Strategic Marketing Basics

As a key element of the value proposition, the image aims to satisfy the psychological needs of the customer (see Maslow pyramid). Famous ad man Jacques Seguela called it "the imagination added value". In a number of cases, people buy an image more than the product itself. It is especially true in an image-based society as our post-modern world.

 

 

The image of a product, brand, service, … is conveyed to target audiences through a number of vehicles such as brands, design and packaging, company leaders and staff, all forms of advertising and public relations tools, symbols as architecture, music, decoration..., and, most of all, word of mouth (physical or virtual).

 

A well-known and positive image will add value to your proposition to target clients while a negative one will depreciate your value proposition. If your image is kept unknown, you will loose ground in the competitive battle.

 

In the past, image management was said to belong to the B to C marketing toolbox. It's not true anymore. Today, the corporate image or corporate brands should be managed as seriously by B to B marketers. This is now often called reputation management.