Branding based on Gender --- A strategy for Building Brands.

By B. Mohan Kumar Associate Professor, Aurora P.G. College, Moosarambagh, Hyderabad. Email: bmk_sap@hotmail.com

Abstract
Branding has emerged as a top management priority in the last decade due to the growing realization that brands are one of the most valuable intangible assets of the firm. The functional and attribute based orientation is used for product positioning whereas brand positioning is based on emotional associations. It is a process to associate the brand with some unique emotional elements compared to competitors in consumers perception. Positioning strategies frequently aim to associate brands with masculine or feminine personality traits. Consumers draw on these gender dimensions of brand to enhance their own degree of masculinity or femininity when they use brands. This conceptual article looks at the process of positioning the brand on the basis of gender and explains its long term implications on the brand.

Introduction
Branding has become more popular as it helps the companies to create instant brand awareness, build brand image. All products need a branding endeavor to beat their competitors and draw the attention of the customers. Many marketing connoisseurs have appreciated the fact that brands are the vital blocks in building and upholding competitive advantage in the market place. If companies want to be ahead of such competition, it is essential that they play a proactive role in determining the customers perceptions and their products acceptability in the customers mind. Hence effective branding is prerequisite in todays competitive business scenario. Gender-based branding means positioning of products and services exclusively to men or women as the case may be. It is now widely recognized that men and women have different requirements, and they demand products in a different manner based on characteristics, features, quality, and quantity, and hence a brand being positioned universally is an outdated concept. The latest trend in the markets in the developed nations has been to position products and services by making them exclusive to each gender based on their desires. The concept has well been accepted in developed nations, but as for India it is yet to make a definitive mark.

Gender Based Branding

Gender specific branding is a process of associating the brand with a gender for creating differentiation in the market place. The recent advertising campaigns in automobile industry, particularly in two-wheeler segment. For example, the Bajaj Pulsar campaign which has a tag line, definitely male. Hero Pleasure carries an image of a brand meant for girls and working women. Brands have started centring themselves on core product propositions and are using

dominant customer characteristics as their user imagery for building sustainable competitive advantage. Branding based on gender means imbuing it with a masculine or feminine image and identity. With gender specific brands, the visible design features, distribution, advertising and brand promotions are modified to include symbols and imageries, which identify the brand mainly with one gender.

Review of Literature
Many studies have given insights about gender difference in building relationships with brands. The results revealed by these studies magnify the role of gender in judgment of a brand. Product involvement differs as per the demographic profile of people which is the major factor influencing purchase decision of the product also indicating gender perspective. Some of the studies are Alreck, Settle, and Belch (1982) found that men tend to exaggerate the differences in brands more markedly than women. Men are found to perceive a masculine brand to be more masculine and a feminine brand to be more feminine.
Bem (1983) found that gender, if mediated through representative gender-specific adjectives, can spontaneously be ascribed to brands. He even found that the majority of people are able to spontaneously assign a certain attribute to a certain gender.

MacInniss (1986) conceptualization of functional and symbolic brand concept is useful in examining gender effect on brands Meyers-Levy (1989) developed a framework to analyze, evaluate, and understand gender brand awareness is the Selectivity Model. According to the Selectivity Model, males and females process information, e.g., advertising messages, differently. While males use selective information processing that is heuristic and schematic, females use more comprehensive processing that is an effortful, detailed elaboration. Murphy (1990) describes brands personality of the users with particular lifestyle. He perceives brand not only as the actual product, but also the unique property of a specific owner. It has been developed over time as a set of values and attributes which significantly differentiate products of similar appearance. Fischer & Arnold (1994) demonstrated correlation between the gender-specific consumer behavior and brands possessing feminine or masculine traits. Gender affects consumer behaviors in quite many crucial decision making stages and influences specific usage patterns of a particular brand Keller (1998) argues that some brands in the marketplace possess certain gender-specific associations so that consumers associate the individual brands user as specifically from either sex. Pecheux & Derbaix, (1999) stresses that the brands are bought with different mindset, outlook, and sensitivity according to the gender. Govers & Schoormans (2005) emphasized the symbolic meaning of products increasingly affects consumers purchasing decisions and brand preference and is of importance. The way a product's symbolic meaning is conceptualized from a managerial perspective and the

manner in which its symbolic meaning is eventually perceived differs, and is hence addressed through the distinction between brand identity and brand image. Grohmann (2008) defined gender dimension of brand personality as the set of applicable and relevant human personality traits associated with masculinity and femininity.

Process of Positioning based on Gender

The words and symbols that will identify the brand with one gender are those that give it a masculine or feminine appearance. This depends on the nature of the gender roles that culture and society ascribe to each gender, (Hawkins and Coney, 1976). Branding on the basis of gender is possible in two ways one, the brand should be designed or modified to appeal to the stereotypical man or women; and two, to give it a gender image, it needs to be strongly associated with masculine or feminine gender roles through advertising and other modes of marketing communication. The target marketing strategy should help in the process of identifying the key category for the brand. So branding based on gender is often used in conjunction with such a target marketing strategy. Gender specific branding is done to give a product a masculine or feminine image and can be one of the successful ways to differentiate it from similar brands in crowded, commodity and homogeneous market. From Research & Development point of view, the process may require minor product attribute modifications of the brand rather than expensive changes in the production process. The brand manager can achieve this by manipulating the gender connotations of packaging, advertising and consumer promotion initiatives.
Based on the past research and literature available the list have been narrowed down to the twelve most relevant gender-specific character traits that will have a positive impact on brand positioning MASCULINE FEMININE Active Attractive Adventurous Emotional Aggressive Sensitive Ambitious Charming Dominant Curious Energetic Dreamy Independent Mild Logical Sexy Self-Confident Shy Strong Superstitious Tough Soft-Hearted Unemotional Talkative If the brand manager gives a brand a typical gender of either a male or female, he automatically excludes the scope of targeting the excluded gender. So, men typically reject brands with feminine linkage but the opposite is not always true. The brand manager should also take into account the age of the buyer, the more he is likely to adhere to the traditional gender roles. People sticking to the traditional gender roles find gender specific brands attractive as it subconsciously satisfies the stereotype mindset of these consumers.

Implications of Branding based on Gender

Gender specific branding decision is a strategic decision. Such a decision requires a substantial commitment to resources for product creation and modification to make it strongly appealing to one gender. One cannot give a masculine or feminine image to a brand without spending a relatively higher amount in advertising over a substantially long period of time. A short - term approach will not help the brand in anyway. In the case of TVS Scooty, it is not possible to attract the feminine gender in just one year. It has to be strategic and sustainable over a period of time to develop the desired associations for the target segment. The advertisements and promotions of the brand should identify the gender characteristics of the brand by using either male or female models representative of the target segment. The company also needs to modify the distribution strategy, making the brands available in outlets frequently visited by the target segment. All these decisions are strategic as they have a long- term implications and demands long- term commitment. The brand manager should evaluate the following issues while planning for a branding strategy based on gender. Gender attributes like masculine strength, feminine softness are the two most basic psychological connotations. And the brand manager should be responsive to these concerns of feminine attachment and masculine freedom. A brand, which suggests masculine weakness or feminine harshness, is likely to flop as consumers will not accept the brand. These are the two most fundamental concerns of each gender. So, any association that will look threatening to the perceptions of stereotype gender is likely to be avoided or rejected by consumers. When a brand is based on gender, it must cut across a wide socio-economic spectrum to attain an adequate market share and should avoid the gender role prohibitions of traditional adherents.

Conclusion
In todays rapidly changing business arena and highly volatile market, corporate are progressively turning to branding as a differentiator to lure the consumers. Branding based on Gender is highly effective technique to create a unique brand positioning and brand personality for the brand. But it has to be handled with care and one should try to analyze the situation and the gender role stereotype before making a decision about branding based on gender. The changing dynamics of the consumer behaviour and market demands have made marketers to provide innovative positioning strategies. The end results of such branding activities are increased brand awareness which in turn generates brand equity and surplus revenue. In short, branding has become the Holy Grail of an organization today.

References

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