Pentagon has developed its propriety Brand Identity Model. The key conceptual underpinnings of this model are as follows:
A Brand Identity is a set of coherent, multi-dimensional parameters. These parameters define the essence and distinctiveness of a brand.
This is in contrast to a not uncommon stream of thought in marketing, which, under different labels, tends to define brands in a much more uni-dimensional manner.
Again, in contrast to purely image led concepts of brands, the Pentagon Brand Identity Model is based on the notion that while brands have to be meaningful to customers, they have to begin by having a very clear picture of who they are in a first place. Great brands clearly and sharply define their character and their turf. The first element in the Pentagon Brand Identity Model therefore answers the existential question “Who am I?”
Customer insight is crucial to brand success. Therefore, besides having an element where the brand states its individuality, the model has another dimension, which articulates key customer insights relevant to the brand domain and agenda. The model reflects the importance of customer insight by posing the question “Who is my customer?”
A brand is an idea in the mind of the customer. But today, brands have to go beyond this to also become an integral part of a customer’s experience. In the intensively competitive markets that exist today, brands are required to “walk the talk” to maintain their credibility and distinctiveness.
How a brand relates to a customer is a crucial element in a Brand Identity, especially in cases of such as Retail, Service and Employer Brands. The relationship element forms the third construct in Pentagon’s Brand Identity Model. It essentially answers the question “How does the brand relate to the customer?”
Pentagon has applied the above Brand Identity Model at both the Corporate and Product levels on engagements it has worked on with its clients.