Research Korner: Examples of Brand Labeling

Strategic Branding Management

Brand Management Strategy of AQCAPS.com   TABLE OF CONTENTS   I.      Introduction.. 3 II.     Background of the Company.. 3 III.        Justifications of the Brand Development Decisions.. 5 A.    Segmentation. 5 B.    Targeting.. 5 C.    Positioning.. 6 IV.       Strategic Brand Management Theories Applied.. 7 V.    Brand Design for the Company.. 7 VI.       Brand Equity Management and Sustainability.. 8 VII.      International Implications of the Brand.. 9 VIII.     Critical Success Factors and the Endorsement and Extension Strategy   10 A.    Critical Success Factors. 10 B.    Endorsement  Strategy. 11 C.    Extension Strategy. 12 IX.       Summary.. 12   I.     Introduction The World Wide Web has become one of the major conduits for businesses to vend their goods in a far greater market range. Major dot.com companies like Amazon.com has used the internet to build an empire focusing on a basic niche of consumers. Banks and other financial institutions have similarly been employing the net as a means of getting in touch with their core clients. It is in this context that this company, AQCAPS.com, intends to build its commercial identity and reach a range of customers from the four corners of the world. The following presentation is a discussion of the marketing and branding strategy that AQCAPS.com will employ as it launches its business to the public. The following contents of the report will be focusing on the branding and other justifications of the decisions made by the company on its business operations. In the same regard, these discussions will also be supported by theoretical works on branding and business along with consultation with recent studies regarding online businesses and the management of such organisations that use the internet as a platform for vending their goods and services.         II.   Brief Description of the Selected Company The company, AQCAPS.com, is a personal venture made by Cau Dee, a fashion enthusiast and entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. This is one of his many business ventures that deal with the apparel industry. This shows that the head of the company is rather commercially-inclined and possess some remarkable experience on business operations. However, this is merely his first time venturing in the online business marketing. The company concentrates on street fashion and accessories based on the current trends in the market. Specifically, AQCAPS.com intends to focus its attention on headgears and caps for both the male and female demographic. The major products includes traditional caps like flex fit caps, trucker caps, hats, army caps, and visors to name a few. The company founder and CEO do not have any issues on capital for operations and manufacturing as he has set aside a considerable amount to support the venture. Moreover,  is also in the process of closing deals with major brands from specific niches from Lacoste to Nike to provide the company the rights to distribute their headgears online. The website of the company will be launched in approximately six moths displaying the major products that the company sells. Basically, those in display are products that the company has manufactured themselves. Other distributors and other major brands have yet to be sold as the negotiations are not yet complete. In any case, the orders have been piling in since the company has launched its website. However, the response to the products has been below par as the Dee expected to meet his return of investments within a year. This report will attempt to help Dee and AQCAPS.com to meet his goal and increase the market share of the company. Thus, marketing and brand development initiatives will be presented in the following parts of the paper.           III. Justifications of the Brand Development Decisions The following discussions will present the segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategies of the company. In the same manner, the justifications on the decisions on employing these strategies will also be given.   A.  Segmentation  (2004) defined the segmentation activity as “the act of dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers.” This indicates the process have to deal with the general market and possible buyers of the products of AQCAPS.com. In looking at the market, it seems that it could be identified and considerably large to acquire some level of profit for the company. With the platform used by the company, i.e. the internet, the consumers could easily reach the company provided that they have ready access to the web. In the same manner, those who intend to purchase the products of the company are easily reached by the company given that an account will be made on their name. However, given that the company is rather new in the market, the potential consumers may yet display some responsiveness on the site of the company. B.  Targeting In the same account,  (2004) defined targeting as “the act of developing measures of segment attractiveness and selecting one or more market segments to enter.” The company is targeting the male and female demographic in the age brackets 12-19 and 20-25 who have access to the internet. These segments are targeted given that these individuals have more time to access the web and are more inclined to purchase head gears as a part of their fashion statement. Based on the market, there is no particularly strong competitor that holds most of the market share. However, there are a considerable number of sites that offer the same services and products as those offered by the company. Being an online company, the consumers are able to substitute the services and products forwarded by the company with those in malls and other specialty shops within their community. However, it must be emphasised that the designs, artworks, and quality of the products of the company are exclusively distributed by the company. This means that there is some equal footing in the context of power with the suppliers and buyers in the market.     C.  Positioning The act of positioning is characterised as “the act of designing a set of meaningful differences to distinguish the company's offer from competitors' offers.” (2004) Given that there is a considerable number of players in the industry and possible competitors in the web, the company has to position itself in terms of high quality items and well designed works along with a prompt service delivery. Along with these, the company will also attempt to sell the items in a slightly lower price as compared to its other competitors in the web.  On this manner, the consumers will be able to find more value for their money. On the same account, the company will be using marketing techniques such as word-of-mouth and product endorsements such that the public may become aware of the brand and products of the organisation. IV.Strategic Brand Management Theories Applied The strategic brand management theory used by the company is based on the models formulated by Kapferer, particularly the company uses his claims of brand identity prism. (1999) Specifically, a consideration of the external and internal elements will be applied in the issue of brand development of AQCAPS.com. In the context of the external elements, the “physique” of the product is represented in the distinct designs and the logo of the company discretely infused in the product. The “relationship” displayed by the product shows self-expression and fashion-worthiness on the part of the consumers. The “reflection” imposed by the product shows casual youthfulness and stylish expression of young adults. In the context of external elements, the “personality” the products of the company intend to display an impressive yet understated nature. The “culture” of the brand shows individualism and independence with a blithe consideration of the world. V.  Brand Design for the Company The brand design of the company tends to emulate the mission of AQCAPS.com: “to offer high quality merchandise to the public.” The platform of the website runs on a flash programme that highlights the interactivity and hip nature of the product.   Figure 1. AQCAPS.com Logo   The image above represents the logo of the company. It shows an outline of cap, particularly a military cap which is one of the key product designs of the company. Unlike the other brands in the market, the logo will be discreetly located in the product. This is because the designs of the caps and hats will be the distinguishing feature of the company’s major products.     VI.Brand Equity Management and Sustainability Brand equity is defined as “the differential consumer response from knowing the brand.” (2005) This means it is a measure on how the market is aware of the existence of the brand. Since the company is a new entrant in the market, it is important to initially build a considerably strong brand name. Since the company is online based, the company have to take the measures in making the site known to the web-surfing public. Using search engines like Google and Yahoo to increase the traffic to the site will be one of the major objectives of the brand equity management and sustainability of the organisation. The company will be developing keywords and other targeted doorway pages such that when web surfers key-in specific words, then the name of the site comes up within the top finds of the search engine. Other courses of action that the company could implement are by using webgroups and other newsgroups that are normally accessed by a set of people close to the profile of the target market. Advertising campaigns could also be used by the company. Possibilities could be available for the company in using banner ad space and other space from other top sites. However, the sustainability of the brand equity of the company still rests on the capability of the organisation to maintain the website and keep it from being unfriendly and un-interactive for the users. In the same way, the delivery of the products and the quality of the product themselves should also be ensured such that the company could build a strong set of core customers.     VII.       International Implications of the Brand Since the company is online-based, the international implications of being a global brand tend to become non-applicable to the company. (2003) However, one of the major drawbacks of operating on an international scale through the use of e-commerce is that the market tends to depend on the capability of the country’s infrastructure. A country with a less than capable infrastructure will essentially become part of the company’s loss. (2000) However, one must also realise that if the issue of infrastructure capability is concerned, major countries all over the world will be able to support any platform in the internet. (2000) This means that the company could access the market in major countries in Europe, United States, and the rest of the Asian Region. Thus, the site of the company should also be able to accommodate other nationalities who may not be able to understand English. The interface of the company should be able to allow the consumers to choose which language the site should use. Though it is highly likely that the target market will be able to understand Basic English, it would be a plus factor for AQCAPS.com if they offer interactions in Mandarin and French, to name a few, for their customers.      VIII.     The impact of the Internet on the brand development Given that the company is online based, there is a great possibility that the brand would encounter consumerist behaviour. (2000) This is because the platform used by the company tends to establish rather expanded brand equity and brand knowledge. (2000) This means that with the brand of used of the company along with the ability of the net to reach buyers from all over the globe, added value from the brand image and brand awareness is given to the products of AQCAPS.com. IX.        Co-branding and its impact the selected brand/company At this point, co-branding procedures may not be in the near future of the company. This does not mean that any possibility of co-branding is rather impossible. It only means that the company intends to build on its brand name first and establish a strong presence in the industry. Once these have taken effect, then the possibility of co-branding would be imminent.   X.  Critical Success Factors and the Endorsement and Extension Strategy A.  Critical Success Factors The critical success factors that the AQCAPS.com brand needs to achieve its mission includes customer satisfaction, quality, positive cash flow, and new customers. If company keeps a high quality of the products it markets, there is a high possibility that customer satisfaction may ensue. In the same line, these satisfied customers could make up the company’s core clients. This means that they could pose as a major source of income for the company which may essentially spell a positive cash flow. At the same time, aside from the nature of marketing adhered to by the company, there is the possibility that these core customers could refer other individuals to purchase the products offered by AQCAPS.com. Upon the completion of these critical success factors, the company is aware that it could sustain its survival in the industry.      B.  Endorsement         Strategy The company is also looking for celebrity endorsement to add value to the brand. Studies have indicated that the market responds positively on celebrity endorsements. (2001) However, it is also mentioned in the same study that appropriate choosing of a fitting celebrity should also be on the discretion of the company. For instance, the company intends to give free samples of the product, particularly the trendy military caps to famous bands both locally (Hong Kong) and internationally. Bands take on a lot of following as well as their taste in fashion and accessories. On a later stage of the company’s development, celebrity endorsements will be turned to actors and actresses in the local and the international scene. In the same way, the other designs of the company, particularly the closed fitted caps, will be issued to sports celebrities in the local level initially. However, it must be emphasised that the company will be focusing on web advertising as its primary means of building the name of the brand.         C.  Extension Strategy The possibility of brand extension for the company will possibly be in the future, but not in the immediate one. The company will only undertake such actions once the brand has successfully satisfied and even exceeded the critical success factors. Studies have shown that premature extension of brands shows a rather grim outcome from other organisations. (1998) In this manner, proper planning and building on the capabilities of the brand comes on the top of the priorities of the company. XI.        Coherence of argument The discussions above have established the intention of maintaining a rather competent and competitive brand management strategy among AQCAPS.com. The arguments above have established the capabilities of the company to put theory into application. This indicates coherence in such a way that the principles of brand management are seen as a complementary element to the actual operations of the company. Though the primary base of the organisation is online, the dynamics provided for the application of these theories and realisation of the organisational objectives tend to manifest itself as a conduit to make these possible for AQCAPS.com   XII.      Summary The company, AQCAPS.com, intends to implement the following actions to build and subsequently sustain the strength of their brand: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Targets the age brackets 12-19 and 20-25 who have access to the internet. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Its main differentiation will be the quality of the products and the price. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> The strategic brand management techniques are based on the brand identity prism of Kapferer. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> The company intends to sustain its brand though exploiting internet conduits like web groups and search engines and utilise web advertising through the use of banner ad space. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> The critical success factors of the company include customer satisfaction, quality, positive cash flow, and new customers.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Celebrity endorsement is secondary to actual web advertisement.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Brand extension will not be on the immediate future of the company.</li> </ul>

Strategic Branding Management

Brand Management Strategy of AQCAPS.com TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction .. 3 II. Backgroun...

Strategic Marketing Management

Brand Strategy of Sanrio   Introduction               In the world of business, competition between different brands is intense. And one of the biggest challenges is to be highly noticeable among others. According to (2006) having a strong brand strategy raises the knowledge of the consumers about a company and its products and services, in a way in which it establishes positive feelings and reactions towards the company.             In the Brand ID Framework, Brand Strategy is the first and foremost step any company must make. According to  (2005) Brand Strategy has two purposes, first is to know and comprehend the important aspects of the business of the company such as the marketplace and consumers. Second is to use the insights and understandings in order to outline the proper brand strategy. In addition he stated that it is the most crucial part of the framework because it is the foundation of the consecutive branding activities, it also seizes “brand chaos” and provides essential input in order line up the creative and management processes.             Brand Strategy has important elements, according to the (2003) these elements are targeting, values and proposition.  In targeting, the company must analyze which consumers provide the most value and therefore gains more profit for the company. In Values, in order to maximize the effects of the products upon consumers, it is important to examine the status of the usage of the products highlighting specifically the advantages the customers’ experience. And proposition, in which the company communicates to the consumers via customer service, availability and price.   Sanrio Co. Ltd.               According to the company’s history Sanrio is a distributor and designer of character-based stationary, gifts and school supplies. It was founded by Mr. Shintaro Tsuji in 1960; the company is based in Tokyo. ( 2006) The most popular character of Sanrio is Hello Kitty, it also has other popular characters such as The Little Twin Stars, My Melody, Kerropi, Tuxedo Sum, Cinnamonroll and many more. Aside from the characters created and marketed. It also ventured into movie production and publishing. The company also has Hello Kitty restaurants in Japan. Sanrio also has another company branch called Kokoro Company Ltd. That creates animatronics. And it also has two theme parks in Japan namely the Sanrio Puroland and Harmonyland. (2006)             There is a number of branding strategy used in different businesses; The Sanrio Co. Ltd. uses the House of Brands Strategy. According to  (2003) House of Brands is individual brand names are being used in marketing different products. Delta flow discusses that House of Brand Strategy allows the corporation to govern a product area by creating a successful brand that stands for just a single product. The company created different stationary characters that established its own brand such as Hello Kitty and Little Twin Stars. Each of the characters created by the Sanrio Co. Ltd. has established its own identity and brand among children as well as adults around the world. For over four decades Sanrio Co. Ltd. managed to be successful in creating a specific character and marketing it. Like in the case of Hello Kitty, the corporation developed the character and it became one of the most popular characters in the whole world, aside from stationeries, the hello kitty brand has its own line of bags, accessories, apparels, toys, movies and even restaurants. The company established the Hello Kitty brand successfully around the world.             Aside from Hello Kitty, the Sanrio Co. Ltd. also created new brand of characters such as the Little Twin Stars, Kerropi and Cinnamonroll which also established a brand name for each. Every character that Sanrio created also has a line of bags, accessories and apparels and is also marketed separately. That is why in a Sanrio Store, as well as their website the company sells bags, clothes, apparels and even appliances under the different characters or brands that Sanrio had developed over the past years.             The company was able to dominate the Japanese character-based products by creating different characters to rival the established ones such as Hello Kitty. The company is also reaping the advantages of employing the House of Brand Strategy, and one of those is the sales of other characters wasn’t affected an example is when the rights of the baby unicorn character named Unico was shifted to the own company of the creator, the animated movie in which Unico starred together with other Sanrio characters still managed to be sold and marketed.  Moreover, the sales of one of the characters do not have an effect on the sales of others. The company is very successful in using the House Brand Strategy. They established not just one characters but a number of characters having their own specific brands and labels. And the company is so successful; they created two theme parks in Japan based on the different Sanrio characters.             Although the strategy has done great advantages in the company, it also has slight disadvantages. As mentioned earlier, marketing of each brand takes a great amount of time, money and effort. With a wide range of characters of Sanrio, the company was not able to market the other characters as mush as Hello Kitty, take for instance the characters Kerropi and Tuxedo Sum, the shelf space for these two characters are not as big as Hello Kitty and Cinnamonroll. There are fewer bags, accessories and apparels being marketed under these two brands. In other countries consumers are not even familiar with these two characters.             The marketing strategy for these two characters is not as aggressive as that of Hello Kitty. Older characters that did not generate that much profit are often removed to pave way to new characters. The greatest challenge for Sanrio is to established success for all their characters and will be able to reach the pinnacle of success that their most popular brand Hello Kitty has achieved and is still holding on.                In an interview conducted by  (2003) with Donna Suzuki the product designer of Sanrio, San Francisco, the designer described the company’s mascot Hello Kitty as timeless, which is a huge factor why the company is so successful around the world. She said that “the kids that loved her as kids are now adults and the love for her is still in their hearts. As they become mothers they introduce their little ones to Hello Kitty and the cycle begins again.” And because of that strength the company was able to create a house of brands that transcend for decades. Aside from a timeless character, strength of the company is they create their designs depending on the season and the product that sells. The company considers a lot of factors before releasing a design for a product, that is the reason their products are such a hit in the market. Furthermore,  (2005) discussed that the cute appearance of Hello Kitty has led to the success of Sanrio all over the world. In marketing a product which targets young girls having a cute mascot to represent the company, just like in the case of Hello Kitty, is one of the most significant steps in order to expand globally, and in the case of Sanrio’s characters have proven to be successful.             Aside from the House of Brand that the Sanrio Co. Ltd has employed, it also uses the mixed branding strategy. In which defined as a combination of corporate and House brands according to . In addition  (2003) defined it as a strategy in which a company markets goods and services under its own name and that of a reseller catering to different consumers. Sanrio just established another company named Kokoro Company Ltd. and in this company they focus on creating humanoid robots. One of the advantages that Sanrio Co. Ltd. gets from the Kokoro Company Ltd. is the corporation was able to a develop product that deviates from their usual products Sanrio has been creating, marketing and selling. The company targets a new type of consumers which are robotic fans. And since the Sanrio Company has already established itself on the market, the new product will most likely be successful. However, since it is a totally different product, the Sanrio Co. Ltd. will have to prove their capabilities regarding animatronics. And because the Kokoro Company Ltd. ventured into a burgeoning product, it needs a lot of development and research before the product will be established in the market. But if the company managed to be successful they will become one of the pioneers in animatronics and will become as successful as Sanrio in the coming years.             Apart from the creation Kokoro Co. Ltd. the Sanrio Co. Ltd. could also create another stationary company, but this time it targets an older audience. In this company they will create stationeries, bags, apparels and accessories without childish characters such as Hello Kitty. The products will be more sophisticated than that of Sanrio and the colors of the products will be in neutral such as white, khakis, grays and black. This company will obtain great benefits from Sanrio since the creators and marketers behind the successful Sanrio brands will be the ones creating the new products for the company. And since Sanrio is already a household name all over the world the consumers will be assured that the quality will be the same as that of Sanrio products. However, the disadvantage is an aggressive marketing must be made in order to make the company visible to the consumers; it will take a big amount of money and time, especially in establishing shops all over the world. And the biggest challenge for the new company is to deviate as much as possible in the image of Sanrio via creating sophisticated products.             As mentioned earlier by  regarding the company’s strengths which is having a timeless character, and consideration on a number of factors before releasing a design. Creating a timeless character would also be the new company’s weakness; the company would need a big catching up to do to even reach the status of Hello Kitty. The new character would most likely be shadowed by Hello Kitty’s image that would lead to the downfall of the new company. Moreover, designers in the new company need to create cute characters that will pass beyond the limit of age and gender.       The Sanrio Co. Ltd. can use the Corporate Branding Strategy,  defined Corporate Branding as a strategy in which the corporate name is dominant in all products. Moreover  (2006) defined it as using a single brand name in all the company’s products. The company can use it, especially when the company will be setting-up a product under the name Sanrio without creating new characters. The advantages that it will get are since the consumers are already loyal to the products of Sanrio the new product will be easily marketed and sold, the time consumed in establishing and marketing the product will be reduced. Still there are disadvantages like when the products of Sanrio did not meet the expectations of the consumers, the image of the company will be clouded. And the customers will have doubts on the subsequent products the company will launch under the corporation’s name. An example of the situation is when the company launched a new product under the name Sanrio without the characters such as Hello Kitty, the benefits will be the time to market will be lessen because it is already established, but when the consumers are not satisfied with the designs and overall appearance of the products, the subsequent products will not be successful and the consumers will have doubts in the ability of the company to provide products that meets their expectations. The strength of the company that can be of big advantage is, like mentioned earlier, a huge consideration on factors that will affect the designs. Because of profound study and reviews on the season’s trends, the company will definitely create a line that will have a huge impact on the consumers. The weaknesses would be the other strengths of the other brand strategies such as creating a timeless product and a cute character that everyone would appreciate and will go beyond time. Development of a timeless product is very difficult especially nowadays wherein competition for global market is fierce, it would certainly be a weakness especially if the consumers are having high expectations and the company did not meet it, moreover, cuteness of cartoon character changes overtime, a cute character during this decade may not be on the next. Creating a cute and timeless character is a huge challenge if the company is going to use a corporate strategy knowing that they have already established a range of characters that all people around the world loves. On the other hand, if they become successful, the gains of the company will be truly fruitful.              The different brand strategies can be incorporated by the Sanrio Co. Ltd. especially if they are launching new brand of characters and if they are planning to venture into other products and services. The brand strategies discussed could be a very efficient strategy in boosting the sales and identity of a particular corporation or brand, the companies must understand the advantages and if not eliminate reduce the disadvantages of every strategy.

Strategic Marketing Management

Brand Strategy of Sanrio Introduction In the world of business, competition between different brands is intense. ...

Branding and Marketing: Pig’s Trotter in Sweet Vinegar

Branding and Marketing: Pig’s Trotter in Sweet Vinegar Introduction             Hong Kong is one of the Asian nations that have been a melting pot for both Eastern and Western influences. As part of Asia, Hong Kong is able to preserve its traditions established from the Chinese history of a thousand years. The Western influences in the country on the other hand, were derived from the time when Hong Kong was under the British colony. With the country’s adaptability for these two distinct cultures, Hong Kong is a home of rich international influences that cannot be experienced anywhere else. One of the cultural aspects that were greatly influenced by these combined cultures is Hong Kong’s cuisines. The availability of both Western and Eastern food ingredients, the people of Hong Kong have access to diverse dishes. Some of the known dishes in the country were in fact products of culinary experimentation and combination of new and traditional cooking techniques.               As an Asian and Chinese country, tradition in Hong Kong is an important aspect of living. Moreover, tradition is the representation of a country’s cultural framework; it portrays the origins of the nation. It is unfortunate however, that over the years, people themselves have been disinterested with the traditional cooking and foods of Hong Kong. There are a number of factors that contributed to this transition. For instance, the people of Hong Kong are becoming more and more focused on their work and profession; typically, they have less time to allot for Chinese home-cooking. This in turn, amplified the interest and preference of the Hong Kong citizens for easy-to-prepare or instant meals.   In addition, due to globalization, imported food items can easily enter the food industry. Without the use of effective marketing strategy, local food ingredients for genuine traditional cuisines are commonly overtaken by attractive international food items. This cultural trend then suggest that something must be done in order to restore the people’s faith and interest for traditional foods of Hong Kong so as to prevent their total disappearance from the Chinese community.               The Chinese in general has been recognized for their unusual culinary preference and food choices. Ingredients that are not typically eaten in other cultures or perhaps considered food taboo in other nations are served in most Chinese restaurants or homes. Pig’s trotter or pig’s feet is among these food items. Served using various cooking methods along with several ingredients, pig’s trotter has been part of Chinese dishes and is known for its various health benefits. However, being a traditional food, people in Hong Kong have gradually lost their interest on serving and eating this delicacy. Moreover, the competition level in the foot industry limits the chance for traditional Chinese foods to stand out in the market. This research report then aims to identify ways to increase the marketing appeal of pig’s trotter in sweet vinegar among middle class consumers through branding and packaging enhancements. This in turn will not only revive the locals’ interest and patronization for traditional foods but can also serve as an important mean for enhancing Hong Kong’s tourism industry.   The Product: Pig’s Trotters in Sweet Vinegar             According to Yantai Xiwang Food (2006), pig’s trotters are considered by nutritionists as a healthy food item due to its nutritional content. In particular, pig’s feet contain only a small amount of carbohydrates and fat with a significant quantity of collagen. The presence of inadequate collagen in the body can result to a condition known as collagenosis disease, a health problem characterized by weak metabolism. This condition can also affect older people as it reduces the cellular plasticity of the body’s organs, skin and mucous membrane. The lack of plasticity then hastens senility among the elderly. Old individuals can then eat pig’s trotters so as to delay the stages of senility as well as to speed up metabolism. As a protein source, there are a total of 11 amino acids in pig’s trotter including arginine, cistine and aspartic acid. Vitamins and mineral such as vitamin A, B, C, iron, calcium and phosphorous are some of the valuable nutritional elements of pig’s trotters.               Preparing pig’s trotters in sweet vinegar is one of the popular traditional foods in Hong Kong. This culinary tradition can be traced back to historical Chinese culture and has been well-known due to its distinctive characteristics and taste. The sweet vinegar in the dish not only adds to the flavor of this traditional dish but also effectively acts as a preservative. Aside from the fact that it is easy to prepare, the presence of a preserving ingredient allows a long product shelf life. Furthermore, its taste remains unchanged when frozen then thawed. The recipe itself has been identified by scientific researches as beneficial for women during their recovery after giving birth. Specifically, the results of the studies showed that mothers who have eaten pig’s trotters in sweet vinegar had recovered faster than those who did not.   During and after pregnancy a condition known as peripheral edema, characterized by swelling due to the accumulation of fluids in the legs and feet, is typically encountered. The tradition of eating pig’s trotters is said to be a helpful remedy for peripheral edema due to its collagen content. Eating pig’s trotter is considered a common dietary practice among Hong Kong Chinese women during the postpartum stage due to the food’s iron and calcium content (2000).               The use of sweet vinegar adds to the health benefits of this traditional Chinese food. In particular the vinegar helps in making the body absorb the dish’s calcium content easier. Aside from this, elements that fight against heart attack and cancer are also found in sweet vinegar. Other ingredients used in the food’s preparation also provide significant health advantages. The ginger for example, contains vitamin C and is helpful for making wounds from delivery heal faster. Eggs on the other hand, are good sources of protein. The ease of preparing this traditional Chinese food item as well as the nutritional benefits it provides are some of the product\s distinct features that could attract both local and foreign markets.   Aims             In order to market this traditional food product, it is essential that effective marketing strategies are utilized. It is then the aim of this research report to develop a marketing plan that will successfully launch pig’s trotters in sweet vinegar to the Hong Kong middle class consumers. Specifically, focus will be on the improvement of the product’s brand name under the Pat Chun company. Pat Chun was established by  in 1932 at a young of 20. Pat Chun literally means eight delicious dishes worthy of the Emperor and initially began as a grocery store in Mongkok ( 2006).   The income gained from the store was supported by the founder’s home-brewed soy sauce and sweetened vinegar using fine and fresh ingredients. The brewing skills of Mr. Ng were derived from his father’s skills as a chef. Eventually, the quality taste of Pat Chun’s soy sauce and sweetened vinegar gained a following. Mr. Ng expected the economic boom after the Second World War; hence, Pat Chun’s product lines grew as a Mongkok warehouse-factory began manufacturing bean sauce and pickled ginger (2006). The products of the manufacturer grew further as the company’s products now include oils, spices and various food products preserved by vinegar.   In order to make the product stand out in the food industry, it is also the objective of the research to improve the packaging of the product. This in turn will be done by identifying some distinct packaging features used by Kee Wah Bakery. It was 1983 when Kee Wah Bakery was established by Wong Yip Wing. Mooncakes and Chinese bridal cakes were the company’s signature food products. Aside from its well-known goods, the bakery also modern bakery system called as the self-serve system where customers can pick the pastries of their choice.   The market of the company has increased within a short span of time as it opened its first branch in the United States. This was soon followed by two more branches. Eventually, the company also offered specialty cakes for certain occasions like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day and birthday. Ease of ordering cakes through the internet is also one of the features of the company; in addition, the presentation of the pastries and their special packaging make the products even more appealing to the consumers.   Branding and Packaging             It has been mentioned earlier that in order to revive the interest of the locals and foreigners to traditional Chinese foods, the branding and packaging of the product pig’s trotters in sweetened vinegar must be planned and developed. Prioritizing these two main concepts will greatly enhancing the marketing factor of the product, which will improve the food products chances of reaching to the markets’ interest. A brand is a named version of a given product or service. Findings from a survey of 101 companies revealed that brand names are crucial to the success of new products (1997).   Brand names help identify the product and brands take on their own meaning and presence because they embody a rich configuration of symbols and meaning. A good brand name should appeal to its customers, be memorable, as well as offer a distinctive image which separates it from competing products. As Pat Chun is a known company for its quality food items, using its sweetened vinegar brand on the pig’s trotter product will be a good branding technique; as Pat Chun vinegars are known for their quality, using them for the pig’s trotter recipe will also indicate quality in the new product.   A well-established brand provides instant name recognition and respect from customers. Consumers specifically identify with brands and use them for self-expression (2002). Brands make statements to other people. They are a short-hand communication of what the makers are. Certain brands create a link with other users: owners talk to one another, compliment one another on their good taste and feel validated in their choices. They create social acceptance and instant mutual recognition ( 2002). These make the creation and development of a brand important for successful product promotion and marketing.   Another technique that the pig’s trotter product can take is the emotional branding strategy. It was discussed that pig’s trotter in sweetened vinegar provides a number of nutritional and health benefits; a product that is both good in the consumers’ taste and health should be used as a promotional tagline for the pig’s trotters. One of distinct characteristics of an emotional brand is that consumers care and trust these brands. As the pig’s trotters in sweetened product suggest tradition and good health, this then creates a certain appeal to the local and foreign consumers. Emotional brand is developed through a well-defined internal culture. Furthermore, such brands reflect unique visions and are communicated clearly through verbal, visual and sensory means (2003).   The emotional brand technique can be used for the pig’s trotters products due to the ideals attached to it. Specifically, this new product is being introduced in order to revive valuable Chinese food traditions. Moreover, the attachment of the food item to various health benefits is an effective way of marketing the product, especially to health-conscious consumers. With a brand that aims to promote Chinese food culture, protect the consumers’ health and satisfy the buyers’ culinary cravings, pig’s trotters in sweetened vinegar can then elicit a powerful emotional brand that could be supported by several eager consumers.   Aside from the creation of a powerful brand, the packaging of the product must also be developed. The products of Pat Chun are generally distributed in clear bottles with red bottle caps and yellow or red product labels; larger bottles are made with easy-to-carry red handles. The colors used for the packaging are typical Chinese festive colors. The use of clear bottles for the food products is also a good characteristic as this will assure consumers of the quality of the preserved goods and condiments. Nonetheless, other similar Chinese products are also distributed in similar packaging features. The shape of the bottles and the color of the labels have similarities that it will be difficult for consumers to determine the difference of a new product from rivals. Moreover, the packaging used by Pat Chun suggests that the products are for home use only; as the pig’s trotters in sweetened vinegar is developed for the purpose of promoting culture and tradition, the package itself must speak this purpose.   In order to identify the necessary changes, the packaging of Kee Wah Bakery may be taken into account. Kee Wah is a company that promotes Chinese food tradition as it produces Chinese cakes and mooncakes; to become more appealing, the company uses colorful boxes for the products’ packaging. Gold ribbons on red mooncake boxes do not only speak of Chinese tradition but also of festivities, richness and good fortune. Tin cans shapes in boxes or containers with handles are also used for packaging the mooncakes ( 2004). With this attractive packaging, products made by Kee Wah suggest that they are not only food for individual purchases but also as gift items; it is as if the beautiful packaging suggests that the cakes and the Chinese tradition are best shared with others.   Packaging is an important aspect of product manufacturing, particularly in distributing these products to the market. In food and grocery supplies, packaging is significant as it protects them from contamination and other relevant hazards. This in turn allows longer product shelf life. Aside from protecting the product itself, packaging is also significant in marketing the product. Previous consumer studies that packaging does help in making products more attractive to specific targets. Over the years, packaging means had evolved considerably; from plain packs to new materials with colourful designs, methods of packaging have indeed adopted the power of innovation and technology. This trend should then be maximized by the pig’s trotter product in order to stand out from others.   In order to enhance the packaging for the pig’s trotters, it is probably best to incorporate Chinese tradition colors with those that suggest good health. For instance, red, white and gold may be use as the main color combinations for the product label and bottle caps. Rather than place the product on plain clear bottles, the product may be packaged on clear bottles with abaca or net cover tied with red and gold twine. The twine may either hold a gift card or a small tag containing the product’s health benefits. A distinct bottle shape may also be used instead of using the same bottles for pickled goods. By doing these modifications, consumers can easily identify the product from other similar looking goods. Moreover, adding a special touch to the packaging makes the product a good gift item; the packaging also suggest that the company took intricate care in making the product look satisfactory for the consumers’ tastes.   Plan             In order to successfully introduce pig’s trotter in sweetened vinegar a marketing plan must be developed along with the branding and packaging strategies mentioned. In this section, the different marketing media and strategies to be used for the product launch are described.   Print Media             So as to promote the pig’s trotters in sweetened vinegar print media will be used. Specifically, printed posted will be displayed on areas where the intended markets, the middle-class consumers, are usually found. These include terminals, large plazas and retail stores. Leaflets for individual distribution are also part of this marketing form. This can be given during the demos or by volunteers who will distribute them to passers by.   Free Taste Promotions and Demos             As the product will be distributed through retailers, letting the potential buyers taste the product for free can be a good marketing activity. This will basically give the consumers the idea how good the product taste. Demos can also be conducted in some major retail stores to market the product. In these demos, ways on how the product can be served or used for other dishes can be done. This in turn will promote the versatility of the product. Promoting the health benefits of the product as well as its cultural relevance in these demos can also be a good way of supporting the purpose of the product launch; this can also increase the product’s appeal to the consumers. The demos can also promote the product as a good gift idea on special occasions and Chinese holidays.   Conclusion             The preservation of the Chinese food tradition is as important as the continuous observation of other Chinese cultural aspects. Though the food preferences of the Hong Kong consumers are continuously changing over time, producers must develop ways on how these preferences can be integrated to produce improved traditional foods. In this research report, pig’s trotters have been identified as a traditional Chinese food item, which can be revived successfully among the local and foreign consumers through effective branding and packaging. In the report, it has been explained that both branding and packaging are important marketing concepts as they serve as a communication channel between the manufacturer and the consumers. In order to promote the health advantage and traditional value of the product, it has been cited that the use of Pat Chun sweetened vinegar can be an effective brand support to promote the quality of the product. Using the emotional branding technique, the producers can develop the pig’s trotters as a product that is not only for the consumers’ taste but to their health as well.               In order to enhance the packaging of the product, the aim is to make the packaging features of the pig’s trotters represent both Chinese cultural traditions and healthy characteristics. Thus, for the color of the labels and bottle caps it has been suggested that red, white and gold will be used. To adapt the packaging strategy of Kee Wah Bakery and to increase the product’s appeal to the middle class consumers as a gift and take home product, abaca netting with red and gold twine can be used. A gift card or a small booklet discussing the product’s health benefits can be included in the packaging to make the product stand out even more.               From this research, it has been clearly explained how the preservation of ones traditions and culture can be of value to a nation and its people. Most importantly, it has also been stressed how effective marketing techniques can be used so as to revive an important aspect of the Chinese culture.

Branding and Marketing: Pig’s Trotter in Sweet Vinegar

Branding and Marketing: Pig’s Trotter in Sweet Vinegar Introduction Hong Kong is one of the Asian nations that have been...