Good Case Study About Revitalizing A Brand

This paper starts with a description of current marketing communication, identity, and brand position of Plaza Home Health Services (PHHS). The researcher then provides a SWOT analysis associated with the current marketing strategy and brand image of the health services provider. The paper also presents a thorough assessment of the importance of benchmarking in Plaza Home Health Services’ development and implementation of an effective brand strategy. Finally, the researcher will compare branding and communication strategies of a similar health services organization to determine whether or not Plaza Home Health Services should apply additional best practices into its current branding and communication strategies.

Current Marketing Communication, Identity and Brand Position of PHHS

The current marketing communication strategy of PHHS leads to a poor brand recognition and identity as the firm does not have a professional logo with unique symbols to reflect a truly professional and credible image of a health services provider. For instance, the company also does not focus on importance of color branding as it only uses routine black color with a common ‘times roman’ font style, which then creates a very ineffective brand image due to lack of distinctiveness. In addition, the poor brand logo also adversely affects designing of brochures, pamphlets, sales literature, print ads and building signage that appear to be enormously displeasing, monotonous and lackluster. Undoubtedly, PHHS did pay any attention to color branding; therefore, the consumers could not identify and recognize the company’s presence using color differentiation. From a marketing perspective, the health company has a strong value proposition and dedication to deliver premium quality home health services; therefore, the word-of-mouth marketing aspect goes in favor of company owners (Dellarocas, 2003). Hence, the brand value, equity and position could be further escalated with revitalization of existing marketing communications strategy that needs new investments in designing of professional logo, brand signage, billboards and brand literature. The stable financial and cash flow position provides PHHS a room to invest vigorously in marketing communications to stimulate brand reach, consumer awareness and service reliability. Nonetheless, there is very high possibility to increase clientele by aligning a revamped brand marketing strategy with existing brand position, service quality image and brand credibility (Schultz, 2003).

SWOT Analysis of Current Marketing Strategy 

Importance of Benchmarking in Marketing Strategy Implementation 
The benchmarking is extremely important in Plaza Home Health Services’ development and implementation of an effective brand strategy pertaining to marketing communication, identity, and brand position. This is genuinely because benchmarking will enable PHHS to thoroughly review industry marketing and promotional strategies, gimmicks and trends towards brand awareness and market goodwill. At present, PHHS faces intense competition with three main home health service providers in Georgetown (USA) that have paid substantial attention towards developing a flawless extensive marketing communication strategy that ensures professional logo design with symbolic presentation, color branding (red, green and blue), inspiring billboards, eye-catchy building signage and well-designed professional sales literature. The industry also significantly emphasizes on e-marketing and promotional sales to increase brand identity and recognition (Madhavaram, Badrinarayanan & McDonald, 2005). PHHS is surely deprived of this marketing benefit due to its poor integrated marketing communications strategy because it previously did not use benchmarking strategy to study industry trends and market responsiveness of competitors.

Comparison with a Similar Health Services Organization 

A similar home health services organization is known as ‘Paramount Senior Living’ that was established in 1985 by a college graduate who analyzed the need of home service for society after his personal family experience. Indeed, the company effectively ensures its online presence through its website www.paramountseniorliving.com and offers an extensive portfolio of personal care and home health services. The company although does not have a very attractive updated website but still it has an eye catchy logo to symbolize and distinguish its presence compared to PHHS that is bereft of this marketing communication strategy. The company website complete details of history, available services, value proposition, network and contact details to stand out against other established competitors. For instance, Paramount also offers an extensive well-designed literature to entice patients and sustain professionalism in healthcare marketing. The company also informs its target audience about profiles of company’s executive management to further its service authenticity and reputation (Wheeler, 2003).
The PHHS should definitely apply additional best practices into its current branding and communication strategies because of the fact that it existing marketing strategy could not positively affect corporate identity, brand value, brand equity, market position and business expansion. The health service provider has still not attained a sustainable market position and clientele despite moderate success in 1st year of inauguration because it does not have an extensive market reach due to lack in consumer awareness and brand identity. The company could not be distinguished as a highly credible and authentic services provider because of its poor marketing communication elements (such as logo, literature, signage etc.); therefore, it is justified to argue that the company needs to extensively promote and advertise its services portfolio and success story with a revamped IMC strategy.

References

Bickart, B. and Schindler, R. M. (2001). Internet Forums as Influential Sources of Consumer Information. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 15 (3), pp. 31-40.
Dellarocas, C. (2003). The Digitization of Word of Mouth: Promise and Challenges of Online Feedback Mechanisms. Management Science, 49 (10), pp. 1401-1424.
Schultz, D. E. (2003). Integrated Corporate and Product Brand Communication. Advances in Competitiveness Research, 11(1), pp. 66-86
Madhavaram, S., Badrinarayanan, V. and McDonald, R. E. (2005). Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) and Brand Identity as Critical Components of Brand Equity Strategy. Journal of Advertising, Vol. 34(4), pp. 69-80.
Wheeler, A. (2003). Designing brand identity, a complete guide to creating, building and maintaining strong brands. Hoboken, N. J.: Wiley.