How Should Future Brands Be Defined? Click to read English version
有人说，品牌就是商标；
有人说，品牌就是名牌；
有人说，品牌就是印象；
有人说，品牌就是信任；
也有人说，品牌是一种承诺……
品牌到底是什么？品牌到底是什么学问？未来到底什么样的品牌才能生存下来？
今天就谈谈这个问题。
新时代需要新定义
作为从事品牌管理及咨询工作20多年的专业人士，我不太愿意天天跟大家谈论“品牌是什么”，而关注点早就转移到了“怎么做品牌”。这么多年来，为此也做出不少事情，也帮助不少企业创建品牌。
然而，这20多年的时间里，我们的生存环境发生了翻天覆地的变化，却我们的企业家对品牌的认知几乎没有怎么改变，对品牌的错误定义和错误认知严重影响着中国企业的健康发展。
尤其，面对移动互联网时代，很多企业家都傻眼了，不知道怎么做品牌了。甚至，不少企业家问我“这个时代，我们到底需不需要品牌？”
看来，面对新时代，我们也有必要让更多企业家重新认识品牌、定义品牌，用一个正确的理论指导实践才行。
品牌定义的四大要素
新时代，怎样的品牌定义才能正确引导我们的市场营销策略，有助于让企业健康发展呢？我认为，一个完整的品牌定义，至少需要以下四大构成要素：
1、代表品类。
企业家必须要明白的一件事情就是“品牌的源头是什么？”
这个问题，美国定位大师艾•里斯先生回答得很清楚：品牌的起源是品类。品类不存在了，品牌也就没有意义了。
一个好的品牌，必须代表一个品类。就像让人们提起“可乐”的时候想起“可口可乐”，提起“空调”的时候想起“格力”。
如果你的品牌在顾客的心智里不代表任何品类，你这个品牌很有可能在竞争中处于弱势地位，给企业的营销行为带来很多困难。
2、定位明确。
如果说，“代表品类”是从产品角度阐述，那么“定位明确”就是从价值角度强调。
一个品牌，仅仅代表一个品类还不行，还必须要代表一个独特而明确的价值。就像海飞丝，光代表洗发水远远不够，还必须代表“去屑”才行；宝马仅仅代表豪华轿车远远不够，还必须代表“驾驶乐趣”才行。
这种价值越突出，这个品牌的竞争力就越强，反之亦然。
另外，明确的定位有助于让你代表品类。正如，王老吉始终强化“防上火”的定位，人们才了解“凉茶”这个品类，进而王老吉就很快成为“凉茶”的代名词。
3、个性鲜明。
在中国企业，这个要素是最容易被忽视的。甚至，很多企业家认为“定位”和“个性”是一回事。
其实不然。
我一直在讲：定位解决左脑问题，个性解决右脑问题。左脑善于思考价值，大小、多少、好坏、性价比等逻辑性很强的要素都在左脑里，因此我们用“定位”解决这个问题；而右脑善于思考感觉，色彩、形状、情绪和情感等非逻辑元素都在右脑里，因此我们用“个性”来解决这个问题。
从体验角度来讲，一个完整的品牌必须要个性鲜明，在顾客的右脑里显得赏心悦目、不可替代，要成为他们的“最爱”。
就像苹果主张“极致简约”，耐克强调“运动精神”，强生突出“充满关爱”。个性越鲜明，在顾客的右脑里产生的共鸣就会越大，越有助于驱动市场。
4、焕发活力。
一个好的品牌还有一个定义要素就是焕发活力。因为，品牌和商标的最大区别就在于品牌是活的，而商标是死的。
柯达，曾经是一个品牌，而现在它只是一个商标；诺基亚，曾经也是一个不错的品牌，但现在也沦落为商标。
因此，我们不难看出，对于一个品牌而言，企业的营销活动显得多么重要。你作为一个品牌，要是让人们感受不到你的温度和人气，你这个品牌很容易会离开人们的视线，走向没落。这也是为什么，王老吉和加多宝掐架，却和其正死掉的原因所在。
所以，品牌到底是什么？这四个要素可以给我们一个明确的答案：
品牌，就是在目标顾客心智中能够代表一个品类的代名词，是一个难以替代的价值。品牌，也是具有鲜明的个性、独特而完整的视觉系统并时刻焕发生命活力的人心吸铁石。
大品牌为什么说倒就倒？
早期的摩托罗拉、春兰，近期的柯达、瑞星杀毒，现在的诺基亚、恒大冰泉等等，都是大名鼎鼎的名牌，都曾经辉煌过一段时间。
然而，时至今日，这些品牌都遇到了问题，有些已经死去，有些苦苦挣扎，还有一些正在走向衰败。
那么，这些曾经的大牌子，为什么说倒就倒了呢？我想，这个问题的答案就在品牌定义的四大要素里。
代表品类、定位明确、个性鲜明、焕发活力，这四个要素是一个品牌持续强大的重要因素，需要精心维护才行。
那么，该怎么维护呢？两个词非常关键：聚焦和创新。聚焦是三“聚焦”：聚焦品类、聚焦定位、聚焦个性；创新是三“创新”：创新模式、创新产品、创新活动。如果这两点没有做到，再好的品牌也会出问题。
摩托罗拉、春兰和恒大的衰败是非常典型的缺乏“聚焦”的结果；而柯达、诺基亚和瑞星杀毒的衰败则源于“创新”迟缓导致的。
我们假设，春兰要是一直聚焦在空调上，是否还有格力的今天，是很难说的。然而，正因为春兰的多元化给格力提供了可乘之机，从而成就一个强大的品牌。
我们再假设，诺基亚要是率先引领智能手机，商业模式上率先实现平台化，是否还有苹果的今天，也是很难说的。然而，诺基亚行动迟缓、创新乏力，从而被苹果打得落花流水。
因此，大家一定要记住：再强大的品牌，只要不够聚焦、不够创新，品牌定义的四大要素也会被瓦解，从而给你带来灭顶之灾。
未来只会更加残酷
在传统经济条件下，我们看到很多品类都存在“二元定律”：每个品类都由两个大品牌引领。比如，可乐由“可口可乐”和“百事可乐”引领，西式快餐由“麦当劳”和“肯德基”引领，常温牛奶由“伊利”和“蒙牛”引领等。
因此，那个时代一个品牌的生存法则是：要么做第一，要么做第二。
然而，在移动互联网时代，信息越来对称，选择越来越方便，更加激发了人们“重视第一、轻视第二”的心态，在一个品类上“老二”的生存压力变得越来越大，在不久的将来，很有可能只有“第一者生存”。
因此，对我们所有企业而言，未来只会变得越来越残酷。
未来的品牌，不仅是一个品类的代名词，而且还是那个品类的老大，才能有望生存。如果在顾客的心智里，你不是这个品类的“老大”，那就很危险。
因此，从这个意义上来讲，品牌到底是什么学问？我认为：品牌就是做“老大”的学问，我们做品牌的目的就是要做一个品类的“老大”。
以前，“美的”的“老二战略”被称为成功的战略。在传统经济条件下，也确实造就了“美的”的辉煌。但是，面向未来，这个战略能否奏效，值得审视，很有可能给未来的美的带来灾难性后果。
时代在变，市场在变，顾客的心智模式也在变。我们要想在未来的市场环境中继续生存和发展，必须牢固梳理“老大”思维，在“代表品类”、“定位明确”、“个性鲜明”和“焕发活力”四大要素上做到极致才行。
未来属于“老大”品牌，“老大”源自聚焦和创新！
English Version
How Should Future Brands Be Defined?
Introduction: Some say a brand is a trademark; others say it’s a famous brand; some say it’s an impression; others say it’s trust; and some say it’s a promise… What exactly is a brand? What kind of knowledge is this? What kind of brand can survive in the future? Let’s discuss this question today.
1. The Era Calls for New Definitions
As a professional with over 20 years of experience in brand management and consulting, I’ve been reluctant to constantly discuss “what a brand is” with everyone. Instead, I’ve focused on “how to build a brand.” Over the years, I’ve done many things and helped many companies create their brands.
However, over these 20 years, our business environment has undergone tremendous changes, yet entrepreneurs’ understanding of brands has hardly changed. Incorrect brand definitions and misconceptions have seriously affected the healthy development of Chinese enterprises.
Especially in the mobile internet era, many entrepreneurs are at a loss about how to build brands. Some even ask me, “In this era, do we really need brands?”
It seems that facing this new era, it’s necessary for more entrepreneurs to re-recognize and define brands, guided by a correct theory for practical application.
2. Four Essential Elements of Brand Definition
In this new era, what kind of brand definition can correctly guide our marketing strategies and help enterprises develop healthily? I believe a complete brand definition must have at least the following four essential elements:
Element 1: Representing the Category
Entrepreneurs must understand one thing: “What is the source of a brand?” American positioning master Al Ries answered this clearly: The origin of a brand is the category. If the category no longer exists, the brand has no meaning.
A good brand must represent a category. Just as people think of “Coca-Cola” when mentioning “soda,” or think of “Gree” when mentioning “air conditioner.”
If your brand does not represent any category in customers’ minds, you may be in a weak competitive position, bringing many difficulties to your marketing efforts.
Element 2: Clear Positioning
If “representing the category” is explained from a product perspective, then “clear positioning” emphasizes from a value perspective.
A brand must not only represent a category but also represent a unique and clear value. For example, Head & Shoulders must represent “dandruff control,” not just shampoo. BMW must represent “driving pleasure,” not just luxury cars.
The more prominent this value, the stronger the brand’s competitiveness. Conversely, the opposite is true.
Clear positioning also helps you represent the category. As Wanglaoji consistently reinforced its “prevent internal heat” positioning, people understood the “herbal tea” category, and Wanglaoji quickly became the synonym for herbal tea.
Element 3: Distinctive Personality
In Chinese enterprises, this element is most easily overlooked. Many entrepreneurs even think “positioning” and “personality” are the same thing.
In fact, they are not. I’ve always said: Positioning solves left-brain problems, personality solves right-brain problems.
The left brain is good at thinking about value—logical elements like size, quantity, quality, cost-performance ratio. We use “positioning” to solve this. The right brain is good at thinking about feelings—non-logical elements like colors, shapes, emotions, and sentiments. We use “personality” to solve this.
From an experiential perspective, a complete brand must have a distinctive personality. It should appear pleasing and irreplaceable in customers’ right brains, becoming their “favorite.”
Like Apple advocating “extreme simplicity,” Nike emphasizing “sports spirit,” and Johnson & Johnson highlighting “care and love.” The more distinct the personality, the greater the resonance it generates in customers’ right brains, and the more it helps drive the market.
Element 4: Vitality
Another essential element of a good brand is vitality. The biggest difference between a brand and a trademark is that a brand is alive, while a trademark is dead.
Kodak was once a brand, but now it’s just a trademark. Nokia was once a good brand, but now it has also become a trademark.
Therefore, we can see clearly: For a brand, corporate marketing activities are extremely important. If people cannot feel your warmth and popularity, your brand will easily leave people’s sight and decline.
This is also why Wanglaoji and JDB fought fiercely, but Changzheng died.
3. What is a Brand?
So, what exactly is a brand? These four elements give us a clear answer:
A brand is a synonym that can represent a category in target customers’ minds and is a difficult-to-replace value. A brand is also a magnet that has a distinctive personality, a unique and complete visual system, and constantly generates life vitality.
4. Why Do Big Brands Fall?
Early Motorola and Chunlan, recent Kodak and Rising Antivirus, current Nokia and Evergrande Mineral Water—these were all famous brands that shone for a while.
However, by now, these brands have all encountered problems. Some have died, some are struggling, and others are declining.
So, why did these once-great brands fall so easily? I think the answer lies in the four essential elements of brand definition: representing the category, clear positioning, distinctive personality, and vitality. These four elements are crucial factors for a brand to remain strong and need careful maintenance.
5. How to Maintain? Focus and Innovation
So, how should we maintain them? Two words are critical: Focus and Innovation.
Focus means three “foci”: focus on category, focus on positioning, focus on personality.
Innovation means three “innovations”: innovation in business models, innovation in products, innovation in activities.
If these two points are not achieved, even a good brand will have problems.
Motorola, Chunlan, and Evergrande’s decline are typical examples of lacking “focus.” Kodak, Nokia, and Rising Antivirus’s decline stem from sluggish “innovation.”
Let’s imagine: If Chunlan had always focused on air conditioners, would there still be Gree today? It’s hard to say. But precisely because Chunlan’s diversification gave Gree a chance to catch up, creating a strong brand.
Let’s imagine again: If Nokia had led the way in smartphones and achieved platformization in its business model earlier, would there still be Apple today? It’s also hard to say. However, Nokia was slow to act and lacked innovation, getting beaten badly by Apple.
6. Conclusion: Remember This
Therefore, everyone must remember: No matter how strong a brand is, if it lacks sufficient focus and innovation, the four essential elements of brand definition will be dismantled, bringing disaster.
7. The Future Will Be Even More Cruel
In traditional economic conditions, we see a “two-law” in many categories: each category is led by two major brands. For example, soda is led by “Coca-Cola” and “Pepsi,” Western fast food by “McDonald’s” and “KFC,” regular milk by “Yili” and “Mengniu.”
So, in that era, the survival rule for brands was: either be the first or be the second.
However, in the mobile internet era, information is becoming more symmetric, choices are more convenient, and people’s mindset of “valuing the first and undervaluing the second” is intensifying. The survival pressure for the “second place” in a category is becoming greater. In the near future, it’s very likely only “the first will survive.”
8. The Future Belongs to “Leader” Brands
Therefore, for all enterprises, the future will only become more cruel. Future brands must not only be a synonym for a category but also be the “leader” of that category to have a chance to survive.
If in customers’ minds, you are not the “leader” of that category, you are in danger.
9. The Art of Being a “Leader”
So, what kind of knowledge is brand? I believe: Brand is the knowledge of being a “leader.” Our purpose in building brands is to become the “leader” of a category.
Previously, “Midea’s” “second-place strategy” was considered successful. In traditional economic conditions, it indeed created Midea’s glory. However, facing the future, whether this strategy will work is worth examining, and it may bring disastrous consequences to Midea in the future.
Times are changing, markets are changing, and customer mindsets are changing. To continue surviving and developing in the future market environment, we must firmly establish “leader” thinking and achieve perfection in the four essential elements: representing the category, clear positioning, distinctive personality, and vitality.
10. Final Conclusion
The future belongs to “leader” brands, and “leadership” comes from focus and innovation!