inspiring them
to take care of themselves.
Dove Manifesto Dove will give women an uplifting,

unexaggerated feeling about their
own beauty
> DOVE IS REAL
Promises with real meaning and significance.
Advertising that uses language from real
experiences, no puffery, no clichés. The brand
is alive, connected to the real world.
> DOVE IS A KEEPER OF PROMISES

There is a perception that when Dove says it,
it is true. This must be nurtured.
> DOVE IS BEAUTIFULLY UNCOMPLICATED

It has an elegant simplicity, without ever being
basic or cold.
> DOVE IS TIMELESS

It has an iconic modernity to it, it never tries hard
to be trendy or funky. Still it can be hip, because
it is such a contemporary classic.
> DOVE HAS A UNIQUE POINT OF VIEW

ON BEAUTY
It sees beauty in imperfections, it does not believe
in stereotypical beauty, it celebrates the character
behind the eyes.
> DOVE HAS A UNIQUE VOICE

No puffery or clichés, eye level and unpretentious,
it is never patronising (it is an ally), it uses the voice
of its users as much as possible and does not
impose its own, it’s never an onslaught of facts.
51
Knorr Manifesto “We believe that good food matters. In today’s hectic
world, it is more important than ever before. Food isn’t
just fuel – it really is the glue of life. Whether we are
preparing or enjoying it, food can transform the way
we feel. Food can touch all of our senses and can give
great pleasure.
We believe that everyone should be able to prepare

and enjoy something balanced and good to eat – any
day of the week.
We want to create exciting, flavoursome and

wholesome food together with you. And if you want
to keep it simple, so will we. We will never trade off
quality for convenience, and we will always go the
extra mile to give you the best.
We believe that all of this is worth standing up for and

celebrating! This is the ‘rock’ on which our lighthouse
is built. After all, good food is not just what we prepare
and eat – at Knorr, it’s what we live and breathe!”
52
Country Crock
BrandKey Vision
lity 7. R
rsona e as
Pe on
& s
fs Values: Family, Crock packaging
e
to
wholesome, honesty. and country imagery.
eli
> Taste the whole

s, B
Be
Personality: Nurturing, family enjoys.
l ie
learning, > Wholesome
lue
down-to-earth, goodness.
ve
6. Va
warm, generous > Honest value.

> Ease of use.
9. Essence
Find Your Porch Swing
The unique Country The only spread
Crock icon, and that infuses my
imagery help me family’s meals with
infuse my family’s the caring, comfort
meals with comfort, and warmth of or
caring and warmth. the country.
at
5.
in
Be
ef i
cr
n
its s
Di
8.
4. Insight
In today’s hectic and uncertain world,
everyone seeks a sense of comfort, caring and warmth.
Environment
Products used for spreading, topping Younger, practical mothers who place
and / or cooking / baking, as an aid or importance on nurturing their family.
ingredient (eg. margarine, butter, They seek familiarity, quality and
spreads, oil, shortening). reliability in the brands they purchase.
1. Root Strengths
> Country wholesome goodness – Takes one back to a
simpler time. Warmth, comfort, and goodness.
> Iconic Country Crock container – Brings the family together

to share foods out of a crock. Togetherness, connection and
communal.
> A good value – Generous family portions

53
Country Crock When Mike Bauer, VP Spreads and Cooking in North

America, and his team began a visioning exercise on
Shedd’s Spread Country Crock, little did they realise
that the consequences would trigger so much
controversy and so much growth. Their new BrandKey
Vision redefined the brand opportunity from just
spreading and baking aids to wholesome spreads
and foods, shared from a Country Crock container.
With excellent growth in 2004, it looks like their hunch
was right!
They began by discovering that the real Root
Strengths of the brand were based on country
wholesome goodness and families coming together to
share good food out of a crock (ie. casserole dish /
pot). This helped re-define the brand’s scope. The
Country Crock container itself is an icon of what the
brand stands for, rather than simply the packaging for
what is inside it!
The question was, how far could Country Crock
go beyond the traditional margarine category? Mike
explains:
“Too often we get directly associated with fixed
attributes like soft spreadability, as opposed to really
looking at where the emotional bond of the brand
resides. For Shedd’s Country Crock it is all about the
emotional bond the consumer has with the Country
Crock package itself.
There was an internal belief that, as a margarine,
we couldn’t possibly compete in categories that are far
removed from our original category. But we are not
simply a spread. We are much more than that. The
crock is essential to bringing the family together. Our
brand can market comfort food that can be consumed
right out of the Country Crock container. This has a
great fit with the brand equity.
Sometimes coming up with the vision is the
easiest part. The tough part is to sell it within our
company. We had to sell an idea that one senior
constituency really did not support. It took us to say we
will to work on it anyway, on Friday afternoons, to get
the job done. And secretly we tested the new Sides
Platform out, and got excellent results.
Sometimes we can debate things endlessly as
opposed to going into the market place and testing with
our consumers. What really put this range extension on
the drawing board was a willingness to reach out to our
consumers and to demonstrate that the proposition had
real relevance. All of a sudden the project has become
a top innovation project within our company.”
54
Lipton Manifesto “A leaf is plucked from a bush under a sunny sky.

But it isn’t just a leaf. It is tea: a timeless source of
natural wellbeing and vitality. At Lipton our passion
is to bring the natural vitality of tea to all generations
in every part of the world.
To do this we will excite, inspire and inform.
We will combine experience with experiment.
We will find new and natural ways to make tea even

more refreshing for body and mind.
We will be bright, open and optimistic – with each other

and with the world. And we will respect the
environment that gave us the bush, the sunny sky and
the remarkable leaf in the first place.
The brand is Lipton.
The drink is tea.
The promise is natural vitality.
And the opportunity is now.”

RANGE
ARCHITECTURE
RANGE ARCHITECTURE
“IN THE MIDDLE OF
DIFFICULTY LIES
OPPORTUNITY.”
ALBERT EINSTEIN
55
RANGE ARCHITECTURE
Range The term ‘Range Architecture’

Architecture describes how Unilever structures,
Overview organises and communicates a
brand range that:
> Delivers the BrandKey Vision
> Aids consumer choice
> Maximises company efficiency
While BrandKey is a familiar tool in Unilever, Range

Architecture has to date been managed in many
different ways by different teams. This can slow us
down, cause confusion and make global teamwork
more difficult.
A brand range may be very simple (Rexona
deodorant) or quite extensive and complex (Knorr). In
all cases, using a common language and approach will
ensure we are all clear on what the brand’s future
portfolio should be.
There are four tools to help us here:
1. Brand Scope Pyramid
2. Range Platforms
3. Range Naming Hierarchy
4. Platform Keys
56
RANGE ARCHITECTURE OVERVIEW
1. Brand Scope The Brand Scope Pyramid defines the potential product
and service markets the brand has ‘permission’ to
Pyramid expand into – opportunities which will build brand
(mandatory) equity and brand business, not dilute it.
The aim is to define both what lies in and
outside the brand range scope, mapped on a model
which reflects how close or far from the brand core
we stretch.
It should be stressed that, in a scoping exercise,
the aim is not to ‘fill up’ the pyramid. Persuading
yourself that your brand can cover every known
product format and category very rarely helps!
The emphasis should be on focus and on
making strategic choices – all informed, of course,
by the BrandKey Vision.
Remember that some of the world’s biggest
brands do not stretch outside their core category
(eg. Coca-Cola), but relentlessly seek out growth
opportunities within the core through new formats,
new channels, price point strategy and brilliant
communication and activation.
Typically in talking about the brand core in this
context, we are thinking not only about the brand’s
Root Strengths, but more specifically the brand’s
original (‘root’) defining product category, which
often remains its main source of revenue and
market strength.
We are always seeking to grow and build the
core, as well as assessing opportunities to extend
into adjacent categories or to stretch into completely
new areas.
1. Being clear about a brand’s scope helps us to focus

our efforts on strategically important areas where we
stand a good chance of winning. It also helps us to
be clear about the relationships between potential
brand extensions.
2. Marketing history is littered with brand extensions

that not only failed financially, but left the overall
brand weaker. Without a clear and realistic sense
of a brand’s scope, brand managers can pursue
short-term tactical opportunities that fragment
rather than strengthen the brand’s value.
57
Example:
Out of Scope Dove Laundry
Stretch New Dove Deo

Categories
Extension Adjacent Dove Shower

Note: What we frame Categories
in the Brand Scope
Pyramid are tangible
products and services, Core Core Category Dove Bar
not attributes or values.
Core The original root product(s)

of the brand (and often still its
major source of funds)
Extension Where we primarily leverage

our product attributes into
adjacent categories
Stretch Where we primarily leverage

our brand values into completely
new areas
The Brand Scope Pyramid works as a series of layers

reflecting how close or far from the base business we
plan to stretch.
The Brand Scope Pyramid emphasises the
importance of strengthening the base business – the
brand’s core products in core categories. Our Brand
Plans should clearly address sources of growth from
the core, before extending or stretching the brand.
58
Example: Let’s use a hypothetical example to make the point:
Intuition, experience and an understanding of

consumer and market dynamics may lead the brand
team of a well-known chocolate bar to feel that the
brand could extend into chocolate drinks (leveraging
the key product attributes of the core product).
This may get ‘chocolate drinks’ onto an initial Brand

Scope Pyramid – but, at that point, the key
questions to ask are as follows:
> Is there a profitable business opportunity in

chocolate drinks?
> What ‘points of parity’ would we have that meant

we were at least as good as the best other
chocolate drinks in the category?
> What ‘points of difference’ would we have

(compared to the competition) that meant we
were offering a distinctive proposition to
consumers?
> What would the extension add to our total brand

equity and brand value?
> Is it a priority within the period of the BrandKey

Vision (or is it a longer-term opportunity)?
> Do we have the resources and capabilities to

deliver against all of the above?
59
Innovate Remember that some of the world’s biggest and most

successful brands do not stretch outside a core
the core category, but relentlessly seek growth opportunities
within the core through new formats, channels, price
points and communication ideas. It is important,
therefore, to include areas designated as ‘Out of
Scope’ to help stop activity that does not contribute to
building the Brand Vision.
Examples:
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has driven growth through improving
affordability, accessibility and availability of its root
product, not through brand extension or stretch.
Guinness
To remain true to the brand’s Root Strengths, the
Guinness brand has defined other alcoholic drinks
such as lager and bitter as Out of Scope.
Pampers
The Pampers brand has focused on keeping bottoms
dry so that kids can play and develop happily. It has
innovated in its core category (diapers) to grow share
eg. Active Fit and New Baby product lines. It has
extended into a few adjacent categories, such as baby
wipes and baby toilet tissue. However, P&G has
chosen not to extend to the baby toiletries market and
so compete with Johnson & Johnson. Huggies, a key
competitor of Pampers, has made a different choice
and extended from diapers into baby toiletries. Every
brand must choose its own boundaries.
60
Screening Always remember, getting growth from the core is our

first priority. Consider the many ways we can build our
scope options core business category through focus on place, price,
product offer, etc.
If we do decide to extend or stretch the brand into
new areas, we should screen whether new ideas are In
or Out of Scope against the following criteria:
> BrandKey Vision fit, including Root Strengths
> Consumer relevance and credibility
> Competitive differentiation on both points of parity

and points of difference
> Likelihood of leadership / relative strength
> Business opportunity (the size of the prize)
Some brands are more stretchable than others. In a

recent Millward Brown study, some of the most elastic
global brands were found to be: Sony (based on
associations of quality and innovation), Virgin (based
on value and service) and Bodyshop (based on
environmental friendliness and respect for oneself and
other cultures).
By contrast, Coca-Cola is very inelastic – which
does not, however, prevent it from being one of the
most valuable brands in the world!
Brand elasticity is driven by three main factors: how

attractive the brand personality is, how broad and
transferable the brand values are, and how diverse the
brand already is.
Consumers accept brands moving into areas

adjacent to the current offer more easily than those
moving into a very diversified market, hence extension
may be less risky than stretch.
61
2. Range Having defined the brand’s range Scope, it is then

very important to organise the portfolio of in-scope
Platforms products and services in a coherent way. This will help
(optional) us structure and focus our brand development activity.
It will also help us make it as simple as possible for
consumers to understand and navigate the brand’s
range and find what they want.
Range Platforms help us achieve these objectives.
By Range Platforms, we mean groups of products that

target similar needs and occasions, and so have
important characteristics in common.
The role of Range Platforms is not to fragment the

brand, but to organise it in a focused way. The
Platforms might be based around consumer needs,
usage occasions, consumer types or simple product
categories. The choice will depend upon what drives
consumer decision-making and the brand’s resulting
range strategy.
Examples:
Dove – based on product category
Platform Bar Shower Deo Haircare Body Facecare
Product Line Shampoo Conditioner
For Dove, Range Platforms reflect the various product

categories the brand has entered. Each Platform has
a specific role in building the brand. For example, the
Haircare Platform role is to establish more expressive,
outer directed beauty credentials, whereas the core
Bar (soap) Platform establishes moisturisation
superiority credentials.
62
Axe – based on stages in the ‘mating game’
Platform Prepare Defend Attack Engage
Product Line Shower Anti- Bodyspray Skincare

perspirant Hair Style
The Axe Range Platforms are not product category

driven. Instead they segment based on how they
specifically contribute to the stages young men go
through in the mating game.
Becel – based on consumer need
Platform Heart health pro.activ

Maintenance Heart health
Problem solver
Product Line Spreads Spreads Shots Milk Yoghurt
The Becel range is divided into two Range Platforms,

one based on preventing heart health problems, the
other on curing them.
63
Nescafé – based on coffee quality and origins
Platform Original Gold Blend Exotic
Product Line Decaff Half Caff Decaff Cap Colombie Alta Rica Blend 43
Nescafé’s instant coffee range is built on three Range

Platforms, each providing types of coffee that provide
consumers with a different kind of ‘lift’. The Original
platform is focused on the everyday, Gold Blend on
more special and indulgent occasions, and the Exotic
range offers the opportunity to experiment with coffee
sourced from interesting places in the world.
The brand’s core Range Platform will be the one in

which the root product sits – the core product or
category that has historically provided the business
backbone eg Dove Bar. However, even the name
chosen to describe the Platform can play an important
role in inspiring innovation within the core. A name like
‘Attack’ for Axe’s deodorant body spray Platform is
much richer than a basic product description – it gives
a unique branded perspective on the opportunity.
eg. Nike call its core Platform ‘For Runners, By Runners’
Selecting the best Range Platforms for a brand is a

highly creative process – there is no single right
answer. It is necessary to explore many different ways
of viewing the brand’s range before a clear and useful
structure can be selected.
64
3. Range Having clarified the overall structure of our brand range

with Range Platforms, we then need to find a way of
Naming naming products and services in our portfolio. It is
Hierarchy essential that this is done as simply and clearly as
possible.
To help us clarify the role of different names
and descriptions, we use the following Range
Naming Hierarchy:
Brand
Platform
Product Line
Product Description
The four levels in the hierarchy provide us with

a common framework and language that help define
how we will communicate our Range Architecture
to consumers.
Examples:
BMW Nescafé Becel Axe
Platform 3 series (Exotic) pro.activ (Prepare)
Product Line Coupé Alta Rica Yoghurt drink Revitalising

Shower Gel
Product Description 325i – Strawberry Touch
In these examples, the levels of branding and product

description are very clear. Becel and BMW both choose
to communicate their Platform explicitly. Axe and
Nescafé, on the other hand, choose not to give their
Platforms external names – they are simply used to
organise internal thinking.
There is no implication that a Platform must be
named on pack, let alone that a Platform is the same
as a sub-brand. It is our decision.
65
The key issue here is to keep naming as simple as

possible. The more levels in the hierarchy, the more
difficult it becomes for consumers to navigate the range
and the more fragmented our efforts will become in
building brand equity.
Examples: In these examples, the roles of brands, sub-brands and

product names have become entirely confused. These
are the pitfalls we must avoid.
66
4. Platform For the brands with the most complex product ranges,
it will be helpful to clarify thinking on the role of the
Keys different Platforms by using the Key format for each
(optional) of them.
We said earlier that ‘each Unilever brand will
have one BrandKey Vision’. That single focus is a
central principle of the whole brand planning approach.
But the Key format can also be used to capture
and express the different ‘levels’ of the BrandKey
Vision – or, in other words, its Range Platforms.
This is the same as we have been doing to date with
Extension Keys in the original BrandKey manual.
So what exactly are Platform Keys capture the different and distinctive
Platform Keys for? consumer propositions that contribute to the
totality of the BrandKey Vision.
In all cases, the main thing we are trying to do

with Platform Keys is highlight very clearly what
the Platform shares with the BrandKey Vision, and
where it differs from the BrandKey Vision.
Most of the content of the BrandKey Vision stays
fixed and we should only change key elements where
the Platform is distinctive.
Sometimes a particular product within a Range
Platform may also need its own Key. This is not to
suggest that all products need Keys: we want to keep
the number of Keys as small as possible. But Keys
will be necessary in those cases where a distinctive
proposition is being carved out within the BrandKey
Vision. This will be particularly important if the
Platform or product is receiving its own tailored
communications support.
67
Examples:
BrandKey Vision
Platform Key
Product Key
Borrow and Build When a new Range Platform is introduced it should

be done based on a full understanding of what it will
borrow from the brand and what it will build back. We
need to identify what is distinctive for each Platform
Key within the context of the whole BrandKey Vision.
Plaform Opportunity:
Justification for Platform:
Borrows: Builds:
68
Example:
Healthy Heart pro.activ
BrandKey Vision Platform Key
tyy nalit
y
nnaalliit 77.. RR 7. R
rrssoo>>Positive eeaas rso> Positive > Contains a as
e
PPee Passionate >>Gives soo Pe Passionate
Positive Givesme me
alternativestoto
nnss on
ss&&Supportive
Passionate alternatives
foodsthat
thatare
arebad
bad s & natural Active
s
ff Responsible
Supportive foods
formy
myheart.
heart.
f Empathetic Ingredient.
e
for
e
Responsible Responsible, Expert > Clinically proven effect
to
to
eli
eli
>> Celebrating
Celebrating health
health >>Gives
Givesme meingredients
ingredients
> Celebrating health – Reducing absorption
s, B
Be
Be
s, B
provento
proven tomake
makemy myheart
heart
Embracing life
Embracing life Embracing life of cholesterol.
healthier
healthier
Minimising sacrifice
sacrifice
l ie
Minimising
lie
Minimising sacrifice. > Recommended by
lue
lue
>>Recommended
Recommended
>> Foody
Foody andand byexperts
experts > Foody and doctors and users.
ve
ve
by
6. Va
natural, not
not clinical
clinical
6. Va
natural, >>Educates
Educatespeople
people natural, not > Trust in Becel/
or medical.
or medical. Bright,
Bright, aboutheart
hearthealthy
healthy
warm, vital.
warm, vital. 9. Essence
9. Essence about
diet&&lifestyle
diet lifestyle
clinical or
medical. Bright,
9. Essence Flora 30 years
expertise.
Heart for
Heart for living!
living! >>Tastes
Tastesjust
justas
asgood.
good. warm, vital. Heart for Living! > Tastes just as good.
>>Eating
EatingBecel
Becel Becel inspires
Becel inspires > Dramatically lowers Dramatic
willhelp
will helpkeep
keepyour
your me to
me to take
take care
care LDL (bad) cholesterol cholesterol lowering
hearthealthy
heart healthy of my
of my heart.
heart. > Functional from a brand I trust
>>Functional
Functional > Freedom from my and believe in.
>>Becel
Becelhelps
helpsmemefeel
feel health worry, to focus
or
or
good,that
good, thatI’m
I’mdoing
doing on enjoying life!
rightfor
formy
myhealth
health
at
right
at
5.
5.
in
in
Be
Be
m
m
eeff ii ef ri
crr
n
iittss
DDi
issc n its
Di
sc
88.. 8.
4. Insight
4. Insight 4. Insight
II want
want to
to stay
stay healthy
healthy so so II can
can enjoy
enjoy living
living life
life I worry about high cholesterol, I want to lower it to regain
to the
to the full
full for
for as
as long
long asas possible!
possible! control of my health and be free to get on with enjoying life!
Deep down
down II know
know my my heart
heart isis vital
vital to
to my
my health.
health. I want to stay healthy and active for as long as possible, so I’m
Deep
trying to eat the right foods and be more active. I don’t want to end
up dependent on drugs.
2. Competitive
3. Target 2. Competitive 3. Target
Environment
Environment Environment
All food
All food and
and drinks
drinks brands
brands that
that make
make People who
People who don’t
don’t take
take their
their health
health for
for All cholesterol lowering food, drinks, People who are actively trying
people feel
people feel good
good about
about their
their health.
health. granted, and
granted, and who
who should
should think
think about
about and supplements. to lower their (or their loved one’s)
In particular,
In particular, all
all heart
heart healthy
healthy foods,
foods, the health
the health of
of their
their hearts.
hearts. cholesterol. Strong bias to adults 45+.
drinks and
drinks and supplements.
supplements.
1. Root
1. Root Strengths
Strengths 1. Root Strengths
Good fats
Good fats Flora / Becel Heart Health nutrition heritage
AAhealthier
healthier alternative
alternative An active ingredient
Good for
Good for the
the cholesterol
cholesterol // heart
heart Cholesterol lowering
An advocate
An advocate forfor heart
heart healthy
healthy living
living Clinically proven and I can see the results for myself
Doctor recommended
Doctor recommended Expert recommended (KOF, doctor and media)
Downloadable from: http://food4life.unilever.com
pro.activ Opportunity:
Actively reduces a specific health risk factor
Justification for Platform:

Efficacy justifies a price premium
of 200-300% over mainstream
Borrows: Builds:
Nutrition expertise Clinically proven
Heart heritage credentials
Category credentials Innovative
Food values Doctor endorsed
Cholesterol lowering
EXERCISES
EXERCISES
“THE LOFTIER
THE BUILDING
THE DEEPER THE
FOUNDATION
MUST BE.”
THOMAS P KEMPIS
69
RANGE ARCHITECTURE
Range The development of Range Architecture requires both

thorough strategic analysis and inspired creative
Architecture: thinking. Team workshops can play a useful role in
Exercises helping to generate alternative possibilities for the
brand to explore. The following exercises are useful:
1. Brand Scope > What kind of brand are we?
Consider what kind of a brand we are and how easy

will it be for us to stretch.
Brands tend to fall into one of the following groups.

(FMCG brands usually fall into the first two.)
> Product brand – strongly linked to the core

product, eg. Guinness, Rexona, Coca-Cola,
Red Bull.
> Specialist – sticks to one area with extensions

linked to core expertise, eg. Pampers,
Hellmann’s, Comfort.
> Umbrella – broad concept, linked by unifying

benefit / personality, eg. Virgin, Calvin Klein.
> Lifestyle – badge values across a wide range,

eg. Prada.
Decide what we are and what we intend to be.

What are the implications for our Brand Scope?
70
RANGE ARCHITECTURE EXERCISES
> Scope Screen: How far is too far?
Define a shortlist based on the BrandKey, especially,

but not only, the Root Strengths, against which we
can assess likelihood of success. Use Post-it notes
to capture the key products and services we think
the brand could realistically stretch to provide for its
consumers in a 3-5 year time period. Then check
these against the Root Strengths and critical brand
attributes in the BrandKey Vision.
> Which ideas are consistent with the scope screen

and therefore potentially ‘in scope’?
> Which ideas are inconsistent with the scope

screen, and therefore probably ‘out of scope’?
> Are the in scope ideas close in ‘extensions’ or far

away ‘stretches’?
> Which way should we stretch?
What are the most relevant dimensions along which

to stretch our brand?
For example, the Knorr team considered two

dimensions for extending and stretching the Brand.
Firstly, moving the Target from family food for all,
towards individual products for me.
Secondly, moving the level of cooking involvement

from high involvement to low to ready-to-eat.
Knorr stretch
Now Future
Target group
For all For both For me
Level of
Cooking Heating Eating
involvement
71
Sequencing Consider if there is a timing and / or sequencing issue

for introducing range extensions in relation to each
of scope other. How many years will it take to secure success in a
development new area? Identify any necessary sequencing steps for
Brand Scope development in order to be credible.
Example: Knorr Scope Sequencing

Knorr moves in a sequence from soups and cooking
aids first, then into meals. Knorr also identifies that
moving into ‘ready to eat’ products rather than cooking
ingredients is a brand stretch. Irreverent ‘youth
snacking’ (like Pot Noodles) is an overstretch because
irreverence to food and junk food associations does
not fit the Knorr Personality and its ‘Chefmanship’
Root Strengths.
Out of Desserts
Scope
Stretch Impulse
Plain
meat/fish
Soupy
Extension Sauces snacks
Mealmakers
Core Soups Side

Dishes
Seasonings
Irreverent
Ready youth
Bouillons Mealkits meals snacking
72
Example: Bertolli is extending from its core of olive oil.

So it will proceed as follows:
BERTOLLI
EATING EXPERIENCE
Italian meal solutions
Chilled meal Sandwiches
Business solutions Brand
Objective Frozen ADD Salad Objective
meals FLAVOUR & MAGIC Kits
Broad Bertolli taste sensation Bertolli
brand & cooking experience eating
relevance Pasta Risotto Bruschetta experience
Sauces Toppings
Pesto OTHER Sauces
Brand PRODUCTS WITH Establish
frequency OLIVE OIL INSIDE cooking
(the golden thread) credentials
Build Olive Oil credentials
Build
critical Spreads Dressings Everyday,
mass accessible.
OLIVE OIL Establish
Build share olive oil
in Olive Oil credentials
73
2. Range > Range Platform assessment

Platforms In determining how to define our Range Platforms, ask:
> How many Range Platforms can we afford to

support over this vision period?
> Is there a worthwhile business opportunity – what

is the size of the prize?
> Will it have critical mass and inspire future brand

development?
> How does the Range Platform build the BrandKey

Vision?
> How is it distinct from other Range Platforms?
> Does it make sense for consumers?
> Does it fit with our Root Strengths?
> Is it competitive and differentiated (having both

points of parity and points of difference in its
relevant category)?
> Does it fit company capabilities well?

74
> Range Platform rationale
There are many ways in which to segment a brand’s

range to help us define key Range Platforms. Use the
following prompt to generate alternative, competitive
and distinctive ways of organising your range portfolio.
Who? Segmenting by consumer group eg. BMW 3, 5, 7 series.
What? Segmenting by product category eg. Pampers Diapers,

Wipes, Ancillaries.
Why? Segmenting by consumer need states eg. Sunsilk

Benefit platforms, clean, care, shape, colour, scalp, etc.
When? Segmenting by occasions when people buy or use a

product eg. Hallmark cards.
Where? Segmenting by location or channel eg. Tesco Extra,

Tesco Express, Tesco Metro.
> Range Platform naming
Once we have identified relevant Range Platforms, find

names that bring them to life. How would our brand do
this product differently to anyone else? Use the brand
Essence as a lens through which to see the Platforms.
Example:
Nike calls its Running and Football Platforms
‘For Runners By Runners’ and ‘Brilliant Football’ to
make their perspective on each area more distinctive.
75
> Range Platform roles
Not all Platforms are equal in scale or margin or will

contribute to building the brand equity in the same way.
Use the following model to identify the specific
contribution of each Range Platform. This analysis can
eventually guide the appropriate support strategy and
different priority levels between different platforms in
our portfolio.
1. How well does the Platform build and grow our

brand equity?
2. How big is the business building value of the

Platform?
This tool will be a particular help when writing the

Brand Vision Plan, where we will determine priorities
and appropriate support strategies for different
Platforms and products in the range.
76
This tool will be a particular help when writing the

Brand Vision Plan, where we will determine priorities
and appropriate support strategies for different
Platforms and products in the range.
Brand Equity Build

neutral/low high
Cash
high Hero
Builder
Business
Build
low Drain Niche
Example: For Nescafé, the Original Platform is the largest, but it

is the Gold Blend Platform that most drives brand
Nescafé imagery, as well as delivering a high margin.
Brand Equity Build

neutral/low high
Cash Hero
Builder
high
Business
Build Drain Niche
low
Source: Brand Stretch, David Taylor

77
BRANDKEY
Towards the Once we have developed an Inspiring BrandKey Vision

and Range Architecture we are ready
Brand Vision to move into the next stage of the Brand Planning
Plan and Brand Toolset, namely BrandZip, turning our visions into
concrete plans and actions.
Marketing Plan This leads us to the task of defining the Brand
– taking Vision Vision Plan and national Brand Marketing Plans. These
topics are dealt with in the other two toolset books
into Action (BrandZip).
BRANDKEY BRANDZIP
In addition to the three Brand Planning Toolset books,

detailed guidelines will also be available online at
http://marketingacademy.unilever.com. These
guidelines will include templates for everything from
the BrandKey Vision through to the national Brand
Marketing Plan.
Requests for further information should be directed

to the Unilever Marketing Academy
([email protected]), who will also be
building the Brand Planning Toolset into marketing
training modules.
The Marketing Academy will be cascading the
Brand Planning Toolset via a series of workshops to
GBTs, Business Groups and other key brand marketing
groups over the coming months. Specific questions
about how the approach relates to your own brand(s)
should be directed through your usual GBT and
Business Group channels.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Adam Morgan at eatbigfish for sharing the

Lighthouse Brand stimulus, which helps brands think
like a Challenger and develop powerful, extensive
winning positioning and strategies.
Thanks to Andy Bird and Brand Learning for input on

the Range Architecture tool.
Thanks also to:
David Taylor, thebrandgym
Professor Kevin Lane Keller
Leading Brand Stewardship contributors

and pilot teams
Learning To Love Risk contributors
HGV
January 2005

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Welcome to the Brand Planning Toolset

In today’s tougher world, with

The introduction of the Brand Planning Toolset is a

The toolset provides a common language and

We are all committed to building brands and building

Keki Dadiseth Kees van der Graaf

Bringing the Vision to Life 46

Towards the Brand Vision Plan and Brand Marketing Plan 77

Brilliant consumer marketing

> Create compelling, differentiated BrandKey

> Translate BrandKey Visions into tangible

> Drive brand growth and development by

To help with these objectives, a new Brand Planning

1. BrandKey: Vision and Range Architecture

NB. The creation of 2. BrandZip: Brand Vision Plan

What’s new? The Brand Planning Toolset incorporates the learning

> Emphasis on building each brand’s core category

> A Brand Vision Plan to define clear strategic goals

> A Brand Marketing Plan developed at a national

Who does what?

BRAND DEVELOPMENT MARKETING

It is crucial that Brand Developers and Marketers

> Responsibility for creating the BrandKey Vision,

> The President Marketing will approve and

> The national Brand Marketing Plan is the

Regional > Responsibility for creating the BrandKey Vision,

> The national Brand Marketing Plan is the

BrandKey Since 1999 Unilever has used

> Is how the Brand Director captures the desired

> Helps ensure that all internal actions and external

> Summarises what everyone who works on the brand

Brands only exist in the minds of consumers.

This revised version of BrandKey Vision now

What has BrandKey has changed in a number of ways:

1. A tool comprised of a Just one BrandKey –

2. Different BrandKeys One BrandKey Vision –

3. Eight boxes in the A new ninth box

4. Extension Keys developed A total Range Architecture

5. Use of consumer Use of the brand’s

Key principles > Focus

> Strategic Intent

benefits that consumer to

motivate choose the

inspiration of the recipe expertise.

that extra mile.

The original product, values and/or benefits

We must understand and respect what has been

Root Strengths are critical when assessing the merits

> Good oils (polyunsaturates)

> Good for cholesterol & heart

> Doctor recommended

> Snuggle bear softness

> Fun / playful

> Fun and entertainment

> Value for money

> Sense of competitive challenge

> (Richard Branson)

The market and alternative

Who loses when we win?

The Competitive Environment describes all the