Cut Brand Ambiguity
Brands are a complex area of expertise. Given the complexity of brands, the fragmentation of information, and the challenges of internalisation, it is essential to maintain brand simplicity for ease of comprehension and usability by teams and organisations. Otherwise, ambiguity may arise.
Clarity and cohesion are needed to cut brand ambiguity
Whether it is brand building or brand development, the initial step is to understand a broad range of terminology as well as what a brand signifies, the role of the organisation’s internal brand, what brand identity is, and where it is derived from. While brand identity is a collection of associations, a brand is the perception of these associations conveyed by the identity. Brands can contribute to this through a cohesive identity. Hence, it is vital to adopt simple ways to internalise and approach it.
In ambiguous situations, openness and creativity can introduce new techniques for approaching brand identity. This case study was carried out for the OMICRON electronics; the new technique is a tangible tool for the marketing. The primary objective of the tool is to facilitate communication from within to the outside world, using an inside-out approach. As David Aaker states powerful brands are built from the inside out (Aaker 2014, Chapter 14), therefore let’s briefly examine where they are built from.
Building from the inside out
What the identity consists of can be decomposed into components to preserve logic and facilitate maintenance. The strategic framework, which is closely linked to the business strategy, serves as a starting point consisting of three elements. The core identity consists of the main elements of the organisation that create the basis for the vision and the way the culture behaves. The extended identity is an additional set of elements that can also be adapted as the brand enters a new market. However, to create a deeper emotional bond with employees and the recipients of the brand message, at the heart of your brand is the essence that should be defined beyond mere profit and be reflected in everything you do. Around the strategic framework, such as a visual identity of the brand, is built. All of these are shaped into a cohesive brand identity as part of tangible resources. Therefore, these are all essential elements and important sources for maintaining a coherent line.
As powerful brands stem from the inside, culture and the core identity play a major role in the inside-outside approach shaping the brand. When people understand and adopt the core, the brand’s power is greater, making it harder to copy. Thus, internal branding is a key factor in bringing the brand to life within organisations. When this is operational it is easier to adopt and embrace, for instance, a brand-led organisation instead of a product. It embraces the idea of an ecosystem, where everything comes through purposeful brand identity, positioning the brand alongside the business strategy. Hence the emphasis on the inner. Successful internalisation, orientation of brand-aligned behaviors and high levels of brand engagement by employees during their daily work is beneficial because it leads closer towards a living brand, which adds immense value to the brand.
The complex relationships between internal mechanisms and interconnections between different elements and assets can cause confusion, therefore teams need something more tangible and straightforward. Tangible tools like brand books, style guides, and education play an essential role in bringing clarity, cohesion and alignment to a brand. Moreover, new techniques are not excluded. Tailoring is a rich and valuable asset. As Marković and Pollák (2022, 3) also state, there is no uniform branding template that can be applied to two businesses.
Encompassing the ultimate purpose
A tailored technique called the “Brand Pentagon” developed for the commissioner is a tool for which the inner cycle encompasses the ultimate purpose behind all actions, nurturing the essence of the brand and orienting people around it. Its ‘How’ cycle clarifies how the brand communicates by reflecting style and tone, or way of behaviors. Brand values or brand principles are placed into the ”how to” section. The ‘What’ delineates the content being conveyed, meaning the company’s services and products. This is a method that aligns everything from the inside out. In the case of the commissioner OMICRON, the brand stands for five key principles, therefore in a concrete visualisation, the tool forms a pentagon.
The technique is developed for simplicity, reducing the volume of information. It uses the assets of the brand identity and cuts out all the internal mechanisms that underpin the identity. This approach to creating branded content is simple and keeps the essentials in hand while supporting stakeholder internalisation. The tool’s diversity and flexibility stem from its variability. The scale between the principles can be defined for each case if one value is more prominent than the other. It not only offers clarity and simplicity but also enhances usability and aligns with the use of principles.
Once a purposeful brand identity has been established, such an approach can be widely adopted across organisations to improve brand visibility, from product development to day-to-day operations. Where fragmentation and ambiguity arise, discipline, clarity and simplification are required to build and develop brands, while internalisation within teams or organisations requires ongoing repetition and tangible tools. Since customers’ perception ultimately defines what the brand is, a clearly aligned approach to it in-house and its application at customer touchpoints is therefore of crucial importance. This not only helps to influence the desired perception or further develop the brand but also supports brand internalisation by all stakeholders, including customers, employees, and partners.
Strong brands need a tailored approach. What is the benefit? You reinforce the main purpose of branding: differentiation. By utilising the right elements from the core and extended identity, brands can be strengthened cohesively and strategically. Achieving clarity provides the opportunity to simplify and cut brand ambiguity.
References
Aaker, D. 2014. Aaker on Branding : 20 Principles That Drive Success. [EBSCO e-book]. New York: Morgan James Publishing.
https://ezproxy.turkuamk.fi/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=699809&site=ehost-live&ebv=EK&ppid=Page-__-75
Markovič, P. & Pollák, F. 2022. Contributors: Pollák, F ; Markovic, P; Wolfswinkel, M; Enslin, C; Mutsikiwa, M; Baran, T. Brand Management. [DOAB Directory of Open Access Books e-book]. IntechOpen.
https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/97208
Sollo, L. 2025. Enhancing brand clarity and cohesion : challenge of ambiguity: Case OMICRON – Theseus, Master’s thesis Turku University of Applied Sciences.