The secret recipe behind unforgettable brands

Discover how Dairymilk, Parachute, Ambassador, Omni, and Pulsar became household brands.

Imagine you are in a Rajasthani thali restaurant, as the server places the delicacies in front of you, your taste buds come alive ready to indulge in all 6 tastes. Ayurveda, our ancient system of wellness says, all six tastes Madhura, Amla, Lavana, Tikta, Katu, and Kashaya are essential for a balanced diet.

Even brands are like this thali. A brand manager, like a ‘master-chef’ blends six essential aspects to create an unforgettable brand experience. Let me show you how:

‘Brand identity prism’ developed by Kapferer, states there are crucial aspects to form a brand identity, those are: Physique, Personality, Culture, Relationship, Reflection, and Self-image. A brand which performs well on all six aspects is destined to make a mark in markets.

Hey! my name’s Manjeet, currently an MBA student. This article is my comprehension of the concepts taught by Prof. Moorthi in his very first lecture on brand management. Fondly known as ‘branding guru’, students lose track of time in all his lectures.

Okay, let’s begin.

1. Physique — External characteristics of brand: packaging, logo, color palette
2. Personality — If a brand were a person what characteristics would it have?
3. Culture- What values the brand stands for?
4. Self-Image- How consumer pictures himself when he consumes the brand?
5. Reflection- How he wants others to see him when he consumes the brand?
6. Relation- How brand is related to consumer?

Let’s explore each one of these.

1. Physique

This is the first aspect of brand a person senses. The most visible and tangible aspect of brand- what you can touch, see, hear and smell. It includes elements like logo, color palette, jingles, packaging design, and even the product itself.

Take a look at the blue bottle of Parachute coconut oil. As it takes years to establish this visual identity in the minds of customers, notice how Bajaj and Nirmal simply tried to copy the blue color and peculiar shape of bottle to trick customers. Other examples include the distinct cuboidal shape of Suzuki Omni, the curves of VW Beetle and Coke’s glass bottle.

Did you know? Coca cola’s iconic bottle was designed to help it stand out from other drinks at the time, and the design brief was to ensure that bottle was recognisable even in the dark, or if it was broken.

2. Personality

Okay, for me this is the most interesting aspect of brand identity. It addresses the question ‘If I were to personify this brand, who would that person be?’. Every brand has certain characteristics which can be closely associated with human traits.

Consider this, Hero Splendor is seen as middle class 45-year-old uncle who lives a modest life. However, Bajaj Pulsar personifies a 25 something young man who loves adventure.

Honda Activa on the other hand, is more of family oriented, upper middle-class lady. But Honda Dio shows traits of a cool, funky, and carefree guy. HM Ambassador, a politician in white clothes with a noticeable belly who walks with a presence

Did you know? Honda Activa became world’s most selling scooter. Check GrowthX’s video on Honda’s business strategy here.

3. Culture

Culture is a set of values a brand stands upon. This aspect of the brand is deeply influenced by two things, the company’s core values and country of origin.

Different companies cultivate unique cultures that spread through their brands. Take Parle for example, known for quality products at affordable prices. From Kismi, and Mango bite to Happy Happy, all its products provide value for money.

Tata group, on the other hand stands for trust and integrity. All products of Tata Motors from Tiago, Nexon to Safari are trusted for 5-star safety rating and superior build quality. Hyundai on the other hand embodies a culture of innovation. Hence Creta, Aura, i20 are known for being feature rich.

Likewise, country of origin plays a major role in defining the brand culture. Here are some examples:

USA — Aspiration and innovation — Apple, Nike, Tesla
Sweden — Design and minimalism — Ikea, H&M, Spotify
Germany- Engineering and precision — Mercedes, Audi, BMW
India — Yoga and spirituality — Himalaya, Dabur, Patanjali
France- Luxury and fashion- Louis Vuitton, Chanel
Italy- Design and elegance- Ferrari, Prada, Lamborghini

Therefore, by understanding their culture, brands can create meaningful connections with consumers and leverage it for better market performance.

4. Self-Image

Self-image is the picture a customer has of himself when he consumes the brand. For example, Mahindra Thar owners often see themselves as adventurous explorers (not those cheap desi stuntmen, we are considering classy folks here). Driving Thar makes them feel they are unique and non-conformist.

Similarly, Vistara flyers perceive themselves as sophisticated travelers who appreciate quality and are part of a progressive and globally oriented population.

5. Reflection

Not to be confused with Self Image, Reflection is how a customer wants himself to be seen by others. An image he hopes to project through his association with the brand.

Gaming laptop brands like Acer Predator and Asus ROG have RGB light strips and bold designs. The gamer community, dominant users of such brands want to be seen as tech-savvy, cutting-edge community. Also, reflection is the reason why logos are on the other side of laptop screen, to make others see what brand that geeky guy is using.

Air Jordans, part of Nike’s brand portfolio, are famous among basketball enthusiasts. Jordan customers want themselves to be seen as stylish, athletic and connected with legacy of Michael Jordan.

Even the stickers like “Lawyer”, “Army”, “Govt of India” pasted on cars are examples of Reflection projecting status to others.

Did you know ? Zudio, a fast fashion brand thoughtfully avoids pasting their logos on any of their products for obvious reasons. Even the shopping bags are plain simple. This clearly tells Zudio intentionally plays down ‘reflection’ aspect of their brand.

6. Relationship

This aspect refers to the type of connection a brand establishes with its customers. It is about how the brand interacts and what kind of relation it seeks to build.

Bajaj Chetak positioned itself as a trusted family member, accompanying families on daily journeys and special occasions for decades. Decathlon, on the other hand, has established itself as the go-to adventure partner. When Indians think of trekking or outdoor activities, Decathlon often comes to mind first.

As we’ve explored, successful brands are like a perfectly balanced Rajasthani thali, with each of the six aspects — Physique, Personality, Culture, Self-Image, Reflection, and Relationship — playing a crucial role. The next time you interact with a brand, try to identify these elements and see how they contribute to your overall experience.

Thank you for reading this far and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Share in the comments which brands you think have mastered all six aspects of the Brand Identity Prism. Or, in case you want to discuss this further, let’s catch up on my Twitter.