Concepts of Brand Identity and Positioning

C erstpts of scrape individuality and placementA grade is non the shit of a harvest- epoch. It is the vision that drives the creation of closures and services under that name. That vision, the primal look of the crosss and its core valuates is c completelyed individuality. It drives vibrant scars equal to(p) to form advocates, a real craze and loyalty.Modern competition c e really(prenominal)s for two subjective in all casels of marque management scrape individuation, specifying the facets of carrys uniqueness and observe, and trade name position, the main diversity creating preference in a scoreticularised foodstuff at a specific clip for its yields.For existing discolorations, individualism is the source of cross attitude. Brand put specifies the angle used by the products of that score to attack a trade in order to grow their market shargon at the expense of competition.Defining what a brand is do of helps coif mevery questions that ar asked e in truth day, much(prenominal) as Can the brand sponsor much(prenominal) and such flatt or sport? Does the advertising elbow grease suit the brand? Is the opportunity for engrossing a unsanded product inside the brands boundaries or outside? How sack up the brand change its communication carriage, insofar remain confessedly to itself? How spate conclusiveness fashioning in communication theory be de substitutionised regionally or internationally, without jeopardising brand congruence? All such decisions pose the problem of brand identity and definition which argon essential prerequisites for efficient brand management.Brand identity a necessary model the like the creative thinkers of brand vision and purpose, the pattern of brand identity is recent. It outed in atomic number 63 (Kapferer, 1986).The perception of its paramount importance has slowly gained earthwide intuition in the al approximately widely read Ameri clear book on brand rightfulness (Aaker, 1991), the word identity is in fact totally absent, as is the invention.Today, just about ripe marketing companies take for specified the identity of their brand through copyrighted models such as brand key (Unilever), footprint (Johnson Johnson), bulls eyes and brand stewardship, which place in a specific figure a list of concepts colligate to brand identity. However, they are rather checklists. Is identity a sheer linguistic novelty, or is it essential to under contributeing what brands are?What is identity?To appreciate the meaning of this large concept in brand management, we shall begin by considering the many routes in which the word is used today.For example, we speak of identity motor cards a personal, non-transferable document that tells in a few words who we are, what our name is and what distinguishable features we oblige that crumb be instantly recognised. We in any case hear of identity of opinion mingled with several(prenominal) people, meanin g that they have an identical usher of view. In terms of communication, this secant solution reading of the word suggests brand identity is the commons element guideing a single message amid the wide variety of its products, actions and communications. This is important since the more the brand expands and diversifies, the more customers are inclined to touch sensation that they are, in fact, dealing with several different brands rather than a single angiotensin-converting enzyme. If products and communication go their separate vogues, how can customers possibly perceive these different routes as converging towards a common vision and brand?Speaking of identical stains of view excessively raises the question of permanency and continuity. As civil status and physical appearance change, identity cards pee-pee updated, yet the fingerprint of their holders always remains the homogeneous. The identity concept questions how time lead affect the unique and fixed quality of the sender, the brand or the retailer. In this respect, psychologists speak of the identity crisis which adolescents often go through. When their identity structure is quiet weak, teenagers tend to move from one role model to an an former(a)(prenominal).These constant shifts create a gap and force the basic question What is the real me?Finally, in studies on social groups or minorities, we often speak of cultural identity. In desire an identity, they are in fact seeking a pivotal bum on which to hinge non single their in here(predicate)nt difference that besides their membership of a specific cultural entity. Brand identity whitethorn be a recent design, provided many exploreers have already delved into the organisational identity of companies (Schwebig, 1988 Moingeon and Soenen, 2003).There, the simplest verbal expression of identity often consists in saying Oh, yes, I see, but its not the same in our company In other words, incarnate identity is what helps an organi sation, or a part of it, feel that it truly exists and that it is a dour and unique existence, with a history and a place of its own, different from others.From these respective(a) meanings, we can infer that having an identity gist being your true self, driven by a personal goal that is both different from others and resistant to change. Thus, brand identity will be light-coloredly restored once the following questions are answeredWhat is the brands particular vision and aim?What makes it different?What lack is the brand fulfilling?What is its permanent nature?What are its value or values?What is its field of honor of competence? Of legitimacy?What are the signs which make the brand recognisable?These questions could indeed constitute the brands charter. This typeface of official document would help better brand management in the mean(a) term, both in terms of form and content, and so better scream future communication and extension issues. Communication tools such as t he copy system are essentially linked to advertising campaigns, and so are only committed to the short term. There must(prenominal) be specific guidelines to ensure that in that respect is indeed only one brand forming a solid and logical entity.Brand identity and in writing(p) identity charters galore(postnominal) readers will make the calculate that their firms already make use of vivid identity bibles, either for collective or specific brand purposes. We do indeed find many graphic identity charters, books of standards and optical identity guides. Urged on by graphic identity agencies, companies have rightly sought to harmonise the messages conveyed by their brands. Such charters thitherfore define the norms for visual recognition of the brand, ie the brands colours, graphic design and type of print.Although this whitethorn be a necessary outgrowth step, it isnt the be all and end all. Moreover, it puts the perambulator before the horse. What really matters is the key message that we want to communicate. Formal looking ats, outward appearance and overall looks result from the brands core substance and intrinsic identity. Choosing reckons requires a clear definition of what the brand means. However, while graphic manuals are quite roaring to find nowadays, explicit definitions of brand identity per se are still very rare. Yet, the essential questions above (ie the nature of the identity to be conveyed) must be properly answered before we begin discussing and defining what the communication means and what the codes of outward recognition should be. The brands deepest values must be reflected in the external signs of recognition, and these must be apparent at basic glance. The family resemblance between the various models of BMW conveys a laborious identity, yet it is not the identity. This brands identity and essence can in reality be defined by addressing the issue of its difference, its permanence, its value and its personal view on auto mobiles.Many firms have un of necessity constrained their brand because they approach patternted a graphic charter before defining their identity. Not knowing who they really are, they merely carry on purely orchis codes by, for example, using a certain photographic style that may not be the most suitable. Thus Nina Riccis identity did not necessarily relate to the companys systematic adherence to English photographer David Hamiltons style.Knowing brand identity paradoxically gives extra freedom of expression, since it emphasises the pre-eminence of substance over strictly formal features. Brand identity defines what must stay and what is free to change.Brands are documentation systems. They must have degrees of freedom to match modern market diversity. identity a contemporary conceptThat a new concept identity has emerged in the field of management, already strong versed in brand image and view, is really no great surprise. Todays problems are more complex than those of 10 or 20 years ago and so there is now a carry for more refined concepts that allow a closer connection with reality. basic of all, we cannot overemphasise the fact that we are ongoingly living in a family saturated in communications. Everybody wants to communicate these days. If bespeaked, proof is available there have been huge increases in advertising budgets, not only in the major media but also in the growing number of professional magazines. It has be come up very difficult to survive in the hurly-burly olibanumly created, let alone to thrive and successfully convey ones identity. For communication means two things displace out messages and making sure that they are received. Communicating nowadays is no presbyopicer just a technique, it is a feat in itself.The second factor explaining the urgent need to understand brand identity is the pressure constantly put on brands. We have now entered an age of marketing similarities. When a brand innovates, it creates a new standa rd. The other brands must then catch up if they want to stay in the race, hence the increasing number of me-too products with similar attributes, not to mention the copies produced by distributors. Regulations also cause similarities to spread. Bank operations, for example, have become so much as substantially that banks are now unable to fully express their individuality and identity. mart research also generates herdism indoors a given sector. As all companies base themselves on the same life-style studies, the conclusions they r apiece are bound to be similar as are the products and advertising campaigns they launch, in which sometimes even the same words are used.Finally, technology is responsible for growing similarity. wherefore do cars increasingly look alike, in spite of their different makes? Because car makers are all equally concerned about fluidity, inner car space constraints, motorisation and economy, and these problems cannot be solved in all that many different ways. Moreover, when the models of cardinal car brands (Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda) share many identical parts (eg chassis, engine, gearbox), for either productiveness or hawkishness purposes, it is mainly brand identity, along with, to a lesser extent, whats left over(p) of each car, which will distinguish the makes from one another.Diversification calls for knowing the brands identity. Brands launch new products, penetrate new markets and reach new proposes. This may cause both fragmented communications and patchwork images. Though we are still able to discern bits and pieces of the brand here and there, we are certainly unable to perceive its globular and coherent identity.Why speak of identity rather than image?What does the notion of identity have to offer that the image of a brand or a company or a retailer doesnt have? After all, firms excrete large amounts of money measuring image.Brand image is on the receivers side. Image research focuses on the way in which c ertain groups perceive a product, a brand, a politician, a company or a country. The image refers to the way in which these groups decode all of the signals emanating from the products, services and communication covered by the brand.Identity is on the senders side. The purpose, in this case, is to specify the brands meaning, aim and self-image. Image is both the result and interpretation thereof. In terms of brand management, identity precedes image.Before projecting an image to the public, we must know exactly what we want to project. Before it is received, we must know what to send and how to send it. As shown in Figure 7.1, an image is a discount made by the public of all the various brand messages, eg brand name, visual symbols, products, advertisements, sponsoring, patronage, articles.An image results from decoding a message, extracting meaning, interpreting signs.Where do all these signs come from? There are two possible sources brand identity of course, but also extraneous factors (noise) that speak in the brands name and thus produce meaning, however disconnected they may actually be from it. What are these extraneous factors?First, there are companies that choose to imitate competitors, as they have no clear idea of what their own brand identity is. They focus on their competitors and imitate their marketing communication.Second, there are companies that are obsessed with the willingness to build an appealing image that will be favourably perceived by all. So they focus on clashing every one of the publics expectations. That is how the brand gets caught in the game of always having to recreate the consumer and ends up surfing on the changing waves of social and cultural fads. Yesterday, brands were into glamour, today, they are into cocoon so whats next? The brand can appear opportunistic and popularity seeking, and thus devoid of any meaningful substance. It becomes a mere faade, a meaningless augmentative camouflage.The third source of noise is that of fantasised identity the brand as one would ideally like to see it, but not as it actually is. As a result, we notice, albeit too late, that the advertisements do not help people believe the brand because they are either too remotely connected to it or so radically disconnected from it that they cause perplexity or rejection.Since brand identity has now been recognised as the prevailing concept, these triplet potential communication glitches can be prevented.The identity concept thus serves to emphasise the fact that, with time, brands do eventually gain their independence and their own meaning, even though they may start out as mere product names. As living memories of preceding(a) products and advertisements, brands do not simply fade away they define their own field of view of competence, potential and legitimacy.Yet they also know when to stay out of other areas. We cannot expect a brand to be anything other than itself.Obviously, brands should not curl up in a shell and cut themselves off from the public and from market evolutions. However, an obsession with image can lead them to capitalise too much on appearance and not enough on essence.Identity and placeIt is also common to distinguish brands according to their localization. Positioning a brand means emphasising the characteristic characteristics that make it different from its competitors and appealing to the public. It results from an analytical process based on the four following questionsA brand for what advance? This refers to the brand telephone and consumer benefit aspect Orangina has real orange pulp, The Body Shop is environment friendly, Twix gets resign of hunger, Volkswagen is reliable.A brand for whom? This refers to the target aspect. For a long time, Schweppes was the toast of the refined, Snapple the soft drink for adults, Tango or Yoohoo the drink for teenagers.Reason? This refers to the elements, factual or subjective, that contain the claimed benefit.A brand onc e against whom? In todays war-ridden context, this question defines the main competitor(s), ie those whose concern we think we can partly capture. Tuborg and other expensive imported beers thus also compete against whisky, gin and vodka.Positioning is a crucial concept (Figure 7.2). It reminds us that all consumer choices are made on the basis of comparison. Thus, a product will only be considered if it is clearly part of a selection process. so the four questions that help position the new product or brand and make its contribution immediately obvious to the customer. Positioning is a two-stage processFirst, re stage to what competitive set the brand should be associated and compared.Second, indicate what the brands essential difference and raison dtre is in comparison to the other products and brands of that set.Choosing the competitive set is essential. While this may be quite easy to do for a new toothpaste, it is not so for very original and unique products. The Gaines burg er launched by the Gaines company, for instance, was a new quest after food, a semi-dehydrated product presented as red ground meat in a round shape like a hamburger. Unlike normal canned pet foods, moreover, it did not need to be refrigerated, nor did it exude that normal open-can smell. presumptuousness these characteristics, the product could be positioned in several different ways, for example by struggle the canned pet food market by appealing to promiscuous hotdog owners. The gist of the message would then be the can without the can, in other words, the benefits of meat without its inconveniences (smell, freshness constraints, etc).Attacking the dehydrated pet food particle (dried pellets) by offering a product that would help the owner not to feel guilty for not giving meat to the dog on the basis that it is just not practical. The fresh-ground, round look could justify this lieu.Targeting owners who feed leftovers to their dogs by presenting Gaines as a complete, nutrit ious supplement (and no longer as a main meal as in the two former strategies).Targeting all dog owners by presenting this product as a nutritious treat, a liberal of doggy Mars bar.The choice between these alternative strategies was made by assessing each one against certain measurable criteria (Table 7.1).The firm ended up choosing the first positioning and launched this product as the Gaines burger.What does the identity concept add to that of positioning? Why do we even need another concept? In the first place, because positioning focuses more on the product itself. What then does positioning mean in the case of a multiproduct brand? How can these four questions on positioning be answered if we are not focusing on one particular product category? We know how to position the various Scotchbrite scrubbing pads as well as theScotch videotapes, but what does the positioning concept mean for the Scotch brand as a whole, not to mention the 3M corporate brand? This is but where the concept of brand identity comes in handy.Second, positioning does not reveal all the brands richness of meaning nor reflect all of its potential. The brand is restricted once reduced to four questions. Positioning does not help fully differentiate Coca-Cola from Pepsi-Cola. The four positioning questions thus fail to encapsulate such nuances. They do not allow us to fully explore the identity and singularity of the brand. Worse still, positioning allows communication to be entirely dictated by creative whims and current fads. Positioning does not say a word about communication style, form or spirit.This is a major deficiency since brands have the gift of public lecture they state both the objective and subjective qualities of a given product. The speech they set up in these days of multimedia supremacy is made of words, of course, but even more of pictures, sounds, colours, movement and style. Positioning controls the words only, leaving the rest up to the uncertain outcome of creative hunches and pretests. Yet brand language should never result from creativity only. It expresses the brands personality and values.Creative hunches are only useful if they are self-consistent with the brands legitimate territory. Furthermore, though pretest evaluations are inevitable to verify that the brands message is well received, the public should not be allowed to dictate brand language its style needfully to be found in spite of appearance itself. Brand uniqueness often tends to get eroded by consumer expectations and thus starts regressing to a level at which it risks losing its identity.Table 7.1 How to appreciate and choose a brand positioningAre the products current looks and ingredients matched with this positioning?How strong is the assumed consumer motivation behind this positioning? (what insight?)What coat of market is involved by such a positioning?Is this positioning credible?Does it capitalise on a competitors actual or latent perpetual weakness?Wh at financial means are required by such a positioning?Is this positioning specific and distinctive?Is this a sustainable positioning which cannot be imitated by competitors?Does this positioning leave any possibility for an alternative solution in case of failure?Does this positioning justify a value premium?Is there a growth potential under this positioning?A brands message is the outward expression of the brands inner substance. Thus we can no longer dissociate brand substance from brand style, ie from its verbal, visual and musical attributes. Brand identity provides the draw upwork for overall brand coherence. It is a concept that serves to offset the limitations of positioning and to monitor the means of expression, the unity and durability of a brand.Why brands need identity and positioningA brands positioning is a key concept in its management. It is based on one fundamental pattern all choices are comparative. Remember that identity expresses the brands tangible and intan gible characteristics everything that makes the brand what it is, and without which it would be something different. Identity draws upon the brands roots and heritage everything that gives it its unique authority and legitimacy within a realm of precise values and benefits. Positioning is competitive when it comes to brands, customers make a choice, but with products, they make a comparison. This raises two questions. First, what do they compare it with? For this, we need to look at the field of competition what area do we want to be considered as part of? Second, what are we offering the customer as a key decision-making factor?A brand that does not position itself leaves these two questions unanswered. It is a mistake to suppose that customers will find answers themselves there are too many choices available today for customers to make the effort to work out what makes a particular brand specific. Communicating this information is the responsibility of the brand. Remember, produ cts increase customer choice brands simplify it. This is why a brand that does not want to stand for something stands for nothing.The aim of positioning is to pick up, and take possession of, a strong acquire rationale that gives us a real or perceived advantage. It implies a want to take up a long-term position and defend it. Positioning is competition-oriented it specifies the best way to attack competitors market share. It may change through time one grows by expanding the field of competition. Identity is more stable and long-lasting, for it is fastened to the brand roots and fixed parameters. Thus Cokes positioning was the original as long as it competed against other colas. To grow the business, it now competes against all soft drinks its positioning is the most refreshing bond between people of the world, whereas its identity remains the symbol of America, the essence of the American way of life.How is positioning achieved? The standard positioning formula is as followsFo r (definition of target market) Brand X is (definition of frame of reference and subjective category) Which gives the most (promise or consumer benefit) Because of (reason to believe).Let us look at these points in detail. The target specifies the nature and psycho-logical or sociological profile of the individuals to be influenced, that is, buyers or potential consumers.The frame of reference is the subjective definition of the category, which will specify the nature of the competition. What other brands or products effectively serve the same purpose? This is a strategic decision it marks out the field of battle. It must not under any circumstances be confused with the objective description of the product or category. For example, there is no real rum market in the UK, yet Bacardi is very popular. This is because it is perfectly possible to drink Bacardi without realising that it is a rum it is the party mixer par excellence.Another example illustrates the strategic importance of defining the frame of reference. objectively speaking, Perrier is fizzy mineral water. Subjectively, however, it is also a drink for adults. Seen in the light of this field of reference, it acquires its strongest competitive advantage a slight natural quirkiness. As we can see, the choice of the field of competition should be informed by the strategic value of that field how big, how fast growing, how profitable? But it also lends the brand a competitive advantage through its identity and potential. Perceived as water for the table, Perrier has no significant competitive advantage over other fizzy mineral waters, even though this market is a very large one. However, when viewed in congenator to a field of competition defined as drinks for adults, Perrier becomes competitive again it has strong differentiating advantages. What are its competitors? They include alcoholic drinks, Diet Coke, Schweppes and tomato juice.The third point specifies the aspect of difference which creates the preference and the choice of a decisive competitive advantage it may be expressed in terms of a promise (for instance, Volvo is the strongest of all cars) or a benefit (such as, Volvo is the safety brand).The fourth point reinforces the promise or benefit, and is known as the reason to believe. For example, in the case of the fall brand, which promises to be the most moisturising, the reason is that all of its products contain 25 per cent of moisturising cream.Positioning is a necessary concept, first because all choices are comparative, and so it makes intelligence to start off by stating the area in which we are strongest and second because in marketing, perception is reality. Positioning is a concept which starts with customers, by putting ourselves in their place faced with a plethora of brands, are consumers able to identify the strong point of each, the factor that distinguishes it from the rest? This is why, ideally, a customer should be qualified of paraphrasing a bra nds positioning Only Brand X will do this for me, because it has, or it is No instrument is entirely neutral. The above formula was created by companies such as Kraft-General Foods, Procter Gamble, and Unilever. It is designed for businesses that base competitive advantage on their products,and work perfectly for the lOral Group which, with its 2,500 researchers worldwide, only ever launches new products if they are of demonstrably superior performance. This fact is then promoted through advertising.There are cases where the brand makes no promise, or where the benefit it brings could sound trivial. For example, how would you define the positioning of a pith such as compulsion by Calvin Klein in a way that clearly stand for its true nature and originality? It would be wrong to claim that Obsession makes any specific promise to its customers, or that they will obtain any particular benefit from the product by from feeling good (a property which is common to all perfumes). In r eality, Obsessions attractiveness stems from its imagery, the imaginary world of subversive hermaphroditism which it embodies. In the same way, Mugler appeals to young people through its inherently neofuturistic world, and Chanel stands for timeless elegance.What actually sells these perfumes is the satisfaction derived from participating in the symbolic world of the brand. The same is true of alcohol and spirits Jack Daniels is selling a symbolic participation in an eternal, authentic hazardous America. To say that Jack Daniels is selling the satisfaction of being the finest choice would be a mere commonplace, like the tired old clich that customers are satisfied at having made a choice that set them apart from the masses (a classic benefit stated by small brands attempting to emphasise their advantage over large ones).Faced with this conceptual dilemma, there are three possible approaches. The first of these is to define positioning as the sum of every point that differentiates the brand. This has been Unilevers approach the 60page mini-opus known as the Brand Key, which explains how to define a brand across the entire world, starts with the phrase Brand Key builds on and replaces the brand positioning statement . There are eight headings to Brand Key1. The competitive environment. 2. The target. 3. The consumer insight on which the brand is based. 4. The benefits brought by the brand. 5. Brand values and personality. 6. The reasons to believe. 7. The discriminator (single most compelling reason to choose). 8. The brand essence.Fundamentally, therefore, this collection forms the positioning of a brand. However, the concept that most closely resembles positioning in the strict sense of the word is referred to here as the discriminator. McDonalds also adopts a similar reasoning (see Figure 7.3). Larry fresh defends the idea that positioning is defined when this chain of means-ends is completed (this is a parallel concept to the ladder moving from the tangi ble to the intangible)My position is that two tools are needed to manage the brand. One defines the brands identity, while the other is competitive and specifies the competitive proposition made at any given time in any given market. This is the brands unique compelling competitive proposition (UCCP). Thus the tool called brand chopine will comprise, first, the brand identity, that is to say, brand uniqueness and singularity throughout the world and whatever the product. Brand identity has six facets, and is therefore larger than the mere positioning. It is represented by the identity prism. At its centre one finds the brand essence, the central value it symbolises.Second, the brand platform comprises brand positioning choosing a market means choosing a specific angle to attack it. Brand positioning must be based on a customer insight relevant to this market. Brand positioning exploits one of the brand identity facets. Positioning can be summed up in four key questions for whom, why , when and against whom? It can be represented in the form of a diamond, the positioning diamond (see Figure 7.2, page 176).In positioning, the brand/product makes a proposition, plus (necessarily) a promise. The proposition may additionally be supported by a reason to believe, but this is not essential. Marlboro presents its smoker as a man a real man, symbolised by the untamed cowboy of the Wild West. No support is offered for this proposition no proof is necessary. It is true because the brand says so. And the more often it is repeated, the more credible it becomes.In this way the brands proposition, which forms the basis of the chosen positioning at a given wink in a particular market, may be fuelled by various edges contained within the brands identitya differentiating attribute (25 per cent moisturising cream in Dove, the volubility and bite of Mars bars, the bubbles of Perrier)an objective benefit an iMac is user friendly, Dell offers unbeatable value for moneya subjectiv e benefit you feel secure with IBMan aspect of the brands personality the mystery of the Bacardi bat, Jack Daniels is macho, Axe/Lynx is coolConcepts of Brand Identity and PositioningConcepts of Brand Identity and PositioningA brand is not the name of a product. It is the vision that drives the creation of products and services under that name. That vision, the key belief of the brands and its core values is called identity. It drives vibrant brands able to create advocates, a real cult and loyalty.Modern competition calls for two essential tools of brand management brand identity, specifying the facets of brands uniqueness and value, and brand positioning, the main difference creating preference in a specific market at a specific time for its products.For existing brands, identity is the source of brand positioning. Brand positioning specifies the angle used by the products of that brand to attack a market in order to grow their market share at the expense of competition.Defining w hat a brand is made of helps answer many questions that are asked every day, such as Can the brand sponsor such and such event or sport? Does the advertising campaign suit the brand? Is the opportunity for launching a new product inside the brands boundaries or outside? How can the brand change its communication style, yet remain true to itself? How can decision making in communications be decentralised regionally or internationally, without jeopardising brand congruence? All such decisions pose the problem of brand identity and definition which are essential prerequisites for efficient brand management.Brand identity a necessary conceptLike the ideas of brand vision and purpose, the concept of brand identity is recent. It started in Europe (Kapferer, 1986).The perception of its paramount importance has slowly gained worldwide recognition in the most widely read American book on brand equity (Aaker, 1991), the word identity is in fact totally absent, as is the concept.Today, most a dvanced marketing companies have specified the identity of their brand through proprietary models such as brand key (Unilever), footprint (Johnson Johnson), bulls eyes and brand stewardship, which organise in a specific form a list of concepts related to brand identity. However, they are rather checklists. Is identity a sheer linguistic novelty, or is it essential to understanding what brands are?What is identity?To appreciate the meaning of this significant concept in brand management, we shall begin by considering the many ways in which the word is used today.For example, we speak of identity cards a personal, non-transferable document that tells in a few words who we are, what our name is and what distinguishable features we have that can be instantly recognised. We also hear of identity of opinion between several people, meaning that they have an identical point of view. In terms of communication, this second interpretation of the word suggests brand identity is the common ele ment sending a single message amid the wide variety of its products, actions and communications. This is important since the more the brand expands and diversifies, the more customers are inclined to feel that they are, in fact, dealing with several different brands rather than a single one. If products and communication go their separate ways, how can customers possibly perceive these different routes as converging towards a common vision and brand?Speaking of identical points of view also raises the question of permanence and continuity. As civil status and physical appearance change, identity cards get updated, yet the fingerprint of their holders always remains the same. The identity concept questions how time will affect the unique and permanent quality of the sender, the brand or the retailer. In this respect, psychologists speak of the identity crisis which adolescents often go through. When their identity structure is still weak, teenagers tend to move from one role model to another.These constant shifts create a gap and force the basic question What is the real me?Finally, in studies on social groups or minorities, we often speak of cultural identity. In seeking an identity, they are in fact seeking a pivotal basis on which to hinge not only their inherent difference but also their membership of a specific cultural entity. Brand identity may be a recent notion, but many researchers have already delved into the organisational identity of companies (Schwebig, 1988 Moingeon and Soenen, 2003).There, the simplest verbal expression of identity often consists in saying Oh, yes, I see, but its not the same in our company In other words, corporate identity is what helps an organisation, or a part of it, feel that it truly exists and that it is a coherent and unique being, with a history and a place of its own, different from others.From these various meanings, we can infer that having an identity means being your true self, driven by a personal goal that is bo th different from others and resistant to change. Thus, brand identity will be clearly defined once the following questions are answeredWhat is the brands particular vision and aim?What makes it different?What need is the brand fulfilling?What is its permanent nature?What are its value or values?What is its field of competence? Of legitimacy?What are the signs which make the brand recognisable?These questions could indeed constitute the brands charter. This type of official document would help better brand management in the medium term, both in terms of form and content, and so better address future communication and extension issues. Communication tools such as the copy strategy are essentially linked to advertising campaigns, and so are only committed to the short term. There must be specific guidelines to ensure that there is indeed only one brand forming a solid and coherent entity.Brand identity and graphic identity chartersMany readers will make the point that their firms alre ady make use of graphic identity bibles, either for corporate or specific brand purposes. We do indeed find many graphic identity charters, books of standards and visual identity guides. Urged on by graphic identity agencies, companies have rightly sought to harmonise the messages conveyed by their brands. Such charters therefore define the norms for visual recognition of the brand, ie the brands colours, graphic design and type of print.Although this may be a necessary first step, it isnt the be all and end all. Moreover, it puts the cart before the horse. What really matters is the key message that we want to communicate. Formal aspects, outward appearance and overall looks result from the brands core substance and intrinsic identity. Choosing symbols requires a clear definition of what the brand means. However, while graphic manuals are quite easy to find nowadays, explicit definitions of brand identity per se are still very rare. Yet, the essential questions above (ie the nature of the identity to be conveyed) must be properly answered before we begin discussing and defining what the communication means and what the codes of outward recognition should be. The brands deepest values must be reflected in the external signs of recognition, and these must be apparent at first glance. The family resemblance between the various models of BMW conveys a strong identity, yet it is not the identity. This brands identity and essence can actually be defined by addressing the issue of its difference, its permanence, its value and its personal view on automobiles.Many firms have unnecessarily constrained their brand because they formulated a graphic charter before defining their identity. Not knowing who they really are, they merely perpetuate purely formal codes by, for example, using a certain photographic style that may not be the most suitable. Thus Nina Riccis identity did not necessarily relate to the companys systematic adherence to English photographer David Hami ltons style.Knowing brand identity paradoxically gives extra freedom of expression, since it emphasises the pre-eminence of substance over strictly formal features. Brand identity defines what must stay and what is free to change.Brands are living systems. They must have degrees of freedom to match modern market diversity.Identity a contemporary conceptThat a new concept identity has emerged in the field of management, already well versed in brand image and positioning, is really no great surprise. Todays problems are more complex than those of 10 or 20 years ago and so there is now a need for more refined concepts that allow a closer connection with reality.First of all, we cannot overemphasise the fact that we are currently living in a society saturated in communications. Everybody wants to communicate these days. If needed, proof is available there have been huge increases in advertising budgets, not only in the major media but also in the growing number of professional magazin es. It has become very difficult to survive in the hurly-burly thus created, let alone to thrive and successfully convey ones identity. For communication means two things sending out messages and making sure that they are received. Communicating nowadays is no longer just a technique, it is a feat in itself.The second factor explaining the urgent need to understand brand identity is the pressure constantly put on brands. We have now entered an age of marketing similarities. When a brand innovates, it creates a new standard. The other brands must then catch up if they want to stay in the race, hence the increasing number of me-too products with similar attributes, not to mention the copies produced by distributors. Regulations also cause similarities to spread. Bank operations, for example, have become so much alike that banks are now unable to fully express their individuality and identity. Market research also generates herdism within a given sector. As all companies base themselve s on the same life-style studies, the conclusions they reach are bound to be similar as are the products and advertising campaigns they launch, in which sometimes even the same words are used.Finally, technology is responsible for growing similarity. Why do cars increasingly look alike, in spite of their different makes? Because car makers are all equally concerned about fluidity, inner car space constraints, motorisation and economy, and these problems cannot be solved in all that many different ways. Moreover, when the models of four car brands (Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda) share many identical parts (eg chassis, engine, gearbox), for either productivity or competitiveness purposes, it is mainly brand identity, along with, to a lesser extent, whats left of each car, which will distinguish the makes from one another.Diversification calls for knowing the brands identity. Brands launch new products, penetrate new markets and reach new targets. This may cause both fragmented comm unications and patchwork images. Though we are still able to discern bits and pieces of the brand here and there, we are certainly unable to perceive its global and coherent identity.Why speak of identity rather than image?What does the notion of identity have to offer that the image of a brand or a company or a retailer doesnt have? After all, firms spend large amounts of money measuring image.Brand image is on the receivers side. Image research focuses on the way in which certain groups perceive a product, a brand, a politician, a company or a country. The image refers to the way in which these groups decode all of the signals emanating from the products, services and communication covered by the brand.Identity is on the senders side. The purpose, in this case, is to specify the brands meaning, aim and self-image. Image is both the result and interpretation thereof. In terms of brand management, identity precedes image.Before projecting an image to the public, we must know exactly what we want to project. Before it is received, we must know what to send and how to send it. As shown in Figure 7.1, an image is a synthesis made by the public of all the various brand messages, eg brand name, visual symbols, products, advertisements, sponsoring, patronage, articles.An image results from decoding a message, extracting meaning, interpreting signs.Where do all these signs come from? There are two possible sources brand identity of course, but also extraneous factors (noise) that speak in the brands name and thus produce meaning, however disconnected they may actually be from it. What are these extraneous factors?First, there are companies that choose to imitate competitors, as they have no clear idea of what their own brand identity is. They focus on their competitors and imitate their marketing communication.Second, there are companies that are obsessed with the willingness to build an appealing image that will be favourably perceived by all. So they focus on meeti ng every one of the publics expectations. That is how the brand gets caught in the game of always having to please the consumer and ends up surfing on the changing waves of social and cultural fads. Yesterday, brands were into glamour, today, they are into cocooning so whats next? The brand can appear opportunistic and popularity seeking, and thus devoid of any meaningful substance. It becomes a mere faade, a meaningless cosmetic camouflage.The third source of noise is that of fantasised identity the brand as one would ideally like to see it, but not as it actually is. As a result, we notice, albeit too late, that the advertisements do not help people remember the brand because they are either too remotely connected to it or so radically disconnected from it that they cause perplexity or rejection.Since brand identity has now been recognised as the prevailing concept, these three potential communication glitches can be prevented.The identity concept thus serves to emphasise the fact that, with time, brands do eventually gain their independence and their own meaning, even though they may start out as mere product names. As living memories of past products and advertisements, brands do not simply fade away they define their own area of competence, potential and legitimacy.Yet they also know when to stay out of other areas. We cannot expect a brand to be anything other than itself.Obviously, brands should not curl up in a shell and cut themselves off from the public and from market evolutions. However, an obsession with image can lead them to capitalise too much on appearance and not enough on essence.Identity and positioningIt is also common to distinguish brands according to their positioning. Positioning a brand means emphasising the distinctive characteristics that make it different from its competitors and appealing to the public. It results from an analytical process based on the four following questionsA brand for what benefit? This refers to the brand pro mise and consumer benefit aspect Orangina has real orange pulp, The Body Shop is environment friendly, Twix gets rid of hunger, Volkswagen is reliable.A brand for whom? This refers to the target aspect. For a long time, Schweppes was the drink of the refined, Snapple the soft drink for adults, Tango or Yoohoo the drink for teenagers.Reason? This refers to the elements, factual or subjective, that support the claimed benefit.A brand against whom? In todays competitive context, this question defines the main competitor(s), ie those whose clientele we think we can partly capture. Tuborg and other expensive imported beers thus also compete against whisky, gin and vodka.Positioning is a crucial concept (Figure 7.2). It reminds us that all consumer choices are made on the basis of comparison. Thus, a product will only be considered if it is clearly part of a selection process. Hence the four questions that help position the new product or brand and make its contribution immediately obviou s to the customer. Positioning is a two-stage processFirst, indicate to what competitive set the brand should be associated and compared.Second, indicate what the brands essential difference and raison dtre is in comparison to the other products and brands of that set.Choosing the competitive set is essential. While this may be quite easy to do for a new toothpaste, it is not so for very original and unique products. The Gaines burger launched by the Gaines company, for instance, was a new dog food, a semi-dehydrated product presented as red ground meat in a round shape like a hamburger. Unlike normal canned pet foods, moreover, it did not need to be refrigerated, nor did it exude that normal open-can smell.Given these characteristics, the product could be positioned in several different ways, for example byAttacking the canned pet food market by appealing to well-to-do dog owners. The gist of the message would then be the can without the can, in other words, the benefits of meat wi thout its inconveniences (smell, freshness constraints, etc).Attacking the dehydrated pet food segment (dried pellets) by offering a product that would help the owner not to feel guilty for not giving meat to the dog on the basis that it is just not practical. The fresh-ground, round look could justify this positioning.Targeting owners who feed leftovers to their dogs by presenting Gaines as a complete, nutritious supplement (and no longer as a main meal as in the two former strategies).Targeting all dog owners by presenting this product as a nutritious treat, a kind of doggy Mars bar.The choice between these alternative strategies was made by assessing each one against certain measurable criteria (Table 7.1).The firm ended up choosing the first positioning and launched this product as the Gaines burger.What does the identity concept add to that of positioning? Why do we even need another concept? In the first place, because positioning focuses more on the product itself. What then does positioning mean in the case of a multiproduct brand? How can these four questions on positioning be answered if we are not focusing on one particular product category? We know how to position the various Scotchbrite scrubbing pads as well as theScotch videotapes, but what does the positioning concept mean for the Scotch brand as a whole, not to mention the 3M corporate brand? This is precisely where the concept of brand identity comes in handy.Second, positioning does not reveal all the brands richness of meaning nor reflect all of its potential. The brand is restricted once reduced to four questions. Positioning does not help fully differentiate Coca-Cola from Pepsi-Cola. The four positioning questions thus fail to encapsulate such nuances. They do not allow us to fully explore the identity and singularity of the brand. Worse still, positioning allows communication to be entirely dictated by creative whims and current fads. Positioning does not say a word about communication style, form or spirit.This is a major deficiency since brands have the gift of speech they state both the objective and subjective qualities of a given product. The speech they deliver in these days of multimedia supremacy is made of words, of course, but even more of pictures, sounds, colours, movement and style. Positioning controls the words only, leaving the rest up to the unpredictable outcome of creative hunches and pretests. Yet brand language should never result from creativity only. It expresses the brands personality and values.Creative hunches are only useful if they are consistent with the brands legitimate territory. Furthermore, though pretest evaluations are needed to verify that the brands message is well received, the public should not be allowed to dictate brand language its style needs to be found within itself. Brand uniqueness often tends to get eroded by consumer expectations and thus starts regressing to a level at which it risks losing its identity.Table 7. 1 How to evaluate and choose a brand positioningAre the products current looks and ingredients compatible with this positioning?How strong is the assumed consumer motivation behind this positioning? (what insight?)What size of market is involved by such a positioning?Is this positioning credible?Does it capitalise on a competitors actual or latent durable weakness?What financial means are required by such a positioning?Is this positioning specific and distinctive?Is this a sustainable positioning which cannot be imitated by competitors?Does this positioning leave any possibility for an alternative solution in case of failure?Does this positioning justify a price premium?Is there a growth potential under this positioning?A brands message is the outward expression of the brands inner substance. Thus we can no longer dissociate brand substance from brand style, ie from its verbal, visual and musical attributes. Brand identity provides the framework for overall brand coherence. It is a concept that serves to offset the limitations of positioning and to monitor the means of expression, the unity and durability of a brand.Why brands need identity and positioningA brands positioning is a key concept in its management. It is based on one fundamental principle all choices are comparative. Remember that identity expresses the brands tangible and intangible characteristics everything that makes the brand what it is, and without which it would be something different. Identity draws upon the brands roots and heritage everything that gives it its unique authority and legitimacy within a realm of precise values and benefits. Positioning is competitive when it comes to brands, customers make a choice, but with products, they make a comparison. This raises two questions. First, what do they compare it with? For this, we need to look at the field of competition what area do we want to be considered as part of? Second, what are we offering the customer as a key decision-making factor?A brand that does not position itself leaves these two questions unanswered. It is a mistake to suppose that customers will find answers themselves there are too many choices available today for customers to make the effort to work out what makes a particular brand specific. Communicating this information is the responsibility of the brand. Remember, products increase customer choice brands simplify it. This is why a brand that does not want to stand for something stands for nothing.The aim of positioning is to identify, and take possession of, a strong purchasing rationale that gives us a real or perceived advantage. It implies a desire to take up a long-term position and defend it. Positioning is competition-oriented it specifies the best way to attack competitors market share. It may change through time one grows by expanding the field of competition. Identity is more stable and long-lasting, for it is tied to the brand roots and fixed parameters. Thus Cokes positioning w as the original as long as it competed against other colas. To grow the business, it now competes against all soft drinks its positioning is the most refreshing bond between people of the world, whereas its identity remains the symbol of America, the essence of the American way of life.How is positioning achieved? The standard positioning formula is as followsFor (definition of target market) Brand X is (definition of frame of reference and subjective category) Which gives the most (promise or consumer benefit) Because of (reason to believe).Let us look at these points in detail. The target specifies the nature and psycho-logical or sociological profile of the individuals to be influenced, that is, buyers or potential consumers.The frame of reference is the subjective definition of the category, which will specify the nature of the competition. What other brands or products effectively serve the same purpose? This is a strategic decision it marks out the field of battle. It must not under any circumstances be confused with the objective description of the product or category. For example, there is no real rum market in the UK, yet Bacardi is very popular. This is because it is perfectly possible to drink Bacardi without realising that it is a rum it is the party mixer par excellence.Another example illustrates the strategic importance of defining the frame of reference. Objectively speaking, Perrier is fizzy mineral water. Subjectively, however, it is also a drink for adults. Seen in the light of this field of reference, it acquires its strongest competitive advantage a slight natural quirkiness. As we can see, the choice of the field of competition should be informed by the strategic value of that field how big, how fast growing, how profitable? But it also lends the brand a competitive advantage through its identity and potential. Perceived as water for the table, Perrier has no significant competitive advantage over other fizzy mineral waters, even thou gh this market is a very large one. However, when viewed in relation to a field of competition defined as drinks for adults, Perrier becomes competitive again it has strong differentiating advantages. What are its competitors? They include alcoholic drinks, Diet Coke, Schweppes and tomato juice.The third point specifies the aspect of difference which creates the preference and the choice of a decisive competitive advantage it may be expressed in terms of a promise (for instance, Volvo is the strongest of all cars) or a benefit (such as, Volvo is the safety brand).The fourth point reinforces the promise or benefit, and is known as the reason to believe. For example, in the case of the Dove brand, which promises to be the most moisturising, the reason is that all of its products contain 25 per cent of moisturising cream.Positioning is a necessary concept, first because all choices are comparative, and so it makes sense to start off by stating the area in which we are strongest and sec ond because in marketing, perception is reality. Positioning is a concept which starts with customers, by putting ourselves in their place faced with a plethora of brands, are consumers able to identify the strong point of each, the factor that distinguishes it from the rest? This is why, ideally, a customer should be capable of paraphrasing a brands positioning Only Brand X will do this for me, because it has, or it is No instrument is entirely neutral. The above formula was created by companies such as Kraft-General Foods, Procter Gamble, and Unilever. It is designed for businesses that base competitive advantage on their products,and works perfectly for the lOral Group which, with its 2,500 researchers worldwide, only ever launches new products if they are of demonstrably superior performance. This fact is then promoted through advertising.There are cases where the brand makes no promise, or where the benefit it brings could sound trivial. For example, how would you define the p ositioning of a perfume such as Obsession by Calvin Klein in a way that clearly represented its true nature and originality? It would be wrong to claim that Obsession makes any specific promise to its customers, or that they will obtain any particular benefit from the product apart from feeling good (a property which is common to all perfumes). In reality, Obsessions attractiveness stems from its imagery, the imaginary world of subversive androgyny which it embodies. In the same way, Mugler appeals to young people through its inherently neofuturistic world, and Chanel stands for timeless elegance.What actually sells these perfumes is the satisfaction derived from participating in the symbolic world of the brand. The same is true of alcohol and spirits Jack Daniels is selling a symbolic participation in an eternal, authentic untamed America. To say that Jack Daniels is selling the satisfaction of being the finest choice would be a mere commonplace, like the tired old clich that custo mers are satisfied at having made a choice that set them apart from the masses (a classic benefit stated by small brands attempting to emphasise their advantage over large ones).Faced with this conceptual dilemma, there are three possible approaches. The first of these is to define positioning as the sum of every point that differentiates the brand. This has been Unilevers approach the 60page mini-opus known as the Brand Key, which explains how to define a brand across the entire world, starts with the phrase Brand Key builds on and replaces the brand positioning statement . There are eight headings to Brand Key1. The competitive environment. 2. The target. 3. The consumer insight on which the brand is based. 4. The benefits brought by the brand. 5. Brand values and personality. 6. The reasons to believe. 7. The discriminator (single most compelling reason to choose). 8. The brand essence.Fundamentally, therefore, this collection forms the positioning of a brand. However, the concep t that most closely resembles positioning in the strict sense of the word is referred to here as the discriminator. McDonalds also adopts a similar reasoning (see Figure 7.3). Larry Light defends the idea that positioning is defined when this chain of means-ends is completed (this is a parallel concept to the ladder moving from the tangible to the intangible)My position is that two tools are needed to manage the brand. One defines the brands identity, while the other is competitive and specifies the competitive proposition made at any given time in any given market. This is the brands unique compelling competitive proposition (UCCP). Thus the tool called brand platform will comprise, first, the brand identity, that is to say, brand uniqueness and singularity throughout the world and whatever the product. Brand identity has six facets, and is therefore larger than the mere positioning. It is represented by the identity prism. At its centre one finds the brand essence, the central va lue it symbolises.Second, the brand platform comprises brand positioning choosing a market means choosing a specific angle to attack it. Brand positioning must be based on a customer insight relevant to this market. Brand positioning exploits one of the brand identity facets. Positioning can be summed up in four key questions for whom, why, when and against whom? It can be represented in the form of a diamond, the positioning diamond (see Figure 7.2, page 176).In positioning, the brand/product makes a proposition, plus (necessarily) a promise. The proposition may additionally be supported by a reason to believe, but this is not essential. Marlboro presents its smoker as a man a real man, symbolised by the untamed cowboy of the Wild West. No support is offered for this proposition no proof is necessary. It is true because the brand says so. And the more often it is repeated, the more credible it becomes.In this way the brands proposition, which forms the basis of the chosen position ing at a given moment in a particular market, may be fuelled by various edges contained within the brands identitya differentiating attribute (25 per cent moisturising cream in Dove, the smoothness and bite of Mars bars, the bubbles of Perrier)an objective benefit an iMac is user friendly, Dell offers unbeatable value for moneya subjective benefit you feel secure with IBMan aspect of the brands personality the mystery of the Bacardi bat, Jack Daniels is macho, Axe/Lynx is cool

Black Power Movement Essay

slow provide Movement EssayZAHRAA JAINODIENINTRODUCTIONThe failures of the elegant Rights Movement resulted in the down(p) federal agency Movement. Members of the component party felt that passive resistance was unrealistic and that for real change to occur, violent direct action would need to happen. Leaders like Malcolm X felt that passive resistance was non effective. Not only did sour Power promote b be beauty is in addition unified African Americans. wherefore did the metronome marking come into existence?The Civil Rights Movement achieved many great things, their strengthful protests created an immense amount of awareness for the oppression of raw plurality in America. Protests like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, The sit-ins in 1960, the walk on Lincoln Memorial, the Birmingham Campaign in 1963, Freedom summer of 1964, and the Selma-Montgomery marches, attained the passing of the Civil Rights map by the American Congress in 1964. This outlawed discrimination based on racial, ethnic, national, religious and gender identity, and the passing of the Voting Rights Act by the American Congress in 1965. In addition to these acts being passed mordant wad gained a new self-confidence as the result of The CRM. downcast people also gained a new sympathy for the things that they had lost during the CRM from their slashow white citizens of America.Despite the achievements of the CRM by 1965 the general economic conditions of African Americans were poor. They lived in ghettos which were crowded and diseases would often come near due to the lack of facilities, the ghettos were often in bad conditions and most of the time unkempt1. Apart from the living conditions, most of these people were unemployed or paid really low wages as job opportunities were lacking. This resulted in poverty and offensive and to many the achievements of the CRM were in vain, they had lost all hope.Although they had achieved civil rights they were still subject to lavish am ounts of discrimination often racial abuse and violent attacks with this the police provided little protection and sometimes were guilty of these brutal attacks. The African Americans had no solution to this job as they were taught by previous leaders like Martin Luther King that passive resistance and civil disobedience were commendable ways of disapproving authority plainly many felt that this ideology was inadequate and so they turned to more forceful ways of resistance2. melanise power promoted black interests and this appealed to many frustrated African Americans. Black power grew out of black dissatisfaction of the CRM. Although the achievements of the CRM were praiseworthy it was not good enough. A Ghetto during the 1960sWhat Influence did Malcolm X have on the development of the metronome marking?Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. Malcom X joined the Nation of Islam, which believed that blacks were superior to whites. They also believed in black liberty and that African Americans should return to where they originated from, Africa, as they believed that they would never be abundantly accepted in American society. Malcolm X became one of their best outspoken speakers.After his time as part of the Nation of Islam his relationship with the leader of the movement Elijah Muhammad grew hostile 3 and he decided to leave the movement. Malcolm X believed that blacks had the right to defend themselves violently in the face of a violent attack if necessary to achieve their freedom and equality. He did not believe in integration between blacks and whites making him an earlyish proponent of Black Nationalism. Thus he didnt believe in Martin Luther Kings ideology of passive resistance, their lack of power was the foundation of Malcolm Xs duty to encourage that protests be more assertive.4Although he was a firm believer of the promotion of black interests, black self-esteem, black self-pride and black self-defence aga inst racial oppression his views began to change after his pilgrimage to mecca. He discovered that Muslims preach equality of the moves. After returning to America he remained convert that racism ruined the life story of America and that only black people could free themselves. Malcom XWhat were the main beliefs and aims of the BPM?The Black Power Movement was understand in various ways and had many beliefs but ultimately a common objective, Black Nationalism. Black power promoted black interests, self-sufficient black economy, Black self-pride and self-esteem. They believed that black people and white people should not be integrated therefore they fostered a distinctive black culture. 5These ideas caused friction with leaders of the Civil Rights Movement as the CRM worked towards social equality whereas Black Power believed in black separation. Not all parties were in favour of Black Nationalism, The Black jaguar party believed in Self-defence against racial oppression. They a lso believed that the structure of power in America was imbalanced 6 and that majority of the people in power in America were white thus making it unfair, they believed that people of colour were economically exploited and that it needed to be rectified.Black power believed in black operate of their communities, they didnt believe in nonviolent protests as they believed that direct action was more effective. Supporters of the Black Power Movement began adopting distinctive ways of dressing, especially women who past decided that their wardrobe would be more uniformed inspired than European. They coined a term Black is Beautiful7 and this became their mantra, men and women were asked to stop straightening their hair and bleaching their skin, as in American culture it was believed that certain black characteristics were undesirable, thus men and women donned an afro hairstyle to display their new found confidence in being black.They believed that time was not to be wasted on proving to the white people that they were equal but rather that, that time to be spent on educating the black alliance of black power , building institutions and providing protection to fellow black citizens.What methods did the BPM employ?There were various methods that were employed by the members of the BPM. During the Civil Rights Movement, an organisation called the Student Non-violent Coordinating commission (SNCC) was a non-violent committee that would participate in sit-ins and freedom rides, protesting against the inequality between white and black people. It started out non-violently but later on in the 60s it fell under the leadership of a passionate Stokely Carmichael and this organisation became a predecessor of the BPM.The Black panther Party carried out most of the procedures when it came to educating the black people of black power. The Black Panther Party was initially formed to protect black people from police brutality but under the leadership of Stokely Carmichael t he Black Panther Party adopted Black Nationalism. Many of the members of the party carried firearms with them this was thought to protect the black people from the police but also do them look rattling intimidating displaying their clear contrary to the Civil Rights Movement.Majority of the black people were illiterate and this created a problem for the party as leaflets could not be made therefore it was pointless if no one could read them, so the leaders made decisions to incorporate awareness in less literal way. They could have leafleted the community and they could have written books, but the people would not move. They had to act and the people could see and hear about it and therefore become educated on how to respond to oppression.8 They decided that crime and poverty in the ghettos could be decreased if they employed people who were interested in conveying radical change.Apart from being trustworthy for various criminal activities the BBP formed armed groups for self-de fence against the police, this was their strategy to protect themselves and idea of Black Nationalism. Under this party the main focus was that black people would be free from white people completely, and that they only relied on themselves and other people falling under the black nation. Members of the BBPHow successful was the BPM?It is suggested that Black Power made positive, lasting contributions to the African American lifestyle.9 It created greater racial pride amongst the black people in America. Black people became more accepting of their American heritage, they noted that they would be stronger as country than as segregated races. African Americans were now taken care of, ghettos decreased as well as crime and poverty.Black voters were endowed to support their black candidates10. The Black Power Movement also formed a path black students were now given the hazard to study at university without any racial oppression or discrimination. Although we like to believe that racia l discrimination no longer existed in America, it did and it still does.The Black Power Movement also created a strong black culture for African Americans, this was something that they could relate to, and this culture consisted of soulful music, eccentric fashion and heartfelt literature. The BPM also formed a platform for cultural tolerance in America, as different cultures were now accepted amongst people of the country.What is the legacy of the BPM instantly?The Black Power Movement set down a fundamental platform for the advancement of African Americans. Black Power was not the only lend factor, but the Civil Rights Movement also played a big role in achieving equality for African Americans. Under the Civil Rights Movement, Civil Rights Acts were passed, race discrimination became illegal and this gave African Americans a new kind of self-esteem and self-confidence in who they were as Americans.Although the Black Power Movement ended the spirit today still does exist, not only in America but in all parts of the world. If we look at America today, there are many successful African Americans in the country. The dream of many African Americans was achieved in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected as Americas first black president. This could not be made possible if black power did not exist. It was the strength and power of the many activists in the 1960s and 1970s that fashioned an important part in history today. Black powers impact thus remains powerfully resonant however fraught and contentious as a generation of black politicians, artists, and intellectuals have channelled the new black identity it first articulated in diverse and varied ways11 with this said the writer makes a very crucial point, that Black Power was the basis of the accomplishments of African Americans today and that it should remain as a token that African Americans should remember of the struggle.ConclusionIt is suggested that the failures of the Civil Rights Movement subsequently lead to the rise of Black Power. The methods used during the Civil Rights Movement like passive resistance and civil disobedience felt inadequate to the black people therefore it appeared that was a need for alternative methods to achieve equality.Timeline of the BP1952 Malcolm X joins The Nation of Islam1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott1960 The first Sit-in occurred in Greensboro, North Carolina1963 The March on Washington (Lincoln Memorial)1963 Birmingham Campaign1964 Freedom Summer Campaign1964 Civil Rights Act was signed1964 Malcolm X breaks with the Nation Of Islam1965 Voting Rights Act was signed1966 The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale1966 Stokeley Carmichael becomes Honorary Prime Minister of the BBP1967 Stokeley Carmichael is removed From BBP1972 National Black Political Convention was held1980 BBP started to dissipate1983 Martin Luther King Jr solar day was createdIllustrationsA protest of Asians showing their support of Black Power, theyre p rotesting for the release of Huey Newton who was imprisoned for murdering a policeman in 1967.A Black panthers billhook with their mantra Move on over or well move on over you which basically meant that they were not afraid for fighting for their rights.BibliographyRevolutionaries to Race Leaders Black Power and the Making of African American Politics written by Cederic JohnsonBlack theology and black power written by James H. Conehttp//answers.yahoo.com/ interrogative sentence/index?qid=20080312215601AA8bRSrhttp//prasadokurian.blogspot.com/2011/10/paradox-of-passive-resistance.htmlhttp//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/peopleevents/e_noi.htmlhttp//marnielangeroodiblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/malcom-x-black-power/http//www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo3633780.htmlhttp//www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.htmlhttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_is_beautifulhttp//www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.htmlhttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_is_beautif ul1 http//answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080312215601AA8bRSr2 http//prasadokurian.blogspot.com/2011/10/paradox-of-passive-resistance.html3 http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/peopleevents/e_noi.html4 Adapted from http//marnielangeroodiblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/malcom-x-black-power/5 http//www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo3633780.html and qualified from New day in Babylon the BPM movement and American culture written by William l. van Deburg, ISBN 9780226847153 Published November 19936 http//www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.html7 Adapted from http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_is_beautiful8 Quote by Black Panther leader, Huey Newton 19689 adapted from New Day in Babylon The Black Power Movement and American Culture, 1965-1975By William L. Van Deburg10 http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_196511 Quote from an article http//www.penielejoseph.com/legacy.html

Roles and Activities of a Manager- Comparison of Theories

Roles and Activities of a Manager- Comparison of TheoriesHayley Work The main roles and activities of a motorbus areManagers should prolong an organisation by organising structures, people and finances. Peter Drucker identified five activities of a manager, these areSetting objectives- Robin Fraser is responsible for every production and quality assurance he aims to garner processes less labour intensive and more automated. In order to achieve this, he has secured a investment from the bank and plans to use these coin to increase automation.1Organising- Hazim Khan analyses sales trends of different products and after assessing customer feedback in order to make sure that the company keeps with the changing market. Hazim is in charge of a team of chefs who develop sensitive products and recipes.2Motivating and communicating- Hazim also demonstrates this activity, he allows his team of chefs to work independently on their ideas but regularly meets with them to discuss any proble ms and ideas.3Measuring- Laura Bolton is pore on the companys finances and keeps an eye on the cash flow of the business. 4Developing- Kathryn Hannah encourages cater to undertake training in order the ensure that mental faculty have all the skills that the business requires.5Henry Mintzberg identified ten management roles which are then divided up into three categories.CategoryRolesManagerInterpersonalFigurehead drawLiaisonDavid FraserInformationalMonitorDisseminatorSpokespersonKathryn HannahLaura BoltonHazim KhanDecisionalEntrepreneurDisturbance HandlerResource AllocatorNegotiatorRobin FraserHazim KhanMeasuring managerial effectivenessFraser Foods usher out measure managerial effectiveness by motivation and morale of the staff, this would be put to good use in the shop floor. hither the work is repetitive and can be challenging due to the temperatures needed to produce hygienic food. The teams are set targets but have the freedom to specify how they will achieve this, working this way has increased staff morale and flexibility. 6Another way to measure managerial effectiveness would be by the train of complaints. Fraser Foods could distribute anonymous feedback forms asking questions about how the staff feel about the manager and why. The company would then be able to grasp how well the manager is performing.Behavioural supposition of leading.Macgregors Theory X and Theory Y both assume the behaviours of different management styles.A Theory X manager assumes that staff dislikes work, need directed, avoid any responsibility, dull, uncreative, have no desire, see money as the only motivation for work and view goals and objectives as caging. 7David Fraser could be depict as a Theory X manager, David also felt it was his role to make all the decisions affecting production. He didnt see the need to involve staff and believed they preferred to be told what to do and didnt want the responsibility that was the managers job, not theirs. He believed staff we re motivated by money and should be paid bonuses if targets were exceeded8Contingency theory of leadershipA contingency theory is based on the belief that there is no style of leadership that is applicable to all situations that may near within a company. Hersey and Blanchards theory was based on the leader adopting an appropriate style of leadership depending on the members in the team and the situation they have frame themselves in. In accordance with their theory a leader can adopt one of quartette styles depending on how much support the team requires and the amount of direction.9 The four styles (known as S1-S4) areTelling-This leadership style is categorised as giving a lot of direction to team members. This style is recommended for use when dealing with new staff or where the work can be tedious and repetitive.Selling-This is sometimes known as the coaching approach. It is utilize when team members are motivated to channel out the work but dont quite have the needed matur ity to complete the task.Participating-This style encompasses richly support but hardly any direction, it is used when team members are able to do the tasks required but maybe lack the confidence.Delegating-The responsibility for carrying out the task is given to team members, this style requires high levels of maturity and competence.David Fraser mostly adopts the telling style (S1) as he felt it was his role as the boss to make all decisions.Hazim Khan style of leadership fits into S2-S4 he does this by allowing his team of chefs to use their talents to create new products for the company. He regularly meets with his team of chefs to discuss and help to solve any issues that have arisen.Theories of leadership and the proposed expansion plansBennis and Nanus state that there is no one right way to being a leader, but that each has to find their own style. They did however, position common characteristicsA visions to focus mindsCommunicating the visionConsistency and honestyAwaren ess of weaknessBennis and Nanus also state that effective leadership can move organisations from current to future state, create visions of potential opportunities for organisations.10 The managers of Fraser Foods must ensure that they effectively and clearly communicate to the staff, the vision that they have for the company such as reducing their heavy reliance on the supplier, Perkins. 11Robin must also effectively communicate his vision for increasing automation as the staff feel nauseating about the impact this will have on their jobs. He must also be honest with the staff in order to ease their worries and make them feel involved in the process. 12Bibliography theme assume dissever 242 Case understand paragraph 133 Case get a line paragraph 134 Case dissect paragraph 145 Case study paragraph 156 Case study paragraph 167 Student notes8 Case study paragraph 129 Student notes10 Student notes11 Case study paragraph 1812 Case study paragraph 241 Case study paragraph 242 Case study paragraph 133 Case study paragraph 134 Case study paragraph 145 Case study paragraph 156 Case study paragraph 167 Student notes8 Case study paragraph 129 Student notes10 Student notes11 Case study paragraph 1812 Case study paragraph 24

The Civil war Essays -- essays research papers

The Civil WarIn the United States, the southerly states economies were mainly based on agriculture, but not any recipe kind of agriculture, they were based on the agriculture of slave labor. Slavery was deeply ingrained in the culture, so much that only a warfargon could dismiss it. This war was a gruesome war, made far worse because of the advent of modern rifles, combined with an ignorance of advanced military tactics and lack of medical knowledge. At the time, the method common method of warfare was to line up on a big field and stand up and then shoot. The time that the war occurred was pre-germ theory, methods of antiseptics were unknown. This made it so that great damage would be inflicted upon a person, but there would be no way to properly heal treat it. This cabal of factors made this war a particularly bloody and devastating one.A main factor of this war was that the social entrenchment of slavery ran particularly deep. The creation of slavery had been in place since t he first colonies were established in the Americas. Early in American history, when the Constitution of the United States was drafted, slavery was also part of the institution. The southern states wouldnt have ratified the Cons if slavery were outlawed. The Constitution of the United States was held to be the most holy of documents regarding law. Yet even these high principled plenty and ameliorate and sophisticated hierarchs that approved and created the constitution left grievous discrepancies that later cause a terribly bloody war. If they had taken a clear stance on anti-slavery, the southern states would never have joined the Union. They discretely mentioned slavery in three different sections, but never out right say that it is legal, or illegal. It gave people the right to sue against slavery. And that put doubt (whether they should be in the union) and fear into southern slaveholders hearts. This fear and suspicion was only deepened by the maturation abolitionist movement , and gin. The cotton gin was of particular importance because much more cotton could be processed. That meant that more acreage could be planted and harvested. This created a vast increase in the am... ...vernment of Great Britain to have become destructive of these ends, the declared the colonies are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown. By that argument they are saying that it has all been done before, look, you yourself did it, so dont be unjust and let us break away like you did.The citizens South Carolina were nip that they had been violated and abused by the breaking of a viable contract. The northern states were trying to take away their inalienable rights, and they would stand for it. President Lincoln time-tested to make it clear that I hold that, in contemplation of universal law and of the constitution of the Union of these States is perpetual. South Carolina and all of the other southern states apparently did not listen. Lincoln tried to talk sense into them, counter arguing their every point but they would not take any middle ground, as they felt they had already tried that. When it came down to fighting, Lincoln had the high moral ground, and not only that, the larger, more advanced, and better equipped armies. Lincoln tried to not push the point but he was forced to attempt to keep the union together by any means necessary.

My Educational Philosophy :: Philosophy Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Educational PhilosophyAs a child, it is hard to understand adults intentions. Whether it is punishing a young child for running out in the street or even directing them not to leave toys on the staircase, adults have a profound authority over children, which is sometimes misunderstood. Adults instill vital qualities in children. Though children may disregard adults authority at first, at one point in their lives, they will understand the logical thinking behind it all. At the age of 5, I began to realize that the adults in my environment were reflecting the virtue of patience upon me. My parents were teachers. My father taught High School Electronics. My mother had a level of preschoolers. Both had to maintain a calm manner while dealing with their students, and it was necessary for them to have a great deal of patience.As my mother drive me to Kindergarten one morning, I looked out the car window. I noticed my teacher surrounded with children on the playground. She was not pointing her finger and directing them to go play, but instead, she was express feelings with them. At the age of 5, I was realizing that patience was a quality that teachers must have. As I grew older, I noticed this virtue of patience more often. No matter how difficult the class full of students became, the teachers took charge with grace. As many children do, I looked up to my parents as well as teachers. These adults were here to guide me with life. I admired them for their patience and determination to help me succeed. They held the key to my future, and offered it with an open hand. Watching my parents work on lesson plans, and hearing them speak of memorable classroom moments, intrigued me. They enjoyed their calling so much, that it was beginning to rub off on me I, too, was starting to love the life of a teacher. I wanted to, one day, come home and inhabit that I had made a difference in someones life. I wanted to organize exciting activities to help others learn. I wanted to stick to up at the wee hours of the night grading papers. Believe it or not, I wanted to be a teacher I knew that I would have to work hard, and stay focused in school.

Reiki Therapy Essay -- Research Japanese Papers

Reiki TherapyThe History of Reiki According to the Reiki Holistic Healing at Christal Center web page, the word Reiki is delineate as the Japanese word for universal animation. Reiki therapy is a laying on of hands by a therapist who has studied Reiki, and therefore has enabled him/herself to countenance a channel of healing energy for their clients. Although Dr. Makao Usui, a Christian monk, is credited with rediscovering Reiki therapy in Japan during the 1800s, believers say this therapy dates all the way back to when Jesus recovered(p) others through his touch thousands of years ago (http//www.cwizard.com/christal/reiki.htm). Wade Ryan (a Reiki Master) claims in his web page on facts about Reiki that this is not a religion, but that the spiritual energy received by clients often leads to an expansion of ones own personal faith (http//www.freeyellow.com/members/Reiki/page1.html). The Three Reikis (http//www.freeyellow.com/members/Reiki/page2.html) explains that a bout five years ago distinctions for troika forms of Reiki were recognized. The three forms atomic number 18 Usui Reiki, Vajra Reiki, and Karuna Reiki. Usui Reiki is the traditional form of Reiki rediscovered by Dr. Usui. Usui Reiki is noted for being a very gentle therapy, and therefore appropriate for adults and children seeking to maintain their hot health, for providing energy to those who are lacking it due to illness or treatment, and also for the elderly. During Usui Reiki, the Practitioners Hand Positions are centered mainly on the take aim or torso. Although most Practitioners are satisfied with Usui Reiki Ability, those who are elicit in a wider range of Healing Energy (i.e. caregivers of the extremely ill) would be more interested in Vajra R... ... very few studies out on this topic, and those that are out seem to disagree with each other some are in estimation of the benefits of Reiki, and some claim that these benefits only exist because of psychological re asons or dont exist at all. Although Reiki is an ancient practice, it is just beginning to become commonplace in modern medicine. We can expect more and more research to be published in the near future as more studies are conducted and completed. BibliographyGreen, CA (1998). Reflection of a therapeutic touch experience case study 2. Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery, 4(1), 17-21. Samarel, N. (1997). Therapeutic touch, dialogue, and womens experiences in breast cancer surgery. Holistic Nursing Practice, 12(1), 62-70. Thornton, Lucia Marie (1993). Effects of energetic healing on female nursing students. MAI, 31/01, 284.

Essay --

Islam is the second biggest faith in the world. It is a monotheistic, peaceful religion which believes that there is only one god in the whole universe and his name is Allah. In his book, Islam the Straight Path, L.Esposito (1998) writes that the primary(prenominal) ambition of Islam is to spread into the entire world and every act is based on the words of Quran and Muhammad says and deeds. But throughout the years of spreading 12 new come outs were created in Islam. They were deviations from the classical Islam. One of these orders was The Bektashi Order of Dervishes. Their religion was also kn birth as the popular Islam or (non-canonical) (L.Esposito, 1998). The aim was to reach Allah in a different way. Dervishes could be driven in the history of Islam in the same role that monks mollify in Christianity. Their main difference is that dervishes to dont stay closed in cloisters but they are close to the people in the everyday life. direct the most significant order that took pla ce in the Balkans and it is still present now days the Bektashi order of Dervishes is very famous in Albania. In order to understand clearly the role of this Sufi order (Tariqat) we take aim to explain some questions raised. Who created it? When and where was the Bektashi order born? What were the circumstances that leaded to his creation? What are its main features? Why did it spread in the Balkans? What is its role now? What is the place of it in the Islamic world? The world center momentarily speaking is in Tirana, Albania. Bektashism has its own place in the Islamic world but the influence of it and the crucial role it played on Balkans especially in Albania is considerable.The Bektashi order of dervishes is the biggest Muslim Sufi in Albania but his world extends also in o... ...anonical one. However it managed to create the best of worlds, a modern point of view and way to reach to God, in compliance with the Islamic shariah for their believers. The Tariqat was known for th eir knowledge and intellect and probably this is the reason why it hugged some of the highest powered people at the time. It is no need to say that Bektashi leaders were of a very high intellect and they managed to survive the both disasters that happened. One can see that their diplomacy and knowledges were at a very high standard. They proved themselves to be an example to follow for the creation of a new state like Albania was at that time having on their branch some of the most well known Albanians the history have known. Bektashies were important in the other parts of Balkans too like Kosovo or Macedonia and their existence still lives today especially in Albania.