Strategic Warfare: Practical Case Analysis of Brand Competition Strategies

Author: Zeng Zhaohui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: The theory of the chain brand states that all communication and promotion efforts for a brand must revolve around a core concept. Because a brand's individual advertisements, promotions, PR, sponsorships, and other activities, if not tied together by a unified theme, are at best just individual pearls. Only by threading all communication efforts together with a single main thread can a dazzling necklace be formed. The value of pearls and necklaces is incomparable.
The theory (Tree Fruit Theory) regards a brand as a fruit tree, with products as the fruits on the tree. If a consumer picks a fruit from a brand tree and finds it sweet, they will also believe that other fruits from the same tree are sweet. Therefore, companies must strive to build their own brands. Once the brand is successful, new products can be launched simply by labeling them with the brand name.
The theory (Flowing Water Theory) states that as we often say, "The camp is unshakable, but the soldiers are in constant flux." Here, the "unshakable camp" represents the brand, and the "fluxing soldiers" represent the products. Only when products are constantly flowing can the brand remain vibrant.
The theory (Brand Personification Theory) posits that a brand is like a person, and a person is like a brand. Treating a brand as a person is the simplest way to understand it. Just as people have personalities, brands have character; as people have individualities, brands have uniqueness; as people have thoughts, brands have depth; as people have faces, brands have images; as people can fall ill, brands face crises, and they also need regular check-ups.
The (Button Theory) suggests that conducting diagnostics and research for a brand is like buttoning a shirt—button one wrong, and the rest will follow suit. Since the implementation of the market economy, the Chinese market has experienced two eras: the era of advertising power and the era of marketing power.
In the era of advertising power, advertising was the most important and effective communication tool for businesses. Due to the nascent stage of the market, companies did not need all their "planks" to be long—only the "advertising plank" needed to be strong enough to dominate the market. In fact, many companies became famous overnight with a single outstanding advertisement. For example, Kongfu Home Liquor shot to prominence in 1993 after its advertisement, "Kongfu Home Liquor, Makes You Think of Home," featuring actress Wang Ji, aired on CCTV. The product quickly became a bestseller across the country, with distributors often queuing to restock.
In the era of marketing power, as the market matured, the role of advertising was no longer glorified. Advertising became a conventional tool, working alongside channels, pricing, PR, promotions, and other methods to contribute to the company's integrated marketing. With the entry of international brands into the Chinese market, Chinese companies witnessed world-class brands like Coca-Cola and McDonald's sweeping the market with their brand strength, as if entering an empty field. Amazed and inspired, some insightful individuals took up the weapon of branding to compete against them. The era of brand power has arrived!
In the age of brand competition, how can companies adjust their strategies in response to ever-changing market conditions? How can they engage in more effective communication and promotion than their competitors? After in-depth research on hundreds of domestic and international brands, the author has summarized over a dozen strategies for companies to overcome competition. This book also provides detailed insights into the competitive strategies and winning approaches of well-known companies in China, such as Procter & Gamble, Master Kong, Jinliufu, and Uni-President, offering significant reference and inspiration for Chinese businesses.