The Importance of Modeling the Brand

"Our brains are essentially model-making machines. We need to construct useful, virtual reality simulations of the world that we can act on. Within the simulation, we need also to construct models of other people's minds because we primates are intensely social creatures. (This is called "a theory of other minds.") We need to do this so that we can predict their behavior." 

- V.S. Ramachandran, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San Diego

The Power of Modeling

A good model allows us to focus on the essentials while screening out trivial details. Imagine you want to teach children about the world. While taking them into space might provide them with the most objective experience of Earth, a "Field Trip to Outer Orbit" is a hard sell to any parent. The alternative? Here, a model of Earth will do just fine. Children get the essential details from the model to deepen their understanding of the world. If the context were different (for example, if you wanted to teach children about the Milky Way galaxy), a different model would be required.

Why is it important to model the Brand?

A Brand Model is a representation of the most important elements, both perceived and experienced, that create the Brand System. Modeling the Brand offers the business four important benefits:

1. The Brand Model is descriptive. It describes the consumer's mindset, attitudes, and behaviors toward the Brand.
2. The Brand Model is predictive. It takes "what if" questions and turns them into observations to consider for future action.
3. The Brand Model is normative. It provides us with information about what is needed to reach our goals.
4. The Brand Model provides a synthesis of the whole, creating "The Quintessential Brand."
   

Here are a few direct benefits your organization can acquire from modeling the brand.

A Brand Model:

• Leads to better decisions ("Better" in this context = Business Results are Achieved).
  
• Uncovers emerging consumer needs and highlights where to innovate next.
  
• Pinpoints changes in the Consumer Ecosystem faster and adjusts strategies to stay ahead of the competition.
  
• Helps identify what actions will benefit your brand the most (based on its descriptive and predictive power).
  
• Solves for a specific problem. Data without context turns into white-noise.
• Clarifies the role your brand assets play (e.g. marketing, advertising, innovation).
• Organizes and structures information that CEOs, CMOs and Brand Managers can utilize right away.