MOST Analysis

Mission Statement

Brands are strategic assets that provide a company with a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. When thoughtfully constructed and consistently activated, strong brands enable an organization to drive short-term business performance (e.g., revenue, market share, profitability), while simultaneously building long-term, sustainable equity for the brand. The mission of this workshop is to lay the foundation for building a superior brand strategy—a strategy which will be implemented throughout the remainder of the Brand Leadership program.

To accomplish this mission, we first need to develop a deep understanding of what a brand is (and is not) and the different types of brands and levels within the organization they exist. It is also important to understand the history of brands, and how the process of managing them has evolved over the years to accommodate changing social, commercial, and technological trends. Perhaps most critical is to understand why brands are so vital to an organization (i.e., they have economic value), and what factors and characteristics tend to translate into superior brand value.

With this foundational understanding in place, we will assess the current state of brand strategy in your organization. This includes introducing the topic of brand architecture (the relationship brands within a portfolio have with one another), along with defining the important nuances that exist between corporate brands and product brands. Finally, we will demonstrate how brand strategy needs to be inextricably linked to the business strategy it is intended to serve. This entails clearly articulating your business strategy and assessing the extent to which your brand currently helps to deliver it.

By the end of this workshop, you will have a solid understanding of the most important concepts related to brand leadership, and how to apply them to your organization.

---

Objectives

01. To provide a historical overview of the evolution of branding.
02. To define what it means to be a brand, and how it’s much more than merely a name.
03. To demonstrate why brands are so economically valuable to a company.
04. To introduce the duality of the Brand Ecosystem—strategy and execution.
05. To explain different types of brands and how branding works at different levels.
06. To demonstrate the importance of corporate brand, and its role within the portfolio.
07. To demonstrate role of a product brand, and how it differs from a corporate brand.
08. To introduce the key components and best practices of brand architecture.
09. To define the concept of market, and the important role it plays in defining brands.
10. To demonstrate the critical link between business strategy and brand strategy.
11. To assess current brand strategy, and how it aligns with business strategy.
12. To catalog existing information for future program use, and identify gaps to be filled.

---

Strategies

01. Illustrate how the concept of branding was born, and how it has evolved over time.
02. Provide several definitions for brand that are common in the marketplace today.
03. Explain the concepts of brand value and brand valuation.
04. Demonstrate inter-relationship between various components of Brand Ecosystem.
05. Introduce the notion of brand hierarchy and types.
06. Illustrate the role of the corporate brand within the portfolio.
07. Illustrate the role of product brands within the portfolio.
08. Explain brand architecture, and best practices for implementing it.
09. Demonstrate the relationship between categories, segments, and brands.
10. Introduce, explain, and illustrate the seven key components of business strategy.
11. Assess current brand strategy and whether it aligns with business strategy.
12. Determine what knowledge exists internally; what new information is needed.

---

Tasks

01. Agree on project team members and their roles throughout the program.
02. Adopt a definition of brand that works for your organization.
03. Qualitatively evaluate the extent to which your brand has economic value.
04. Document the existence (or absence) of various Brand Ecosystem components.
05. Provide real-world examples of brand levels and brand types.
06. Articulate strengths and potential shortcomings of your corporate brand.
07. Articulate strengths and potential shortcomings of your product brand (if applicable).
08. Determine brand architecture; relationships (if any) between portfolio brands.
09. Complete the market framework tool: categories, segments and geographies.
10. Complete the 7-part business strategy framework for your organization.
11. Complete the brand strategy assessment framework for your brand.
12. Catalogue existing useful data sources/information; identify knowledge gaps.

---

Introduction

Welcome to the Brand Leadership program, and more specifically, to the Strategic Foundation workshop. Today marks the beginning of a comprehensive exploration into the world of branding, starting from its very origins and evolving into the modern, intricate landscape that brands inhabit today. This workshop is the first of twelve in the Brand Leadership program, and by the end, you will have established a strong conceptual framework for understanding brands—what they are, how they work, and how they can be leveraged to drive long-term business success in your organization.

Branding is a journey that involves not just the marketing department but the entire organization. It is deeply tied to the company’s purpose, identity, and relationship with its customers. Throughout today’s workshop, we will uncover the fundamental principles of branding, from its historical roots to its diverse applications in the modern world. Whether your brand exists within the realm of products, services, or even corporate identity, today’s session will provide you with the knowledge and practical tools to manage your brand effectively in a fast-paced, ever-evolving business environment.

Today, we will dive into twelve carefully crafted course modules; each one explores a key element of branding, from its definition and value to market articulation and brand architecture. Our goal is not just to educate, but to inspire. You’ll leave this workshop with a deeper understanding of how brands shape the world around us and, more importantly, how you can shape your brand to drive competitive advantage.

The History of Branding: A Journey Through Time

To understand where we are with branding today, we must first look back at its origins. Branding, though often thought of as a modern concept, has its roots deeply embedded in ancient history. Thousands of years ago, artisans, merchants, and tradespeople in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece used symbols to mark their goods and products. These marks weren’t just about identification; they conveyed quality, trust, and ownership. Early consumers—whether they were purchasing grain, pottery, or textiles—would look for these marks as indicators of authenticity and value.

Fast forward a few millennia to medieval Europe, where guilds began standardizing goods through the use of symbolic identifiers. These guilds guaranteed a level of quality, and their marks became synonymous with trust and craftsmanship. This was an early form of what we now consider to be brand equity, where a symbol carried an intrinsic value that could influence a buyer’s decision.

As the world entered the industrial age, branding took on new dimensions. With the mass production of goods, businesses needed to differentiate their products in increasingly crowded markets. Companies like Procter & Gamble, Quaker Oats, and Heinz were some of the first to use branding to create national identities for their products. They didn’t just sell soap, oats, or ketchup—they sold trust, tradition, and consistency. These early pioneers understood that branding was not just about the product itself, but about creating an emotional connection with the consumer.

In the 20th century, branding evolved further as mass media—first radio, then television—gave companies unprecedented access to consumers. Advertising became a powerful tool for shaping brand identities and building consumer loyalty. Iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Ford, and General Electric capitalized on this, creating slogans, jingles, and characters that became deeply ingrained in popular culture. Branding was no longer just a business tactic; it had become a cultural force, capable of shaping consumer habits, preferences, and even societal values.

Today, branding has entered the digital age, where social media, e-commerce, and big data have fundamentally transformed the way brands interact with their audiences. Brands are now omnipresent, communicating with consumers across multiple platforms and touchpoints in real time. The rise of personalization, influencer marketing, and digital storytelling has added new layers of complexity to branding, making it more interactive and participatory than ever before. Consumers now expect brands to be authentic, transparent, and responsive, and brands must navigate this dynamic environment with agility and purpose.

This historical overview provides a foundational context for understanding the modern world of branding. By recognizing how branding has evolved, you will gain insights into the enduring principles that continue to drive successful brands today. During this workshop, we will build on this history to explore the specific elements that make branding such a powerful business function.

What is a Brand? Unpacking the Definition

Having explored the roots of branding, we can now turn to a more practical and contemporary question: What exactly is a brand? While this may seem straightforward, it’s a deceptively complex question. A brand is far more than a logo, tagline, or product; it is the sum-total of a company’s identity, its values, and the experiences it offers to its customers. A brand exists both as a tangible asset—something that can be seen and touched—and as an intangible force that lives in the minds of consumers.

In its simplest form, a brand is an identifier. It helps consumers distinguish one product (or company) from another. But in today’s world, branding goes far beyond identification. A brand represents a promise to the customer—whether that’s a promise of quality, innovation, reliability, or value. It is a set of expectations that shapes how consumers perceive and interact with a company. Brands like Apple, Nike, and Tesla don’t just sell products; they sell experiences, lifestyles, and ideals.

The emotional component of branding is critical. Consumers form emotional connections with brands that resonate with their personal values and beliefs. This is why branding is so powerful—because it taps into the human psyche. When a consumer chooses Starbucks over a local coffee shop or buys an iPhone instead of an Android, they are making more than a functional decision; they are making an emotional and symbolic choice that reflects their identity and aspirations.

This first workshop will dive deep into the different facets of branding. In it, we will explore how brands are defined by their visual identity (such as logos and colors), their verbal identity (including messaging and tone of voice), and their emotional identity (the feelings and associations they evoke in consumers). You will develop a clear understanding of how to define your brand in ways that go beyond the surface and create meaningful connections with your audience.

The Value of Brands: Measuring Both Financial and Emotional Impact

Why do some companies command higher price points, greater customer loyalty, and stronger market positions than others? The answer often lies in the strength of their brands. Brands are among the most valuable assets a company can have, and understanding how to measure and grow that value is essential for any brand leader.

Brand valuation refers to the process of estimating the monetary value of a brand as an intangible asset. An intangible asset is one that does not have a physical presence but contributes to a compa