Branding

MID-TERM EXAM SEMESTER I 2010/2011

TAKE HOME

1. What are your favorite brand characters? Do you think they contribute to brand equity in any way? How? Can you relate their effects to the customer-based brand equity model?

One of my favorite brand characters is The Marlboro Man later on become Marlboro Cowboy. The Marlboro Man conveys freedom, attitude, charm, and masculinity. The Marlboro Man was used by Marlboro cigarettes in their tobacco advertising campaign. The image involves a rugged cowboy or cowboys, in nature with only a cigarette. The Marlboro advertising campaign said to be one of the most brilliant ad campaigns of all time. It transformed a feminine campaign, into one that was masculine, in a matter of months. Although there were many Marlboro Men, the cowboy proved to be the most popular. This led to the "Marlboro Cowboy" and "Marlboro Country" campaigns. He is the cowboy of the world and his allure helped Marlboro outsell its competitors by almost three times.

The Marlboro cigarettes story itself began in 1847 and was marketed mainly to women in London. This marketing strategy did not go over so well. In the 1920's, Marlboro cigarettes were then introduced to the American market as the cheap Cigarette of choice for women. It was also advertised as a mild Cigarette. The Marlboro Cigarette brand never gained sufficient traction amongst smokers and was eventually taken off the market during World War II. Marlboro cigarettes were reintroduced in the 1950's when many consumers began to concern themselves with the health aspects of smoking. At the time, most cigarettes were non-filtered. The Marlboro cigarettes branding position as a women's Cigarette had also been reevaluated and so it was decided to market Marlboro cigarettes at men, rather that women.

The Marlboro Cowboy has been represent a special symbol to the new product segment itself. Coincidently the Marlboro Cowboy is a figure of human or real life characteristics. Brand characters...