Brand Integration

Abstract

Having a brand identity is not enough. The beautiful logo is not the end of brand management. Brands need to make sure that their brands are well integrated and seen by the target audience. This chapter explores brand integration, which is a continuous process to bring the brand to the conscious knowledge of the key stakeholders. In some cases, it might be described as a brand advertisement or integrated marketing communications, but the focus is not always to sell and market but to bring awareness to the consumers and stakeholders. We will look at some key reasons why brands may not have been well integrated, perhaps due to the location or structure of the brands. We will also discuss the benefits of brand integration with ten key strategies to aid this integration so you can enjoy the benefits. Here we go beyond advertisement to include staff and corporate responsibilities. No doubt brand integration is an important task which can be time-consuming and requires a considerable amount of effort. This chapter identifies those who are responsible for the integration, those who are the targets for integration and, importantly, the key considerations for integration.

Alex comes into the gym wearing a shirt with the logo and name of their organisation. Code and Sam saw the design during the past week in messages Alex sent, and they liked it. However, seeing it physically on Alex’s shirt is better. Alex is very excited about their logo and wants to flaunt the new design. Code and Sam were excited for Alex, so they take a selfie and share it on their social media with #AlexNewLogo. Code and Sam both want to help Alex integrate their brand and become well known. Code promises that their manufacturing company will partner with Alex’s charity for corporate social responsibility. Code feels good about contributing, and it will also make their clients aware of the charity. Sam says it is a good idea, sharing their experience as brand manager and showing them a water bottle from a competition that their company sponsored. Sam said that although the company had to pay to take part in the event, it was worth it because it was fantastic advertising for their brand. Having a good logo is not enough for branding. You may need to rely on a friend, like Alex did, to share this identity. Or else, you may need to place an advertisement in the newspaper introducing your charity organisation or sponsor an event to make sure that everyone sees your logo. These are conscious efforts to integrate the brand, raising awareness and thereby building trust. You saw the #AlexNewLogo on your social media, your friends have talked about it and then you see an advert where Alex is asking for donations for the charity. In this case you are more inclined to donate compared to a charity you might not have seen before. That’s the benefit of effective brand integration. Though it might be expensive and time-consuming, it is a long-term investment in building the brand’s value.

FormalPara Overview

Having a brand identity is not enough. The beautiful logo is not the end of brand management. Brands need to make sure that their brands are well integrated and seen by the target audience. This chapter explores brand integration, which is a continuous process to bring the brand to the conscious knowledge of the key stakeholders. In some cases, it might be described as a brand advertisement or integrated marketing communications, but the focus is not always to sell and market but to bring awareness to the consumers and stakeholders. We will look at some key reasons why brands may not have been well integrated, perhaps due to the location or structure of the brands. We will also discuss the benefits of brand integration with ten key strategies to aid this integration so you can enjoy the benefits. Here we go beyond advertisement to include staff and corporate responsibilities. No doubt brand integration is an important task which can be time-consuming and requires a considerable amount of effort. This chapter identifies those who are responsible for the integration, those who are the targets for integration and, importantly, the key considerations for integration.

FormalPara Key Question

How can consumers be aware and recognise a brand identity?

FormalPara Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this chapter, you will be able to

• describe the concept of brand integration;

• recognise the benefits of brand integration;

• give examples of brand integration strategies;

• describe the responsibilities of key stakeholders in brand integration; and

• explain the key considerations for brand integration.

6.1 Introduction

There are many brands out there that we do not recognise; there are many brands that are only faint memories. If we haven’t forgotten them yet, sooner or later they will be forgotten. How many of your friends from elementary or primary school do you still remember? You are more likely to remember those who you kept in touch with over the years, though it requires effort, you have both tried.

From a brand management perspective, brand owners want to build a relationship through constant and continuous engagement with their stakeholders, and they want brands to be remembered rather than forgotten. They want to remain on that high pedestal in the mind of the consumer (as discussed under ► Chap. 4 “Brand Positioning”). There are many brands that you do not know, many brands that are not even in your mind, most likely, these brands have not been well integrated and brought to your attention. Though they have developed an identity, as previously discussed, if these identities are not integrated, it will make no difference. At the end of the chapter, you should be able to answer the key question, which is how to create awareness for a brand, not only for a new brand but also for a more established brand.

6.2 What Is Brand Integration?

Brand integration is a process undertaken by brand owners to make stakeholders aware of what the brand stands for. This process is also known as brand awareness building—generating awareness and establishing and promoting the brand using different strategies and tactics. Having a brand identity is not the end of brand management, it is essential that stakeholders, including the customers, are aware of the brand and its offerings. When there is a new brand identity, either through new brand creation or rebranding, it is crucial to create awareness.

This process is ongoing and continuous, irrespective of the nature of the brand. While a new or growing brand may consider it essential to integrate their brand, the more established brands are not exempted. It is essential to bring the brand to the attention of the target audience, and importantly, this integration should be clearly, consistently, and coherently presented across touchpoints. No doubt this will be an expensive task, but it is worth considering as it guarantees the reputation and long subsistence of the brand.

6.3 Why Can’t You Recognise the Brand?

There are many reasons why consumers may not have recognised a brand. This lack of awareness could be that the brand has not made enough effort to integrate the brand or due to differences in the target audience. It is essential to understand these limitations and how it may affect the brand integration strategy. For a charity brand, it could be the financial limitations, and they may prefer to spend more money on charity activities and less on brand integration. A start-up company may be developing web applications for business consumers and therefore adopt a different brand integration approach, while for a multinational, it could be the geographical limitations. This section highlights some of these limitations and the reasons why consumers have not experienced the integration of some brands.

6.3.1 Structure of the Brand

Some brands may not be integrated due to their nature and structure. Often this could be a parent brand with many other sub-brands. An example is P&G, which owns the Always, Always Discreet and Tampax brands. These sub-brands are often integrated and advertised more than the P&G brand name. Likewise, for Google, the attention is not on Alphabet, which is the parent company but on Google, YouTube and Android, which are well known. The nature of these brands (i.e. parent brands), may suggest why they are not being integrated and positioned in the minds of the consumers.

6.3.2 Target Audience

Some brands do have a specific audience which they have to engage with. This audience may be a small and unique group of society, and therefore there is no need to invest resources in reaching out to individuals who may need the product. Every day millions of people encounter the Airbus brand—the flying public, government ministers and corporate enterprises, the aeronautics community or anyone with a passing interest in aviation, but their branding integration strategy will be different from that of British Airways or United Airlines. Airbus will more likely position their brand to the airline operators than to consumers. Likewise, while some brands may be reaching out to individual consumers, some brands are reaching out to business consumers; therefore, their integration strategies will be different. Brands like Cisco, Oracle and IBM are more targeted towards business consumers and not individual consumers; therefore, their approach towards brand positioning will be different, their channel of communication and social responsibilities will be different as well.

6.3.3 Geographical Differences

The geographical locations of some brands may also limit how well the brands can be integrated. This can also be related to the target audience, but in the case of geographical limitation, it specifically highlights the location of the market and those who need to be aware of the products. If a product is not needed or used in a location, it makes no business sense to position the brand in that market. Likewise, in some cases, some parent brands use different brand names to market the same products in different markets. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) translated their name into French—Poulet Frit Kentucky (PFK)—to position their brand for consumers in Quebec, Canada (in France it is still called KFC). Many people who have not been to Quebec may not be aware of that name change, but it is the same KFC. Another example is Lay’s in the United States, which is known as Walkers in the United Kingdom. Burger King in the United Kingdom is known as Hungry Jack’s in Australia. Vaseline in Nigeria is known as Vasenol in Spain. Always in the United States is Whisper in Japan, while Hellmann’s in the United States is Best Foods. So, if you have not seen the Best Food brand, you have seen Hellmann, likewise, if you have not seen Whisper from Japan, it is still the same Always around the world. Brands will most likely integrate the brands that are well known in a geographical location.

6.3.4 Regulated Industry

Many products would like to be well known and integrated, but because they operate in a regulated market, there are limits to their brand integration strategies. These regulated brands include alcohol, gambling, cigarettes and tobacco. The brands in such niches are limited to how aggressive and well they can advertise their brands, do corporate sponsorship or put in place corporate social responsibility practices. The United Kingdom Football Association had to back down over a deal allowing gambling website Bet365 to screen live football matches. The gambling company had partnered with the Football Association, which allowed FA Cup games to be seen by anyone who created an account. There was massive pressure from people who felt this could encourage gambling and the partnership, which could have been an opportunity to further integrate the Bet365 brand, was terminated.

Some brands, like Unilever, are making a conscious decision to be different. The company, whose portfolio includes Ben & Jerry’s and Klondike, has made plans to stop advertising ice cream to kids over obesity concerns. The company said for television and other measurable media, it will not run ads where children aged under 12 represent over 25% of the audience.

6.3.5 Financial Limitations

Brand integration requires a lot of financial commitment, from advertising to sponsorship and other forms of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Brands like Coca-Cola and John Lewis advertise at Christmas even though it is expensive to advertise during this time of the year. Many other brands advertise during the Super Bowl to reach a worldwide audience, costing over $5 million for a 30-second ad. These are financial commitments that smaller brands may not be able to make. Financial limitations could also mean not having access to the technology and human resources needed for integration. Smaller brands may not be able to compete with more prominent brands which have invested so much and are still investing so much into integrating their brands. Therefore, financial strength also plays an important role in brand management and development. This is because, brands need money to execute the necessary steps to reach the target and wider audience.

6.4 Benefits of Brand Integration

A well-known brand has an advantage over an unknown brand. A well-known brand has trust and credibility. This section discusses the benefits of brand integration while acknowledging that, though it requires a considerable amount of investment, there are benefits attached to a well-integrated brand.

6.4.1 Visibility

The brand is on TV. It is on billboards. The logo is on free souvenirs distributed at events, and the brand sponsors local events. It is everywhere. A well-integrated brand becomes very visible within the market. It becomes well recognised, building trust in the brand. People feel the brand has been around and so it must be good. This is reassuring. The visibility of a brand helps the brand to get a strong foothold, ahead of competitors who may not be financially buoyant enough to compete and disrupt the market.

6.4.2 Relationship

With visibility comes a relationship. People feel connected to the brand; the brand is present in their day-to-day activities. The consumer-brand relationship becomes significant in building loyalty and an attachment to the brand.

6.4.3 Reputation

A visible brand that has built a relationship with the target audience becomes more reputable. The brand’s presence is seen as a stamp of authority, and many other brands will want to be associated with it. This reputation also builds on the credibility of the brand. The integration of the brand ensures that it is well respected within the market.

6.4.4 Sales Promotion

A visible brand will always be visible at the point of sales. Brand integration enhances the sales promotion of the brand. The brand is not just saying “buy from me.” It builds on the consistent brand integration, the relationship that has been built and invites people into an experience. Consumers are more willing to buy a product that they recognise, and brand integration improves recognition and thereby, more sales for the brand.

6.4.5 Long-Term Sustenance

Consumer behaviour is changing, world economics and business practices are evolving, brands needs to keep up with the integration of their brands in order to meet and exceed the expectations of people and stay ahead of the game. Brand integration ensures visibility and reputation. It can position the brand for a long-term benefit in the evolving market. The brand value built through consistent brand integration can extend into new brand development and new markets. The investment in building and positioning the brand will ensure its long-term survival.

6.5 Brand Integration Strategies

Now that we have looked at the key benefits, it is crucial to explore strategic directions for brand integration. This section presents some key strategies, but this list is not exhaustive. There are many other opportunities which may be specific to the type of brand, the location and country of origin of the brand.

6.5.1 Advertising

This strategy is one of the most efficient strategies for brand integration. Advertising allows a brand to communicate its products and services to consumers. They showcase their brand identities in messages across various media. The consumer sees these marketing communications; they keep the brand in mind and may remember at the point of purchase. The brand uses these advertising mediums to put their brand name out; therefore, for people to see and recognise (Mogaji 2018b). Advertising is not just limited to selling or marketing a service, sometimes brands want to be associated with a celebration, so they create an advertisement to share in the joy and excitement of a traditional celebration like Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Easter. This often applies to the retail brands in the United Kingdom that release advertisements at Christmas. These brands invest a lot of financial and human resources to create these advertisements that have become a regular occurrence during the period. For example, the Pampers advertisement for Valentine’s Day, is a simple approach to join in the conversation and further integrate the brand into the minds of prospective parents. In addition, some brands may create an advertisement to address societal issues. An example is the Gillette advertisement #MeToo on “toxic masculinity.” Though it was negatively received, it further integrated and increased the mention of the Gillette brand. No doubt, advertising can be costly, but it offers an effective way of creating brand awareness.

6.5.2 Corporate Social Responsibilities

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is taking centre stage to provide a more sustainable, long-term brand value (Middlemiss 2003). It is described as an activity taken by corporations to enhance economic, social and environmental performance voluntarily (Lai et al. 2010). It is often considered as a form of strategic investment, which can be viewed as a form of reputation building or maintenance (McWilliams et al. 2006). A brand may decide to engage in activities as a form of obligation towards the interests and the welfare of the society that it operates in. The brand is aware of the value of the public’s positive perception, and they use this opportunity to integrate their brands further as the consumers and the public sees that the brand is responsible for the action (Mogaji et al. 2020a, b). A company might decide to buy a school bus for primary school children, and on the bus there might be a description that says, “Bus donated by this brand.” Performing this act demonstrates how the company cares about the primary school. The brand has the option of not putting their name on the bus but because of the need to create more brand awareness, to demonstrate their generosity and further integrate their brand, they decide to do this.

6.5 Case Study 6.1: BeGambleAware^®

As a form of corporate social responsibility, from 1 January 2020, gambling companies in the United Kingdom must make an annual financial contribution for gambling research, prevention and treatment (RET), as required by the Gambling Commission’s Social Responsibility Code Provision. GambleAware is one of the organisations approved by the Gambling Commission to receive this financial contribution from the gambling companies.

GambleAware is an approved organisation that carries out research, prevention and treatment work. GambleAware raises over £8 million yearly in voluntary donations through the donation-based system where gambling companies donate a minimum of 0.1% of their annual gross gambling yield (GGY). GambleAware administers and funds BeGambleAware^® which provides information to help people make informed decisions about their gambling. They explain what safer gambling means, how to understand and recognise problem gambling, and show people where to go for further information, help and support should they need it.

The CSR arrangement identifies key stakeholders in a regulated market. The Gambling Commission’s Social Responsibility Code Provision obliges gambling companies to make financial contributions to charity organisations. These charity organisations then provide programmes that help consumers that may have gambling problems (◘ Fig. 6.1).

Fig. 6.1

Gambling companies’ corporate social responsibility. (Source: Author)

Reflective Question

• How do you think gambling companies are integrating their brands through corporate social responsibility?

6.5.3 Sponsorship

This is closely related to corporate social responsibility, but while CSR is an action to enhance the positioning of the brand while contributing to the community, sponsorship is a conscious business decision to be financially committed to a cause. In 2019, Barclays Bank committed £10 million to sponsor the Women’s Super League in England. The bank paid for the privilege of putting their name to the competition (it’s now the Barclays FA Women’s Super League). This means that any time the competition is mentioned, the Barclays brand is mentioned as well. Heineken agreed to sponsor Euro 2020 as the official beer and is still sponsoring the Champions League Football. Adidas has also renewed until 2030 the official partner status it has enjoyed with FIFA since 1970.

A brand can also sponsor stadiums and arenas to further integrate its brand (Clark et al. 2002). Emirate Airlines has the naming rights to Arsenal’s stadium until 2028. Etihad has the sponsorship of Manchester City Stadium and the multi-purpose O2 Arena (formerly the Millennium Dome). In Germany, the Bayern Munich stadium is sponsored by Allianz. The Mercedes-Benz Arena (formerly known as the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Centre), is an indoor arena located in Pudong, Shanghai. There is also the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. These naming rights and sponsorships often last for more than 10 years to allow proper integration; so that the media, consumers and fans become used to the name and engage with it.

Sponsorship can also extend to sports team clothing and accessories (Ahn et al. 2013). Chevrolet, the American car manufacturer, signed a £450 million deal in 2012—worth £64 million a year—to sponsor Manchester United’s shirts from the 2014/15 season through until the end of the 2020/21 campaign. In the United States, the National Football League has a four-year agreement with leading eyewear and sports lifestyle brand Oakley to become the league’s official helmet visor provider, a new sponsorship category for the league. Have a look at the Formula 1 driver’s shirts and cars to recognise their various sponsors. This strategy is all about making financial commitments to gain a slice of exposure for their brands. As these sports’ personalities are seen around the world, these brands’ identities are getting more recognition, attention and awareness.

Sponsorship is not limited to sports or competitions. Brands can sponsor events which guarantee that their brand logo will be printed on brochures, attendee’s bags and other event materials. Sponsorship in brand management can also sometimes be played out as the act of supporting an activity, a course, person, event or organisation through the provision of certain products or services free of charge. This is done consciously by different brands to stamp their names on the entity they are sponsoring (Jensen et al. 2018). Therefore, it is in an engaging way for the brands to register themselves in the minds of brand users. Although this is somehow indirect, it is a deliberate way of registering the brand in the minds of customers and aligning the brands with the brand users’ philosophy.

6.5.4 Brand Partnership

While brands may have to pay for sponsorship, a brand partnership is often a mutual agreement between two complementary brands to co-create and partner on an initiative (Cao and Yan 2017). The unique feature here is the working relationship between both brands. They often both contribute equal shares; they have shared benefits and rewards for the success of the arrangement. Both brands can combine their strengths and strategies to create awareness, leveraging on each other’s expertise to build a unique experience for their customers. Both parties recognise each other’s value in the partnership. This partnership can involve sharing the same platform for the brand identity, like the backdrop during press conferences that will have names and logo of the different brands that are partnering together. It builds a form of association between the brands and many more that have shared values.

An example of a brand partnership is the working relationship between Beyoncé and Adidas to create a new clothing line. Beyoncé is a brand on her own, working and partnering with Adidas, Beyoncé was able to use her celebrity status to market the collection; she integrates her brand and likewise the Adidas brand. Similarly, there is an arrangement between Kanye West and Adidas to produce the Yeezy Boost. The partnership benefits both Adidas making the shoe and Kanye West, who designs it. In 1984, Nike teamed up with Michael Jordan to launch Jordan Brand, a brand of shoes and athletic wear built around the basketball player. Nike co-founder Phil Knight called the success of Air Jordan “the perfect combination of quality product, marketing, and athlete endorsement.”

Likewise, in football, in 2015 Nike launched the first of seven “CR7 Chapters.” These are specially designed Mercurial boots, each relaying an important piece of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s personal and footballing history.

In financial services, there is a partnership between Apple and MasterCard. Also, American Express has partnered with Amazon on a co-branded credit card. GoPro and Red Bull, two of the world’s strongest brands, teamed up in 2016 to form an exclusive global partnership which includes content production, distribution, cross-promotion and product innovation. As part of the agreement, Red Bull received equity in GoPro and GoPro became Red Bull’s exclusive provider of point-of-view imaging technology for capturing immersive footage of Red Bull’s media productions and events.

6.5 Case Study 6.2: Target Corporation and UNICEF

Target is supporting a better, more sustainable world in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Building upon the expansive nature of its business and value chain, Target is impacting each of the SDGs, focusing on the goals where it can provide the most significant contribution. In partnership with UNICEF USA, Target aims to enrich and protect the lives of its team members, the families they support and the communities where they live and work.

Since 2015, as part of its commitment to wellness, Target has partnered with UNICEF USA in support of UNICEF Kid Power. As a Presenting Sponsor, Target has committed $6.5 million to help the UNICEF Kid Power programme expand. Over 3 years they engaged nearly 250,000 students in the fight to end global malnutrition by living more active lives.

Through UNICEF Kid Power, every 150 therapeutic food packets unlocked from points earned delivers a full course of life-saving treatment for a severely malnourished child. In total, UNICEF Kid Power team members have unlocked 8.2 million lifesaving therapeutic food packets and saved the lives of 52,000 kids in need around the world. With UNICEF Kid Power, the more kids move, the more points they earn, the more lives they save. For more information on UNICEF Kid Power, you can visit ► unicefkidpower.org/learn-more

In partnership with Target, UNICEF is also working to advance the well-being of factory employees in Vietnam’s apparel and footwear industry, impacting the lives of not only those workers, but their children and communities. By investing in UNICEF, Target aims to play a significant role in helping to improve workplaces in the global supply chain.

Reflective Questions

• 1. Can you identify any justification for Target to support the UNICEF Kid Power initiative? Consider if there is any alignment between the values of both parties.

• 2. How do you think Target will benefit from this partnership with UNICEF?

• 3. How does this partnership promote the UNICEF brand and the Kid Power initiative?

6.5.5 Brand Placement

Brand placement—often referred to as “product placement”—allows a brand to be included as part of a mass media programme in return for some consideration as a form of advertisement (Karrh 1998). This is also referred to as embedded marketing by some scholars and brands. It is a strategic marketing method that is used to casually make intended references to a certain brand, service or product. The logo or identity of a brand is mostly incorporated into another company’s website or work, such as a television programme, film, game, sport, music, album art and so on. This is done with deliberate promotional intent. This arrangement, often a lucrative promotional arrangement between marketers, producers and other creative professionals (such as writers, actors or set designers) allows the brand to be strategically positioned to attract the attention of the audience. It is considered as intentional incorporation of a brand into editorial content which has a significant effect on the brand image (Van Reijmersdal et al. 2007).

The fourth episode of Game of Thrones’ eighth and final season, “The Last of the Starks,” had an incongruous modern-day Starbucks cup in the background. While this might have been an error, it attracted a lot of attention for the Starbucks brand due to the popularity of the series. In I, Robot, though the film is set in the future, Will Smith is seen receiving a pair of Converse and wearing these “vintage” (from the year the film was made) shoes throughout the film. James Bond broke away from his usual tradition of having a Martini and decided to go for Heineken in Skyfall. While James Bond is associated with Aston Martin, Mini Cooper was integrated into the Italian Job movie. It is important to note that brand placement is not just limited to films and series; the brand can be placed in any entertainment platform, including games, music videos and reality TV. Pepsi is famously placed on the judges’ table on X factor, whether they are thirsty or not, and strategically placed with the logo facing the camera. This is an effective brand placement that builds on the public’s interest in the programme (Davtyan and Cunningham 2017).

6.5.6 Branded Content

While brand placement is included in editorial content, it sometimes has limited and construed appearance, and there are possibilities for brand owners to create content solely for the integration of their brands (Lei et al. 2017; Gökerik et al. 2018). This content is funded or outright produced by the brand owner to showcase their brands. This is beyond product placement as the brand is fully integrated, and the story is about the brand. Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches campaign presents a drawing collection of a series of women. Gil Zamora, an FBI Trained Forensic Artist drew two drawings of each woman, the first based on their description of how they look: the other based on a stranger’s description. This was Dove’s effort to encourage women to celebrate their beauty. This advert was not about selling any specific product, but it became viral and created a positive attitude towards the brand. The campaign has been watched over 68 million times on YouTube.

Likewise, Always released a short film by filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, with the hashtag #LikeAGirl to keep girls’ confidence high during puberty and beyond. The film was not about selling Always but integrating the brand and reminding viewers of how Always has been empowering girls globally, bringing puberty education to millions of adolescent girls. The film has been watched over 67 million times. In 2014, Audi released a short film titled The Heist for the grand opening of the Audi Downtown Vancouver. While some films may feature an Audi in some of the scenes, The Heist was all about Audi.

6.5.7 Influencers

With the growing interest in social media and digital marketing, an influencer is becoming an essential strategy for brand integration (Cuevas et al. 2020). It is, however, important that the concept of influencers goes beyond social media. It encompasses the idea of endorsements for a product or services. This is somehow different from a brand partnership. The celebrity with a certain reputation does not necessarily get involved in the creation of the products but solely endorses the product. An endorsement could be a celebrity being associated with a brand. A famous person can draw attention to a brand and shape the perception of the brand under the inference that consumers make based on their knowledge of the person. It is anticipated that perceptions of the celebrity can be transferred to the brand: high level of visibility, rich set of potentially useful associations, credible in terms of expertise, trustworthiness, likability and attractiveness. This is described as celebrity meaning transfer (McCracken 1986; Mogaji 2018a).

George Clooney, American actor, screenwriter, producer, director and activist endorses Nespresso, and he has been featured in the integrated marketing campaign of that same brand. Recently Beyoncé started her clothing line, and she sent the clothes to other celebrities for them to endorse the products and share their videos. She partnered with Adidas to create the products, but in this case, she is partnering with celebrities to endorse the products. When the influencers share the brand on their profile page it gains more publicity and awareness. There are also a growing number of micro-influencers who may not have considerable followers to share the brand, but they are very active. With this arrangement, the influencers might get paid for their efforts and the hashtag AD must be used or influencers can be given the product (like Beyoncé gave out clothes) and are expected to share the brand with their followers. The amplification of these influencers enhances the integration of the brand (Singh et al. 2020). As consumers say they trust personal recommendations above traditional advertising, there is a growing demand for influencers who will work on brands.

6.5.8 Employees

Brand integration can also go through the route of the employees (Boukis and Christodoulides 2020). King and Grace (2010) developed the Employee-Based Brand Equity (EBBE) model which recognises the role of employees in enhancing the brand’s equity. The staff engage with the brand and serve as brand evangelists, conveying the identity of the brand. Brand integration through them could be in the form of their uniform. When Southwest Airline changed its logo, the uniform was changed and there were lapel pins for the staff as another form of integrating and creating awareness about the brand. Likewise, for Heart and Stroke Charity in Canada, the new identity was printed on the uniform of the staff; importantly the uniform was also a red colour, which is one of the colour palettes of the charity. For a manufacturing company like Nigeria’s Dangote Fertiliser, the name of the brand is printed on the helmet and the shirt. This strategy offers a platform for brand integration. These brands can afford not to put their identity on these employees’ uniforms, but why wouldn’t they do it? It is an opportunity to remind everyone, including fellow staff and other external stakeholders about the identity of the brand.

6.5.9 Souvenirs

These are another way of integrating brands. These souvenirs are given out freely BUT with the brand name on them. At corporate events and conferences, the souvenir bags are referred to as swag bags. It aligns more with the idea of sponsorship, as the company has paid for these souvenirs to be made, and they are distributed so people carry on integrating the brand. Often it is seen as a form of appreciation from the brands, well appreciated by customers, and these souvenirs can go far and wide to create further awareness for the brand that is giving the souvenirs to the people (Morgan and Pritchard 2005). There is always a free pen at Barclays banks for customers to use and subsequently take away. Likewise, there are pencils at IKEA, and even at hotels there are different souvenirs that bear the name of the hotel which customers are free to take. Airlines are also fond of giving souvenirs with their names, logo and colours to travellers. Universities are not exempted from using these strategies—in the welcome pack to new students, they give them note pads, water bottles and power banks with the name of the university on it. Therefore, everywhere these new students go, they will be carrying these identities with them and helping to disseminate the university’s brand identity (◘ Fig. 6.2).

Fig. 6.2

Proposed redesign of Enyimba Football Club brand identity on souvenirs. (Source: Olalekan Akinyele)

6.5.10 Mascot

This is becoming an increasingly popular way of physically representing a brand and integrating the brand further. Brand characters are ubiquitous in marketing (Hosany et al. 2013). These characters help build and strengthen brand identity; they present an emotional connection with the audience and can further help concretise and reproduce an organisation’s identity in an international context (Cayla 2013). This mascot can be a person, animal or object but often presented in an anthropomorphic form, which attributes human traits, emotions or intentions to non-human entities, like an animal. Sanrio’s iconic character Hello Kitty, a cat notably with no mouth but personifying cuteness and innocence, Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse and McDonald’s Ronald McDonald are perfect examples of this brand management technique.

Service providers also use a mascot as a form of “tangiblising” their services—making them more tangible and physical (Mogaji 2018). Examples are Wilbur the penguin from British Gas, Zingy from EDF Energy and the Michelin (tyre) man These mascots are incorporated into the TV advertisements, used as memes on social media and are also offered as soft toys and souvenirs.

Mascots are among the most cherished traditions in sports, especially for universities and other sports clubs. These mascots can be dogs, eagles, tigers or other animals, often presented in the colours of the brand; they are visible during team activities and events. Buckingham U. “Bucky” Badger, frequently illustrated in a red and white striped sweater, is the official mascot of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was first used in 1940, and it attends all major sporting events for the Wisconsin Badgers as well as hundreds of other events around Wisconsin every year. Manchester United’s official mascot since 1994 is Fred the Red. The name is pulled from Manchester United’s nickname: The Red Devils. Wearing shirt number 55 it was voted the most popular club mascot in Match Magazine back in 2011. Fred dances for fans ahead of matches to get folks in the mood for action. Arsenal also has a giant green dinosaur called Gunnersaurus, it has been with the club and entertaining the crowd since 1994. Chelsea’s mascot is Stamford the Lion. The lion was joined by Bridget, also a lion, in 2013 and they went on international tour with the team.

It is important to note that these mascots become an integral part of the brand; they bear the identity, including the colour and personality of the brand. They offer a distinct and recognisable personality for the brand. Their presence can be the start of a conversation, bond and relationship with stakeholders. In choosing a mascot, it is essential not to have any live animal, to avoid ethnic stereotypes and be very considerate. A brand must also ensure the mascot chosen represents the brand and resonates with its general audience.

6.6 Whose Is Responsible for Brand Integration?

It is critical to recognise who is responsible for brand integration. That person needs to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the process. As with any brand management process, the responsibility depends on the size and structure of that brand. Often this will be the brand owner or the brand manager.

6.6.1 Brand Owner/Brand Manager

The brand owner is the founder of the organisation or the owner of the business who is still responsible for the day-to-day management. Where the brand owner is still involved in the running of the business, they can also be the brand manager. This is often possible for small and medium sized enterprises where the founder owns the business and takes responsibility for the sustainability of the brand. The founder may be the one who develops the advertisements, orders the souvenirs online and negotiates a sponsorship with the local primary school.

The responsibilities of the brand owner to fully integrate the brand may be limited due to financial and human resources. However, the brand owner can still make an effort to integrate their brand by working with the little resources they have. This may include working with micro-influencers to create branded content or entering into a sponsorship arrangement from an affordable category. In this case the logo might be small among the list of partners but it is still an opportunity to integrate the brand. While a small brand may want to compete with a bigger brand for attention, it is essential to start small and increase the amplification of the brand over time.

6.6.2 Employed Brand Manager

The brand owner may not necessarily be the brand manager. The employed brand manager position applies mostly to a more established brand that can recruit an individual or a team to manage the brand. The employed brand manager may be responsible for a product line or a bigger brand, and they are expected to come up with ideas to integrate the brand. The brand manager may have to negotiate different offers to find the one that suits their brand. The brand manager may also have to work with other stakeholders like movie producers for brand placement, event organisers for sponsorships and media planners to secure an advertising space. They are also expected to evaluate these strategies and understand how it has contributed to the growth of their brand.

6.6.3 Brand Management Consultants

These are agencies and consulting firms that assist brand owners and employed brand managers in their branding process. Brands may engage the service of these consultants to assist in better integration of the brands. Landor is a Branding Agency that worked with Sri Lanka’s government to provide a compelling and unifying way of articulating the country’s distinct identity and experience as one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. The agency developed and integrated identity for the country, which was focused more on targeting the right audiences. The work was launched in November 2018 at the World Trade Market, London’s prestigious international travel trade show.

Lippincott was tasked with rebranding Southwest Airline, uniting a fragmented visual system and helping the airline connect with two highly desirable segments: millennials and business travellers. The agency changed the logo, introduced a new wordmark, dropped the plane from the logo and came up with a heart as its main symbol which now has a yellow, red and blue striped look. The agency further integrated these new brands across the board, including the airports, website, planes, snack packaging and even lapel pins.

These consultants have the experience and resources to go about this task. While lack of financial resources may prevent some brands from using the services of brand consultants, there are many cheaper and affordable alternatives in the form of freelancers and small boutique agencies. This, however, depends on the size of the brand, the nature of the task and the budget. Freelancers can be hired for a low budget and they do not get any right to the designs or any work they do for the brand. This makes it a better choice for small brands that cannot afford the high fees of most renowned brand management consultants.

6.7 When to Integrate

Brand integration is a process in the brand management cycle. It can be a very demanding process. It is worth exploring in this section when it is necessary to integrate the brand, and whether this is something that should be done regularly.

6.7.1 Continuously

Despite its demanding nature, brand integration should be carried out continuously. The brand owners need to ensure that their brand is still relevant, distinguishable and available for consumers. Brands should not stop advertising, engaging in corporate social responsibility or partnering with different organisations that may enhance their positioning and image. It is not surprising to see that Coca-Cola still advertises every Christmas. It is not that the world does not know about Coca-Cola, but there is a need for continuous integration, to consistently present the brand and create an experience for the consumers. This effort ensures that the brand remains in the memory of the consumer. The frequency of these strategies, however, may change. This is to ensure that the budget is prudently spent, and consumers are not bombarded with boring and unnecessary information.

6.7.2 New Brand and Rebranding

At the creation of a new brand, it is essential to create awareness about it. This suggests that brand integration is needed at the rebranding of a brand. A new look and feel have been created, and the stakeholders need to be informed and made aware. This is important to ensure that the target audience gets to know about the brand, and they can build the association. This even becomes more important if the rebranding presents a brand identity that is not hitherto known to the customer base or a complete change from the original design. In this case, advertisements and press releases are an essential strategy to adopt. Souvenirs, change in staff uniform and other liveries are also needed to create awareness about the new brand. As well as this, the brand can send an email to the customers and other stakeholders to inform them of the impending changes. Brand owners who feel concerned about losing customers after rebranding, may have to be strategic and present a gradual integration of the new brand.

6.7 Case Study 6.3: Sidian Bank

Sidian Bank is a full-service commercial bank providing an array of financial services to individuals and enterprises and has been a leading player in Kenya’s enterprise banking sector. The bank, formerly known as K-rep Bank, has its origins within K-rep Group, an investment vehicle which was established in 1984 as a project that supported the development of small and micro enterprises through NGO-managed programmes. In November 2014, Centum Investment Company Limited acquired the majority shareholding of K-rep Bank, making it a subsidiary of Centum. In early 2016, the bank rebranded and adopted a new and fresh look brand named Sidian Bank.

This warranted a change in all the brand identities such as logo, typography, colour palette and this was reflected in their website, mobile application and branch designs. The new brand identity was designed by Zilojo. The rebranding was announced, among many other options, as a full-page advertisement in a newspaper. It was important for the brand to integrate this new identity as it moved away from the initial identity. There was a new name, new colour, new typeface. It was a complete change, and consumers needed to be made aware of this.

Reflective Questions

• Why was it important for Sidian Bank to create a newspaper advertisement to announce a change in their brand identity?

• Who are the stakeholders that need to be aware of Sidian Bank’s rebranding?

• Why do you think they had to outsource their brand identity to another company? Couldn’t they have designed it in-house?

6.7.3 Launching

Brand integration also becomes necessary when the brand is launching a new product or an extension. This builds on marketing communications for the new product. It becomes essential to reinforce the new brand as a member of an existing brand which is well recognised.

6.7.4 Partnership and Initiatives

Brand integration is also important when, launching a new initiative, for example NatWest Bank’s Money Sense, a CSR initiative where they educate 5- to 18-year-old students on financial planning, Sainsbury’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2040 and Sky’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2030. These brands need to showcase what they are doing, and they are positioning themselves as ethical brands mindful of society and the environment. At the same time, this offers the opportunity to integrate the brand. It is always good business practice to take pride in the good that a brand is doing. It adds credibility and improves reputation. It is, however, important that this is in moderation. The attention should be more on the activities and social good and less on the brand.

6.7.5 Scandals and Misconduct

When a brand or its representatives perform below expectations, there are possibilities that the public will begin to have a negative perception of the brand. The public may feel that the brand can no longer be trusted. This can affect the credibility, reputation and value of the organisation. After the global financial crisis of 2007–2008, banks understood that their reputation had been damaged, people no longer trusted banks; it was then necessary to adopt emotionally appealing strategies to engage with the consumers. Banks like NatWest did advertisements whereby they acknowledged they had done wrong and apologised, recognising that banks should be responsible for what they do, not just what they say. KFC also had to make a public apology when it had logistics problems and as a consequence there was no chicken in their stores. In the time of scandals and misconduct, brands need to own up to their mistakes, take responsibility and reintegrate their brands. It is essential to position the brand as one that has learnt lessons and is willing to change, to ensure that such a mistake does not repeat itself.

6.8 Who Needs the Integration?

While integration is an essential part of the brand management process, understanding the direction of the integration is essential. This section explores the different possible directions for integrating a brand. It is necessary to understand the stakeholders, what they prioritise and the best way to effectively engage with them Keep in mind that there are different brands with different levels of expectation and resources to effectively integrate.

6.8.1 Customers

Importantly the consumers, including the prospective customers, need to be aware and recognise the brand. The knowledge is essential at the point of purchase, for recommendation and future engagement. Brands need to be aware of the customers’ needs, including the proper channel of communications before integration. This understanding will also shape the type of integration strategy to adopt. If the target audience is parents and children, partnering with the local primary school for the Christmas Fair may be a better option than sponsoring an event in another country. This understanding is essential for strategic integration.

6.8.2 Competitors

The competitors need to know that a new sheriff is in town. This is an attempt to integrate the change in value proposition and service offering. It also sends a message to the competitors’ consumers who might be looking for an alternative. These prospective customers are made aware of the changes the brand is making and they should be invited on board. This can also change the competitive landscape and may make other brands follow suit in changing and repositioning their brands.

6.8.3 Colleagues

Colleagues and employees need to be aware of and carried along with the change. Through their actions and relationship with the customers, they integrate the new brands. Therefore, they need to be well trained beforehand in order to recognise and adopt the new identities. This could mean wearing the new uniform, using the lapel pin and changing their email signature. No doubt there could be some resentment and reluctance to change and adopt the new identity. The staff must, however, be reassured of the importance of integrating the identity through their deeds and actions.

6.8.4 Regulators

For some brands, it might be necessary for regulators to be aware and reminded of the new identity. It will be necessary to change the logo on the database or replace the name. Updating this information goes towards ensuring that the brand’s new identity is consistent across all touchpoints (Mogaji et al. 2020a, b). In some situations, a change to a non-profit organisation’s mission may require a notice to the organisation’s state of incorporation and the internal revenue service. In England, it is necessary to ask for permission from the Charity Commission to make a change to the charity’s identity if the governing document requires that. In Scotland, if a charity wants to change their purpose, they need to first seek the consent of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) while in Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulates the charity organisation.

6.8.5 Stakeholders

Brands need to engage and integrate their brands to other stakeholders as well. These include those who will be working in one way or another with the brands. They include partners who may need to update the identity in designing a new brochure, shareholders or even the press and media. This integration is to ensure a consistent and coherent presentation of the brand identity across the touchpoints.

6.9 Considerations for Brand Integration

While brand integration is described as an essential process of brand management, it is crucial to explore key considerations and how they relate to the brand owners and the type of brands they may be working with. One size does not necessarily fit all, and it is essential for brand owners and managers to be aware of these considerations and how they may affect their business practices.

6.9.1 Consistency

Brand integration needs to be very consistent. Brand guidelines are needed to ensure that the brand is integrated consistently across all channels. Practically this means that the brand identity that is presented in the advertisement is the same identity presented on the partner’s press release when announcing the new partnership and collaboration. This means that whatever media the brand is using or the kind of partnership or collaboration they have developed, the same identity is integrated in what the brand does at all times. In the case of rebranding as well, the new brand should be used, staff should be aware of the new changes, consumers should be reminded of them as well.

6.9.2 Shared Values

To integrate the brand, brand owners and managers may want to work with other brands in the form of sponsorship, partnership or collaboration. Any partnership signed must be with brands that have the same interests and shared values. This is important to avoid situations whereby a brand is brought into disrepute because of the association with another brand. Brands must distance themselves from any of their endorsers or ambassadors that have been involved in scandals. In the cases of Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and Lance Armstrong, many brands terminated their partnerships. While they want to integrate their brands, they were mindful of not destroying the brand values and image through bad associations with another brand.

6.9 Case Study 6.4: LEGO and Shell

Lego, a prominent Danish toy company and Shell, a prominent Dutch oil company, have partnered together for over 50 years. Lego has enjoyed distribution while Shell has received a positive brand association. There was a connection between Lego’s race cars and Shell’s gas station sets which allowed Shell to build a connection with drivers at a very young age. The problem here, however, is the values and nature of the businesses are incongruent. Lego appeals to children while Shell’s activities are known to be affecting the environment and the planet, destroying the future of these children.

Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organisation with a mission to defend the natural world and stand for a green and peaceful world, came into the picture. The organisation uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems. They released a widely watched and shared YouTube video that criticised the partnership between these two brands. This video was very emotional depicting a Lego shell drilling rig in a Lego arctic with the wildlife drowned by thick crude oil (supposedly from Shell) with the rendition of The Lego Movie theme, “Everything is Awesome” as background music. (Greenpeace has also worked together with the UK retailer Iceland to address how the palm oil industry is destroying Indonesia’s forests, threatening orangutans and the environment).

The public outcry, protest and possible reputation damage has brought the Lego-Shell partnership to an end. The existing deal began in 2011, but the corporate relationship between the brands stretches back to 1966. Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, the toy maker’s chief executive, said Lego would honour its existing deal with Shell, but “as things currently stand, we will not renew the contract with Shell when the present contract ends.” This negative association highlights an implication for a brand partnership, co-branding and co-creation. Some relationships may be thought to be completely inappropriate, and the aftermath can effectively weaken the brands. If things do not go as planned, it can have adverse effects on one or both brands.

Reflective Questions

• Why do you think it was important for LEGO to terminate the partnership?

• How important is it for businesses and brand partners to have shared interests?

• How would you describe the brand integration strategy of Greenpeace in this campaign?

6.9.3 Congruency

This aligns with the idea of shared values. While shared values between the brand and partners are essential, understanding the congruency in relationships and engagement between the brand and the customers is essential (Mogaji and Danbury 2017). The question remains, do consumers believe the message they are receiving from the brand? The brand may be integrating the message, the consumers keep receiving it, but does it appeal to them? The brand may need to re-examine their brand philosophy and brand position to understand the consumers’ perception of their brand and see if there is something inherent in the brand that needs to be changed. Perhaps there is something that an identity change and integration cannot resolve. It could be an issue with the brand’s foundation, positioning, core values and philosophy which does not reflect what the consumers are experiencing.

6.9.4 Financial Limitations

For small or growing brands, the financial limitations in fully integrating the brand need to be acknowledged. These brands may not be able to afford a full-page advertisement in the newspaper, a billboard advertisement or online campaigns targeting millions of prospective customers. Brands need to be aware of their budget and adopt a very prudent approach. This could mean starting small but consistently. It could mean using a quarter page advert lasting for many weeks. What is being projected here is that the brand must make concerted efforts to ensure they get their messages and intention out to other people who might not really know what the brand is doing at a point in time. Informing people about the brand does not have to be expensive, but it must be consistent and reasonable.

6.9.5 Shared Benefits

The brand needs to be aware of the shared benefits in its integration strategy. This is specifically for brand sponsorships, partnerships and collaboration. While a brand engaging in corporate social responsibility practices may not be interested in any financial returns, working in partnership with another brand needs to be of shared interest and present shared benefits. The brands need to evaluate what they will be getting in return for the sponsorship and collaboration. Could this be just awareness for sponsoring the World Cup or an increase in sales? There should be a benefit for the brand before engaging in such an arrangement. Associations should be evaluated and if need be, terminated. In 2016, Chelsea Football Club and Adidas mutually agreed to terminate their existing partnership agreement prematurely (it was supposed to end in June 2023 and instead ended in 2017). Adidas had been sponsoring and supplying sportswear for Chelsea Football Club since 2006. Adidas was compensated for the early termination of the contract.

6.9.6 Length and Extent of Integration

The brands need to be aware and understand the full extent of the integration strategy. This knowledge is essential for effective planning, especially in the long- term. While working with other brands, even though there are shared values, the extent and expectations of the collaboration should be discussed and documented. This understanding allows for the evaluation and monitoring of the relationship. Each brand knows what is expected of them, how long it is expected, and the resources that they may have to invest in maintaining the integration.

6.9.7 Legal Implications

Brands need to be aware of legal implications during their brand integration process. There are possibilities of being subject to legal challenges and calls for restraint, particularly in cases where more vulnerable audience groups are involved (McWilliams et al. 2006). For example, it would be inappropriate for a tobacco brand to be integrated towards children; the target audience should be above 18. Likewise, brands need to consider the ethical implications of their strategies. They need to make sure that their brands are sponsoring ethical brands, partnering with ethical brands and engaging in activities that will not damage the reputation of the brand.

6.10 Conclusion

The brand has spent a considerable amount of money and resources to develop their identity; it is, however, essential to integrate this brand identity. Just having a logo and other brand identity is not the end of branding. The stakeholders must know about the product and be able to identify the brand. Brand integration involves generating awareness, establishing and promoting the brand using strategies and tactics. These tactics include advertisements, celebrity endorsement, which can offer credibility in terms of expertise, trustworthiness, likability and attractiveness and sponsored events.

Brand integration fits into the integrated marketing communications and brand management process. There are enormous benefits for the brands, and the consistent integration ensures that the brand remains highly visible and recognisable, builds loyalty and the relationship with customers. The role of the brand owners, brand managers and brand consultants in developing and implementing these brand integration strategies has also been discussed.

Financial strength and human resources may be limitations for some brands but brand integration is an important process of brand management that cannot be ignored. Perhaps an attempt could be made at starting small, working with micro-influencers, using quarter page advertisements and consistently integrating the brand. Brand managers may also want to be strategic in partnering with other brands, getting involved in charity and CSR practices. These activities give the needed awareness for the brand. Though some steps may be considered small, it is the effort that counts; the quality of the integration will evolve. Importantly, brand managers need to keep in mind that collaboration for brand integration should be between brands that have shared values and interests.

Key Points

• Brand integration is an essential part of the brand management process.

• Brand integration ensures that the brand and its identities become more recognisable and distinguishable.

• Brand managers need to be aware of different limitations that may affect their integration strategies.

• Brand integration is the responsibility of the brand owners and managers. Brand consultants may be invited to contribute and assist with the process.

• Brand integration should be a continuous process. The frequency and intensity may, however, vary depending on the type of brand and the other constraints.

• Brand integration becomes necessary at rebranding, launching brand extensions or after a scandal or crisis.

• Brands integration should be consistent across different touchpoints and media.

• Brand integration should be with brands that have similar and shared benefits.

• The extent and length of the integration should be understood.

• Different brands will have to adopt different integration strategies. Know your brand. Know your stakeholders. No strategy fits all.

Student Activities

• 1. What is your understanding of brand integration?

• 2. What is the relationship between brand philosophy, brand identity and brand integration?

• 3. Why do you think you have not seen some brands? What is limiting their integration?

• 4. How would you describe geographical locations as a limitation for brand integrity?

• 5. What other way do you think a brand can be integrated?

• 6. What is the role of a brand consultant in the brand integration process?

• 7. How do you think staff can aid the integration of a new brand?

• 8. How vital is brand integration towards the competitors and their customers?

• 9. Do you think it is crucial to further reintegrate the brand after misconduct by the CEO of the company? If so, what are the implications?

• 10. If you were to have a mascot to integrate your brand, what would be the key features?

• 11. What is the implication of partnership/sponsorship termination on the brand’s image?

• 12. How would you expect organisations with limited financial resources to integrate their brands?