Introduction
Brand identity is important in defining the company and establishing it as a competitor in the midst of other competitors in the flooded market. The multiplicity of various products means that a product should be able to stand out and imprint itself in the consumers' minds in such a way that it becomes difficult for the consumer to think of the product without thinking about the brand (Grohmann, Giese, & Parkman, 2013). The following is a suggestion that can help Java Been establish itself as a competitor in the field of beverages and hot drinks.
Creating the Brand
Key Elements Important for the Brand Identity
Lieven, Grohmann, Herrmann, Landwehr, & Miriam (2015) define a brand as a face, an emotional element, and a philosophical concept. Creating a brand needs to utilize various key elements. These may be in the form of sounds, colors, or logos. The face that is created must, however, align with the organization's mission. Java Been's mission is spreading the love and appreciation of high-quality coffee and presenting quality living to its clientele.
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The first key element is the brands positioning in relation to its competitors. The purpose and position of a brand at the beginning helps to place it in the market at the level where it places itself ( Creative Essence: Startup of the Year, 2014). Java Been desires to position itself among high-end consumers. It should define who their clientele is and why it may be a worthy replacement for consumers in this category of the market, which is used to alternative products.
The second key element in designing the brand is market research. Market research provides information that contributes to understanding the culture of the target audience. Research also provided details about the persona of the target audience and helped in building the brand's personality (Glitschka & Howalt, 2014). However, research is a continuous process and should persist in addressing the needs of the highly dynamic market. Java Been seeks to keep its coffee at the highest quality available. They should talk to ardent coffee drinkers and understand what defines a high-quality coffee apart from the actual quality of the plant's beans.
Creating a brand's personality is the next important thing. Brand personality goes hand in hand with the brand's face and likeability. As stated, the brand is a face, and just like a face, it is also judged based on its appearance and likeability. A face should be able to display the state of the individual's emotional tone, mood, and general order without giving a mixed reaction. In the same manner, a brand must communicate its message in a way that is appealing, direct, and specific to avoid confusing its customers.
The current logo of Java Been is relatively dull and uninspiring. Lieven et al. (2015) state that a logo should be memorable, simple, colorful, and a summary of the brand. A logo is the identity of the business. Java Been's logo is stylized J and ava in white and in a brown background. Banana-shaped double lines of different shades of brown underline the word Java. First, the logo has overused the brown color. Secondly, though the logo is simple, the letter J is over-styled, and it is difficult to discern whether it is a V or a funny-looking W upon first reading. The recommendation would be to use a different color for the lower underlines, use a uniform font for Java and remove the stylization on the J. Also, a cup of steaming coffee could be placed strategically on the logo to invite the customers by messaging about the coffee, which is its main product.
Java Been should also develop a tagline. Taglines create a vibe that subtly but strategically communicates the brand (Mantonakis, “n.d.”). For example, Java may use the tag line: "Its not Coffee if it's not Java." The tagline echoes coffee and also is a wordplay that downplays all other brands and reinforces Java as the best of the best.
The buy-in point for the stakeholders will be made by marketing the success of Java Been so far despite its short time in the market. In just three years, Java Been has been able to self-sustain and is now considering expansion and establishing itself as a brand. Its demographic target is also promising with females aged 26-35, the productive age, being active consumers alongside males of the same age bracket. These facts are good buy-in points to enable these stakeholders to believe in the product and be brand ambassadors.
Building the Brand
Java Been will use the social media channel to communicate the brand. Social media is the most popular and highly effective channel of communication, especially considering that its consumers are mostly young people below fifty (Glitschka & Howalt, 2014)). The timeline for these activities will be defined in two phases: short term (in six months) and long-term (in two years). The goals for the short term are to redesign the brand logo, mood, and personality and relaunch it. The long-term is to cultivate consumer loyalty. The success of these practices will be measured through a continuous market survey as earlier defined. The feedback that is received will be used to improve the performance of the brand.
Maintaining the Brand
Several guidelines will placed it at a place to serve as a guide for Java Been in maintaining the brand. These include: maintaining a continuous online presence, using brand ambassadors to keep the brand voice alive, consistency in quality of products and in marketing, continuous research, and utilization of feedback to keep the brand alive (Glitschka, & Howalt, 2014). Originality must, however, be insisted upon. These guidelines will be communicated with the internal stakeholders, and their application will be made visible through communication channels like TV and social media. The originality and consistency will undoubtedly nurture loyalty.
Conclusion
In summary, various companies have succeeded at doing, creating and maintaining their brand. These include Coca-Cola and soft drinks, Facebook and social media, and Google with the internet. Java Been is also seeking to join this category by building brand loyalty among its consumers who prefer Java Been coffee and light foods in the midst of soft music and active night.
References
Lieven, T., Grohmann, B., Herrmann, A., Landwehr, J. R., & Miriam, v. T. (2015). The effect of brand design on brand gender perceptions and brand preference. European Journal of Marketing, 49(1), 146-169. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1108/EJM-08-2012-0456
Glitschka, V., & Howalt, P. (2014). Design: Logo: An Exploration of Marvelous Marks, Insightful Essays and Revealing Reviews. Rockport Publishers.
Grohmann, B., Giese, J. L., & Parkman, I. D. (2013). Using type font characteristics to communicate brand personality of new brands. Journal of Brand Management, 20(5), 389-403. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1057/bm.2012.23
Startup of the year 2014: Creative Essence; "I have a deep understanding of trademarking, brand protection and the importance of logo and brand identity." (2015). The Guardian (London, England).
Mantonakis, A. (n.d.). A Brief Pause between a Tagline and Brand Increases Brand Name Recognition and Preference. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, 26(1), 61–69. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1002/acp.1797
