Unit one case study

UNIT 1 CASE STUDY Student`s name Instructor University Date How is building a brand in a business-to-business context different from doing so in the consumer market? This paper explores the difference of building a brand between business-to-business markets (B2B) and doing so in a consumer market. On the other hand, it briefly expounds on Cisco`s plan to reach out to consumers and whether it is a viable one. Numerous marketing and branding books are crammed with illustrations and case studies on branding a company`s products to customers. These marketing management books leave us anxious about getting more knowledge on creating awareness about the products on offer. Specifically the products might be useful to a business or to consumers, hence the terms business-to-business or consumer branding. According to Kotler & Keller (2012) it is vital knowledge to be familiar with the principles that are used in consumer brand building are somehow similar to B2B branding. While there are differences between consumer and B2B branding, the two marketing strategies of a company are attempting to evoke emotional relations with its clients - whether potential or existing. The following points highlight the difference of B2B branding in relation to consumer branding; The logo is the first contact with clients - the visual identity of a product name needs to deliver results on the brand promise; this branding usually comes with a slogan so that businesses and consumers vaguely understand what the product is all about (Christian, H., Martin, K., & Jens, S. n.d). In the B2B market products are not sold spontaneously but only when a company requires the product to be integrated to their operations. On the other hand, consumers can be impulsive since marketers just need to create the perceived need for the product even if a consumer did not plan for it. Kotler & Keller (2012) asserts that communicating through a logo to B2B purchasers and how the brand is displayed largely affects their decision to go ahead and purchase the product. For instance if a brand promises faster internet connection or high processing speeds then it should deliver that. Promotional strategies of the brand - B2B brand building normally targets a specific and contracted market, however, consumer branding needs to reach a large population of people for example a whole nation or a certain region of a continent. In this case, the marketing strategies applied differ accordingly. For instance Cisco, their strategy in B2B branding is to target specific companies where as products for consumers are seen in various mediums. Communicating to the clients requires expression of facts and figures that are beneficial to the ultimate purchaser (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Consistency in ...