Monitoring and Strengthening Corporate Brands

Brian Tarnacki, the director of brand marketing at Federal-Mogul, spoke about Total Brand Management. Tarnacki focused on the current aftermarket landscape, marketing challenges, managing brand assets and brand marketing. He then offered examples of successful brand marketing, including Moog, the Gap, and Dodge.

"Aftermarket expenditures are projected to grow through 2002, but at a slower rate than they have been," Tarnacki said. There will be an increase in total miles driven and in miles driven per vehicle, as the growth of the car parc slows. While a decline is expected in the population of five- to 13-year-old vehicles, where traditional aftermarket spending is the heaviest, an increase in the population of cars more than 13 years old is also predicted.

Breaking through the clutter to reach consumers is increasingly difficult. "We're targeting the same people with the same messages, using the same vehicles," Tarnacki said. To get ahead, brand managers need to identify market opportunities, design and manufacture differentiated technology, quantify benefits through testing, and market as a premium brand. A brand is an asset and something that cannot be copied by a competitor. Brand positioning involves "not just what the product is or does, but how people feel about the brand." Ideal brand positioning convinces consumers the product is believable, ownable and important.

Tarnacki then spoke briefly about Federal-Mogul brand positioning.

4600 East-West Hwy.
Bethesda, MD 20814

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E-mail:
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