Innovation and Organizational Success

TARGET AUDIENCE:

• New Product Development Managers
• New Business Development Managers
• Customer Service Managers
• Chief Marketing Officers (CMO)
• Marketing Directors
• Marketing Managers
• Head, Marketing, Marketing Services
• Brand Managers
• Product Managers
• Marketing Officers/Executives
• Advertising Agency Account Executives

WORKSHOP OUTLINE:

• The Importance of Innovation
• New Business Idea Sources

o   Address emerging customer needs

o   Expand business definition

o   Apply new technologies

o   Exploit expanded brand identity

o   Target new customer groups

o   And many more…

• Environmental Scanning
• Future Studies
• 77% of All Product Innovations Come From Product Users

o   10 ways to solicit new product ideas from customers

• Igniting Ideation

o   Ground rules

o   Creating the proper environment

o   Ideation techniques (we will learn about each of these techniques and practice a few of them)

Mind Mapping

Guided Imagery

Stick ‘em Up

Idea Hooks

Image Ideation

Brain Writing

Brain Walking

The Worst Idea

Alter Ego

Problem Solved Role Playing

Forced Connections

o   Creativity exercises

We will explore numerous  creativity exercises

• Concept Development Process – The Funnel

o   Develop concept

o   Screen concept

o   Talk with potential customers about concept

o   Revise concept

o   Screen ad form concept

o   Develop business plan

Volumetric forecasting

Pro forma financial statements

o   Prototype concept

o   Test market concept

o   Launch new product/service/business

• Brand Extension

o   Brand extension benefits

o   Brand extension process – an overview

Developing the brand association map

o   Successful brand extensions – numerous examples

o   Brand extension pitfalls

o   Brand extension blunders – numerous examples

o   Successful brand extensions? (a fun quiz)

• The Importance of Action Bias

o   Continuous experimentation

• The Importance of Diverse Networks
• The Importance of Broad Exposure

o   Reading

o   Travel

o   And more…

• KAI and Other Measures of Innovation Style
• Most Common New Idea Attacks and How to Overcome Them

o   20+ different types of attacks

• Maintaining An Innovation-Friendly Environment
• Leaderships Styles for Innovation

This two-day innovation workshop will equip you with the knowledge, tools and techniques to innovate for success in your organization. While many concepts will be presented in the workshop, the emphasis is on practical tools and techniques. Numerous examples across many industries and product categories will be cited to reinforce specific concepts. Team exercises are interspersed throughout the day on each of the two days. Handouts will include quick reference sheets, templates and checklists.

Abbott, Darden Restaurants, Unilever and Wyndham Worldwide are some of the organizations that have chosen The Blake Project to help build an advantage for their marketers.

Need to increase your organizations marketing capacity? We can help.

Contact us here.

The Blake Project Can Help: Accelerate Brand Growth Through Powerful Emotional Connections

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers

This master-branding seminar will help you know how to design, build and leverage strong brands over time. While many concepts will be presented in the seminar, the emphasis is on practical tools and techniques. Numerous brand examples across many industries and product categories will be cited to reinforce specific concepts. Team exercises are interspersed throughout the day on each of the three days. Handouts will include templates and checklists.

The seminar is offered world-wide and led by experts from The Blake Project.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Valuable to all those working in various marketing-related functions, including:

Chief Marketing Officers (CMO)

Marketing Directors

Marketing Managers

Head, Marketing, Marketing Services

Brand Managers

Product Managers

Marketing Officers/Executives

Finance Managers

Sales Managers

Advertising Agency Account Executives

PR Professionals

DAY 1, Part 1

Introduction

Why strong brands are critical to business success?

Decrease price sensitivity.

Increase customer loyalty.

Increase bargaining power for manufacturers and retailers.

Enable independence from a specific product.

And much more…

Brand leadership 

What is it?

What are the measures of brand leadership?

The five drivers of customer brand insistence

Awareness

Relevant Differentiation

Value

Accessibility

Emotional Connection

Numerous examples of each

How these five drivers work together to move customers from brand awareness to preference to purchase to loyalty

Brand Equity Measurement 

Ten key measures

Including loyalty (attitudinal and behavioral measures)

Part 2

The brand management process 

Steps

Roles of the brand manager

Using brand research to develop, strengthen and leverage the brand

Types of brand research by brand management function

Brand positioning

Brand identity

Brand extension

Ongoing brand management

Brand advertising
Part 3

Positioning the brand to win 

Defining target markets

Multiple approaches to segmentation

Defining brand essence (the “heart & soul” of the brand)

Brand essence exercise

Identifying compelling customer benefits 

Functional

Emotional

Experiential

Self-expressive

Crafting the brand promise

Creating “category of one” brands

Choosing a preemptive competitive “frame of reference”

“Category of One” case studies (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Strong National Museum of Play)

Identifying brand promise proof points and “reasons to believe”

The most important sources of brand differentiation

Self-image reinforcement

Values alignment

Unique purchase or usage experience

And much more…

Differentiating commodities

Proven ways to differentiate commodities

Differentiating a commodity exercise

DAY 2, Part 4

Reinforcing the brand promise at each point of customer contact

Customer touch point design

Pre-purchase, point-of-purchase, immediate post-purchase, during product usage and ongoing touchpoints

Generic strategies and tactics for each phase

Ideation techniques

Identifying current touch points

Creating new touch points

Customer touchpoint design exercise 

Brand loyalty building tools and techniques

Events

Membership organizations

Advisory boards

And many tools and techniques

Part 5

Inside-out branding – aligning the organization in support of the brand

Strategies for transforming employees into brand advocates

Securing top management support

Securing employee support through

Hiring criteria

Education

Communication

Objectives

Rewards and recognition

Tools and techniques for each of these

Applying these concepts to the seminar participants’ brands and companies

Managing the brand’s identity

What leads to a strong brand identity?

Brand architecture and naming

Brand identity standards and system

Organizational control mechanisms

Online asset management systems

Brand identity exercise

DAY 3, Part 6

Brand extension

Brand extension benefits

Successful brand extensions (Jell-o, Ivory, Woolite and more…)

Brand extension blunders (New Coke and many more…)

Brand extension process

Brand extension research

Concept development and testing

Volumetric forecasting

Market testing

Global brand management issues and considerations

Global branding considerations

Common global branding problems

Global branding measures

Part 7

Research revisited

Qualitative research techniques

Laddering, guided imagery and projective research techniques

Projective research technique exercise

Research methodologies

Conjoint analysis, electronic real time (ERT) research and dozens more

Scaling

Market segmentation

Different approaches to market segmentation

Cluster analysis

Factor analysis

Cross-tabulation

Regression analysis

Part 8

“Out of the box” marketing techniques that really work

Dozens of techniques covered as a game

Part 9

33 common brand problems and their resolution

The cumulative result of gradually and incrementally decreasing product or service quality to reduce costs

Frequently changing your brand’s positioning and message

And more…

Part 10

Pricing strategy

Price sensitivity

Reference prices

Price segmentation

Price setting considerations

The role of the brand manager

The future of brand management

Some of the brands used as examples in this seminar: 3M, Amazon.com, AOL, Apple, Bayer, Ben & Jerry’s, Bic, BP, Coca-cola, CNN, Dole, GE, Genesee Valley Trust Company, Google, Gucci, Hallmark, Harley-Davidson, Harvard University, HSBC, Hyundai, IKEA, iPod, KFC, Las Vegas, Lazarra Yachts, Levi’s, Lumi-Nox, McDonald’s, Mini-Cooper, Nordstrom, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Ritz Carlton, Rubbermaid, Sony, Starbucks, Strong National Museum of Play, The Body Shop, The Oriental Bangkok, Toyota, Unilever, Virgin, Volvo, Wegmans, Working Assets

Our brand education clients include: AAA, Abbott, Bausch & Lomb, Best Brand Moscow, CBC Radio – Canada, Hallmark, McKesson, Unilever, Utah Jazz, Wyndham Hotels and Xerox

Learn more about our unique approach to brand education as well as additional topics here.

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers

What does it mean to be a leading brand? What are the benefits of brand leadership? How do brands come to be leaders in their categories? Learn the answers to these questions and many others by studying some of the world’s most successful brands. And then apply what you have learned to your own brands.

Workshop Outline

Module 1: Measures of brand leadership

Measures of brand leadership: Position in consideration set, Price insensitivity/price premium, Customer loyalty, Brand asset value, Buzz quotient, Market share, And more…

Module 2: The five drivers of customer brand insistence

The five drivers of customer brand insistence (with brand examples): Awareness: McDonalds, AOL, Amazon.com, Relevant Differentiation: iPod, Toyota Prius, BP, Value: Ikea, Hyundai, Honda, Amazon.com, eBay, Accessibility: Coca-Cola, HSBC, KFC, Emotional Connection: Hallmark Cards, Harvard

Module 3: The top ten brand differentiators

The top 10 most successful differentiators of brands – attend the workshop to learn what they are

TEAM EXERCISE: Create a brand whose values align with its customer’s values

Module 4: Sources of brand leadership

Leadership through Quality: The Oriental Bangkok, Midwest Airlines, Lazarra Yachts
Leadership through Innovation: Apple, 3M, Wegmans
Leadership through Focus: Woodstock, NY, Trader Joe’s, Genesee Valley Trust

INDIVIDUAL/TEAM EXERCISE: How could you better focus your brand to create a fiercely loyal customer segment?

Leadership through Carefully Designed Customer Experience: Ten Thousand Waves, Disney, Starbucks
Leadership through Status: Rolex, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Mercedes
Leadership through Lifestyle Targeting: Harley-Davidson, Patagonia
Leadership through Social Responsibility: Newman’s Own, Ben & Jerry’s, The Body Shop

Module 5: Brands as a badge

Brands as a Badge: Hummer, Birkenstock, Hallmark Gold Crown stores

INDIVIDUAL/TEAM EXERCISE: Innovate one way to reposition your brand as a “badge”

Module 6: Creating “category of one” brands

Creating “Category of One” Brands
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Strong National Museum of Play

TEAM EXERCISE: Create a “Category of One” brand

Module 7: Branding commodities

Branding Commodities – Proven Approaches
Product/service bundling/unbundling
Service customization
And much more…

TEAM EXERCISE: Differentiate a commodity

This workshop teaches the most effective sources of brand leadership. It uses numerous real world brand examples to illustrate each source of leadership. These examples are taken from many different industries and countries. Workshop participants are given the opportunity to apply what they have learned in individual and team exercises interspersed throughout the workshop.

I’m happy to share more on this and other workshops – feel free to contact me.

The Blake Project Can Help: The Brand Positioning Workshop

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers