Ahmed Al-Amoudi: Entrepreneurship and brands in Saudi Arabia enjoy continuous and growing support
- The most important strength factors for a trademark are the link between quality, value proposition, uniqueness and excellence
- The brand is one of the pillars of the success of the project, and it contributes to facilitating the marketing process
Brand Building and Intellectual Property Consultant; Mr Ahmed bin Ali Al-Amoudi confirmed that the brand has several dimensions, and different foundations, that it must adopt to become successful.
In his interview with Entrepreneurship KSA magazine, Al-Amoudi said that the brand is extremely important to the success of projects. It is considered one of the pillars of the project’s success, and contributes to facilitating the marketing process, the success of marketing campaigns, and increasing the market share. Entrepreneurship KSA interviewed Al-Amoudi to understand the importance of a trademark, and how to ensure branding success.
- What is the concept of a trademark or a brand? Is it the logo or is it broader in concept?
There is some confusion between the term trademark and the logo or the visual identity of any facility. The logo is a visual representation related to human memory, while the brand is the mental image and the impression that is established in the minds of current and potential customers about the company or project. It is the most important component of a product/service or facility. There is no clear definition of the trademark; But it can be described as the perceived image of something and includes the company’s culture, name, logo, visual and audio identity, customer service, packaging, teamwork, mental image, and quality.
A brand is a tool for identifying the product or services through which the value proposition and the competitive advantages that distinguish it in the market are enhanced. Thus, it reflects the market position. There are several definitions associated with the brand according to each category. The marketing definition of the brand includes activities that increase the profitability of the enterprise and increase its market share.
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a name, term, sign, symbol, or (or a combination thereof), all to distinguish the products or services offered by a seller from those of other competitors. Business and Marketing experts define a brand, which enjoys wide knowledge among consumers, and has a high financial value in the market, and others describe it as one that has imposed itself on the public with increased use and promotion.
From my point of view, a brand is an identification card, or a stamp in the minds of customers, that explains quality, value, activity, quality, and the mechanism for obtaining a service or product; This creates an effective competitive position for a brand compared to other active brands in the market. While emphasizing that the trademark constitutes a protective barrier for the consumer; So we see entrepreneurs and companies care that their brands have the level of recognition and profit that giant brands do.
- What are the factors affecting brand awareness?
There are several factors influencing the awareness of any brand, the most important of which is the company’s culture, and the value it relies on upon acquiring a segment of customers. Additionally, the name; Which must achieve a link between the product and its advantages or benefit from it, and the logo or graphic that will be associated with the minds of customers.
In addition to visual identity; They are the visual elements that visually relate to the brand, along with the packaging, pricing, branch decorations, and design of the website, online store, or app.
In addition to identity or auditory elements, accessibility and smell of the place, customer and team service, internal marketing activities, promotional activities, customer journey and experience, delivery mechanisms of the service or product, as well as the quality of the product or service, as well as content, and social media platforms, and social responsibility activities.
- What about the importance of the brand?
Of course, the brand is of utmost importance; It is one of the pillars of the project’s success, and contributes to facilitating the marketing process, the success of marketing campaigns, and increasing the market share, and thus increasing sales. In addition to its role in increasing customer loyalty, maintaining them, and transforming them into ambassadors, as well as its rapid impact on consumer decision-making, in addition to satisfying their desires.
A brand is a tool for constant communication with customers; Where the brand plays many roles towards the customer or the consumer, the most prominent of which is a guarantee for the customer to achieve internal satisfaction (because it represents a promise), and to differentiate itself from competitors. A brand also reduces the time wasted in searching for a product or service and acts as a reminder of the characteristics of the product or service. It also demonstrates the uniqueness of the personalities of others, facilitating the purchase decision, security of purchase, and after-sales service guarantee.
The brand also plays several roles towards protection from any attempts of fraud or imitation, and concentration in the market, as well as its impact on the aspect of future investment; By selling a share, stock, or franchise, more simply; Because the customer already knows the qualities, characteristics or advantages. It also helps in stability in terms of prices in light of competition, acquiring a share of it, increasing sales and obtaining financing opportunities or expansion. In addition to its role in attracting talent from human resources and cadres; Therefore, investing in brand building is the first and most important step in upgrading the company.
- What are the characteristics that make any brand stand out?
The distinction of a brand begins with the customer’s evaluation of it, his awareness of its positive impact on him, and his belief in its importance. Many important characteristics earn recognition for any brand, the brand that relates to the customer emotionally and the customer’s conviction and loyalty towards it.
Visual identity characteristics; include innovative shape, ease of pronunciation, remembering, and writing, in addition to simplicity in design and shape, attractiveness, clarity of shape and colors; Big or small, its ability to be used on products and boards, different from other tags.
Also, being able to legally register them; to protect the brand, in the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, along with innovative industrial models, packaging, and descriptive evidence attached to the service or product.
- Should the organization have a long-term strategy for brand building?
The brand needs to be a strategic basis for any establishment or project; For its great role in attracting investors and capital owners, and helping companies to familiarize the public with them and their products or services. To achieve this, the brand must be associated with the vision, mission, values, and objectives of the establishment. It also needs to be able to continuously renew and develop according to market trends, building the strategy based on expansion, integration and cooperation with other brands, and social cooperation; Through social responsibility programs and initiatives.
- Tell us about the stages of brand building from its establishment to its consolidation with consumers?
The brand-building journey revolves around the process of generating awareness, creating, promoting, disseminating and forming the reputation of the organization. It aims to enhance awareness of the facility, and build an effective relationship with the public; Through marketing strategies and promotional campaigns, through communication activities, emphasizing the importance of patience, continuous work, and innovation; A great strategy requires time, creativity, and resources.
The steps of building a brand start with the market study. This includes defining target markets, geographical boundaries, characteristics and specifications of the market and competitors, extrapolating the market share, as well as defining the brand’s strategy, vision – mission – values.
It also includes building brand designs in terms of name, shape, colors, and decorations with all the elements. Such elements include designing the appropriate drawing or shape, and colors (visual identity, audio identity, building administrative procedures manuals, customer service, and loyalty programs (corporate identity). Afterwards, this identity needs to be adopted and officially registered as a trademark in the target markets, to protect it.
One of the important steps in building the brand is to find a clear understanding of the internal brand identity to become a strategic direction that contributes to satisfying the needs and desires of customers.
Then advertising and publicizing the brand in the market; Through the activities of communication, public relations, marketing and promotion, the follow-up to support the brand, track its progress and performance compared to competitors and develop the performance of the brand in the market.
It is also important to make sure to build partnerships or alliances (exclusive or non-exclusive) with other brands. In the mean time, you need to always work to innovate new services or products, anticipate the market need for new brands, and expand the brand by providing a new service or product for the same brand.
- What are the strengths of the brand?
One of the most important strengths of the brand is the link between quality and value provided, uniqueness and distinction, and connecting them with the consumer’s desire to pay a higher price. As well as several additional factors, including brand awareness, popularity and spread of the brand, the consistency of its image through service activities, content, and the benefit derived from it.
A trademark is an essential tool to distinguish it from similar products or services and to facilitate consumer recognition of it. Thus facilitating the task of obtaining it quickly and easily, and protecting it from imitation, in addition to achieving a close link with quality, and creating and enhancing customer loyalty.
It facilitates advertising by using the brand name only, facilitating the creation of products or services and their rapid entry into the market, allowing higher prices compared to competitors in the market, attracting attention and arousing interest, and a permanent presence in the minds of consumers.
Therefore, it is very important to measure the brand periodically in terms of its impact on customers, the percentage of acquisition in the market, and the positive reflection on products and services.
- What are your recommendations for entrepreneurs, start-ups and established companies regarding their brand?
There are several recommendations or steps that entrepreneurs must pay attention to, to build a distinctive brand.
One of the most important commandments here is to define the specifications of the target audience that you will focus on; They are the foundation of brand building. In addition to paying attention to the voice of the brand, adjusting the tone and level of the content used, harmonizing all marketing channels and communication outlets with the community, educating the public, raising their awareness and sharing useful and rich content.
Building a brand visibility strategy across the website, social media, advertisements, billboards, packaging and gifts, building online communities, and emotionally connecting the brand to the consumer.
Also, applying strategic balance; Through flexibility, innovation, innovation, and implementation of strategic improvements; To attract new segments to the brand, taking initiative and being honest with customers, not exaggerating promises, listening to customers’ opinions, and responding to their inquiries quickly and professionally.
Ensure the provision of positive and unique experiences that make consumers want to invest in the brand, and follow the competitive analysis of the brand; It includes comparisons of products or services, prices, quality, reputation, culture, promotion, reliability, as well as customer satisfaction.
It is important to pay attention to the brand; Where which is the most important factor and ingredient for the success of the commercial establishment. It is an essential step at the beginning of any project, and it is not correct to skip it or delay it for another time in the event of a desire for expansion and growth, in addition to continuing effort, work and continuity, with the application and development of the brand strategy