Danish Fashion Going Global - Spandet And Partners

DANISH FASHION GOING GLOBAL 25
6. The Power of Branding
Fashion is all about the intangible values it creates; thus, branding is the ultimate tool
to create this through marketing communication. The marketing communication must
support the brand equity by delivering a consistent message and provide the brand
with intangible values that are consistent with the core values.
A fashion brand can be defined as the intangible sum of a product’s attributes: its
name, packaging, and price; its history; its reputation; and the way it’s marketed.
Brands bring life to fashion labels. A fashion brand differentiates a fashion label from
its competitors through an emotional idea that encapsulates what the label, product,
or service stands for. Everyone that comes into contact with the brand immediately
recognizes and understands it.
Branding can be described as the most important objective of the fashion marketing
process. Marketing is building a brand in the mind of the consumer. Only if you can
build a powerful brand will you have a powerful marketing program.
Within fashion strong brands have the power to create business value. They impact
much more than revenues and profit margins.
Strong brands create competitive advantages by commanding a price premium and
decrease the cost of entry into new markets and categories. They reduce business
risk and help attract and retain talented staff.
Strong brands deliver on the experience and are matched by superb product
delivery.
Failure to provide an experience which lives up to the brand promise is the fastest
way to destroy brand trust and value. The requirement for functional excellence
applies to product quality and to the quality of every aspect of the user experience—
from gathering information on the website to the point of purchase to after-sales
support and service.
In an increasingly “flat” world, the future winners will be strong brands who dare to
stand up for something. They will go beyond the functional, to represent an ideal,
which appeals across cultures, products, and categories.