Co Branding Leveraging Product's Brand Image

Distinguishing the goods or services (writer: Products) to each other in the bombardment of the production of products from its competitors in the same industry can be a very difficult thing for the customers. Perhaps consumers will be confused to choose the products or services which are to be chosen. But on the other hand, the question arises, why there are many products sold in the market but not least also products that do not sell at the market? Why is there a product that is so loved and remembered by the people but there are also products that are not known by the people?

In the marketing world we are familiar with a term called brand. Brand is what gives the name, characteristics, distinctiveness, symbols, and designs or a combination of all of them to a product. Thus brand become a differentiator and makes products easy for people to remember by the name, characteristics, symbol, design or from all of them. Then, if you ask isn’t most of the product at the present time have a brand? But why does it all not work well? The answer for the first question is "Yes! Almost all products have a brand ". But to answer the second question we need to analyze from several variables. In this article the author will only explain from the point of Product Brand Image and Co-Branding as a key to strengthening the memory of consumers to our products.

Let us look at the case of Islamic banking in recent years more and more popping up both in Indonesia and in various countries around the world. Islamic Bank as a product that provides a service to the community, not just competing with other Islamic bank but also competes with existing conventional banks. With such tight competition in the banking industry, as well as other banks an Islamic bank should be able to provide excellent service and quality should also be able to well-known and powerful by the public as a reliable bank and be chosen by the public. In the subsequent discussion the ability we call as Product Brand Image. Certainly not an easy thing to answer this challenge.

As a product that comes after the existing products, build trust and strong recognition in the minds of consumers is very necessary. One of many ways to do instantly is the Co-Branding strategy. In simple terms this strategy combine two or more brands in a marketing activities together. In this article the author will provide examples of cases that occurred in Bank Muamalat Indonesia (BMI). Although as a first bank established by Islamic principles but does not necessarily make it known as a bank have strong recognition in people's minds and become the people's choice. BMI Product successfully increased its brand image in the early days of its inception by co-branding with one of the leading conventional banks that existed at the time (BCA) and several other partners.

With the co-branding strategy allows BMI to use some of the services that exist in the BCA at no charge to customers. One example is the use of BCA ATM anywhere and anytime for cash withdrawal transactions by customers BMI is not charged. At that time BCA known as a bank that has a network of ATMs in various places. Surely this is an advantage for customers because BMI given the ease of transactions. Even aside with BCA, BMI also co-branded with many other banks in the use of its ATM services at no charge. This further adds to excellence as well as BMI and Product boost its brand image in the face of society.

For all readers who hopefully blessed by God and have an interest in the world of practical marketing, co-branding could be one alternative strategy that can be used to improve the product's brand image in the market in which you compete. Everything we do in business, the main thing of course, should always be considered is as described in the following Ayat (verse):

“Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness. That is because they say: “Trade is like usury,” but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (the offence) are companions of the Fire; they will abide therein (for ever).” (Al Baqarah : 275)

So, I hope this article will be useful and keep working with the totality of devotion.

(Dwinto, 13/10/2012)

Source:

Noble Qur’an

Dwinto, The Impact of Co-Branding towards Brand Equity, 2009


Check related article "Why we have to change?"

Why we have to CHANGE?

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Rahiim

Have you ever felt guilty, have you ever regret something you’ve done? The guilt is so big that you cannot forgive yourself. If you ask me, then yes I have. It happens more than once to me, but this time I just want to tell you about one story. Generally speaking, we suffer this condition if we’ve done something sometimes things that we thought is good but ended bad and causing damage to ourselves, others or to someone we love.

Baam!! That is the sound of my 2 years old daughter fall in to the floor on the back of his head. How can that happen, I let her to walk to the kitchen to my wife but she ran, slip and fall so hard because the floor has just been mop and it’s still slippery. My daughter of course cried as hard as she can and God knows how pain she suffered at that time.

After that incident I suffered a feeling that I’ve mentioned, a never ending regret. But what the use, I could never turn back the time and undo the condition. I tried to calm myself by saying everything must be happen for a reason including that incident. So, what lesson I could take from it that is the most important one.

Beside to never repeat my mistake in that case again, my mind suddenly remembered about lesson I have heard and learned from tafseer Surah At-Takatsur from Brother Nouman Ali Khan. The lesson is don’t be like the disbeliever in that Surah. They convict and submit after they see the hell fire in the next life, by then all will be already too late.

[Takasur 102:1] The craving for excess wealth kept you people neglectful.

[Takasur 102:2] Until you confronted the graves.

[Takasur 102:3] Yes certainly, you will soon realise!

[Takasur 102:4] Again, yes certainly, you will soon realise!

[Takasur 102:5] Yes certainly, if you had believed with certainty, you would not have craved for wealth.

[Takasur 102:6] Indeed you will see hell.

[Takasur 102:7] Again, indeed you will see it with certainty.

[Takasur 102:8] Then, on that day, you will surely be questioned regarding the favours.

Don’t do the things that we will regret in the future especially in the “real future” which is Akhirat or the next life. Other than that don’t make sin, unuseful things that eventually destructs us. Indirectly if we destruct and cannot save ourselves from hellfire, how can we save our family and all the one we love?

In line with this is Surah Al-Ashr, Allah tells us to change ourselves and the time to change is RIGHT NOW not when we get old, not when we feel like it or any other excuse. Because in that Surah Allah describes to us that basically we are running out of time and we are in the state of loss constantly. So, NEVER do the things that we will regret, ALWAYS think what the consequences in the hereafter and CHANGE yourself to a better person & make repentance (Taubah) RIGHT NOW!!

The Real Terrorist

Who is the real terrorist, maybe they are the one who accuse others are terrorist. I dont know, but what I know is I have a good clip from a movie which showed a debate beetween Muslim & non-Muslim. I'm sure it's worth seeing and at least it is something to reflects.