Elements of Brand Identity Planning Models

All 429 elements of 51 models in one map, with the Brand-Building Canvas as the grid

Brand Identity Model Atlas

Introduction
Why This Page Exists

Every brand identity model names its own elements, and the same idea often travels under several names: what one model calls the brand essence, another calls the core, a third the brand idea. This page collects all 429 elements of the 51 models documented in the Atlas, keeps the grouping each originator chose, and relates the elements to one another through 63 concepts. Each concept is then placed on the grid of the Brand-Building Canvas, so that one can see at a glance which ideas the Canvas carries, under which name, and which ideas from other models have no home in it. Tier A are the sixteen models with full profiles in the Atlas; Tier B are the models with short profiles, many of them practitioner variants of the Tier A classics.

Not everything a model lists is identity content. Models also ask for analysis inputs, describe outcomes such as image or equity, prescribe process steps, or reach into the business model. Such elements stay in the inventory but are shown outside the identity core, because the Atlas defines a brand identity model as a planning model for what a brand shall stand for, not for how it is perceived.

Element Map
The Canvas as a Grid for All Concepts

Each block shows the Canvas elements in bold and, below them, the concepts from other models that belong there. The number counts the models that carry the concept. Click a concept to see which model names it how. Choose a model above to highlight where its elements land. Symbols: = same meaning, ⊂ narrower, ⊃ broader, ≈ related.

01 Brand Vision

What should the brand ultimately achieve for its customers, for society, and for the business itself?

Mission, Purpose, Vision, Ambitions

02 Brand Offering

Why should customers choose the brand? What makes it valuable and distinctive?

Brand Authority, Brand Qualities, Key Differentiator

03 Brand Customers

For whom is the brand designed, and what role should it play in customers' lives?

Target Customers, Prototypical User, Brand-related Self, Brand Community

04 Brand Character

Who is the brand as a cultural and human actor?

Brand Culture, Brand Theme, Brand Persona, Brand Face

05 Brand Relationship

How does the brand relate to its customers, and in what tone should it address them?

Brand Relationship

06 Key Touchpoints

Which few communication, distribution or service touchpoints should the brand become known for?

Key Touchpoints

07 Brand Expression

Which few recurring signature elements should express what the brand stands for?

Brand Expression

08 and 09 The Business Behind It

Two further blocks connect the identity to the business it has to serve.

Business Model

01 to 07 The Identity as a Whole

Concepts that describe the identity profile as a whole rather than one of its blocks.

Not Placed: Identity Content Without a Home in the Canvas

Concepts that are identity content by the Atlas definition but match no Canvas block or element. This is the list to examine when asking whether the Canvas misses an element.

Outside the identity core

Analysis Input

Inputs a model asks for before the identity is defined: competitors, market, customer insight, trends.

Perception and Outcome

What the identity is meant to produce: image, reputation, awareness, loyalty, equity. Not identity content by the Atlas definition.

Process and Implementation

Steps, activities, governance and measurement. The Canvas is a result structure, not a procedure.

Concepts
63 Concepts Behind 429 Element Names

One row per concept: what it means, whether it is identity content, where it sits in the Canvas, and which models carry it under which name.

Concept	Scope	In the Canvas	Models
Brand Vision The long-term picture of where the brand is heading and what it wants to become in five to twenty years. It gives direction and should inspire the people inside the company.	Identity Content	Vision = same	Brand Asset Management Model: Brand Vision ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Mission & Vision ⊃ De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Brand Vision ⊃ Identity-Based Brand Management: Brand Vision = Three-Hour Brand Sprint: 20-Year Roadmap ≈ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Vision = Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Brand Vision = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Vision & Mission ⊃ Brand Thinking Canvas: Vision = Branding for Builders: Something Bigger ⊃ Context Branding Model: Vision = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Mission & Vision ⊃ Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Brand Vision = Place Brand Identity Model: Vision ⊃
Brand Purpose The reason the brand exists beyond making money: what it wants to contribute to people and society. Often phrased as the brand's why.	Identity Content	Purpose = same	4-D Branding: Spiritual Dimension = Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Mission & Vision ⊃ De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Brand Vision ⊃ Three-Hour Brand Sprint: What, How, Why ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Mission ⊃ Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Brand Purpose = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Vision & Mission ⊃ Branding for Builders: Something Bigger ⊃ Context Branding Model: Mission = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Mission & Vision ⊃ Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Brand Purpose = Minimum Viable Brand: Why It Matters = Minimum Viable Brand Canvas: Story ⊃ Place Brand Identity Model: Vision ⊃
Brand Mission What the brand does and whom it serves: the needs it meets for its customers. More concrete and nearer-term than vision or purpose.	Identity Content	Mission = same	Three-Hour Brand Sprint: What, How, Why ⊃ Brand Thinking Canvas: Mission = Minimum Viable Brand: Why the Brand Exists = Place Brand Identity Model: Mission =
Brand Ambitions The concrete goals the brand should reach for the business in the shorter term, such as growth, share or position targets.	Identity Content	Ambitions = same	Brand Asset Management Model: Brand Vision ⊃ Brand Frame: Ambition = CORE Discovery Framework: Goals Prioritization ≈ The Brand Canvas Model: Objectives =
Corporate Philosophy The guiding idea of the organisation set by top management, usually bundling mission, vision and core values into one statement of what is central, lasting and distinctive.	Identity Content	block 01 Brand Vision ⊃ broader	4-D Branding: Brand Code ⊃ Anatomy of the Brand: Concept and Management of the Brand ⊃ Corporate Branding Model: Corporate Philosophy = Corporate Identity System: Mind Identity (MI) = Brand Gestalt Model: Principles = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Organisation ≈ Context Branding Model: Philosophy = Corporate Identity Mix: Corporate Personality ≈ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Uncover Your Brand Core = Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Head Station ⊃ TBA Branding Model: Mission, Vision, Purpose =
Brand Essence The single idea, value or short phrase that sums up what the brand stands for. It condenses the whole identity so that it can be passed on easily.	Identity Content	Brand Theme ≈ related	4-D Branding: Brand Code ⊃ Anatomy of Brand Identity: Essence (Esencia) = Brand Identity Prism: Brand Essence = Brand Key: Essence = Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Competence = Brand Vision Model: Brand Essence = Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Core: Promise and Core Values ⊃ Brand Essence Wheel: Brand Essence = Brand Flower: Brand Core = Brand Frame: Brand Core ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Brand Essence ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Essence = Brand Identity Formation Model: Brand Essence = Brand Onion: Essence = Brand Thinking Canvas: Brand Essence = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Brand Core: Promise and Core Values ⊃ Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Core Value (Brand Essence) = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Core ⊃ TBA Branding Model: Brand Essence = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Brand Essence =
Identity Layering and Weighting The principle of ranking or weighting identity elements: a few central, lasting elements form the core, further elements add texture, and each gets a level of importance, as layers or on a scale.	Identity Content		Brand Identity Planning Model: Core Identity = Brand Identity Planning Model: Extended Identity = Brand Vision Model: Core Vision Elements = Brand Vision Model: Extended Vision Elements = Corporate Branding Model: Level of Relevance = Corporate Branding Model: Desired Level of Recognition ⊂
Brand Values The basic beliefs and principles the brand stands for and wants to live by. They guide decisions and should show in everything the brand does.	Identity Content	Brand Culture ⊂ narrower	Anatomy of Brand Identity: Distinctive Features (Distintivos) ⊃ Anatomy of Brand Identity: Inner Level (Plano Interior) = Brand Identity Prism: Culture = Brand Key: Values & Personality ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Core: Promise and Core Values ⊃ Corporate Branding Model: Institutional Values ⊂ Identity-Based Brand Management: Brand Values = Three-Hour Brand Sprint: Top Three Values = Brand Flower: Brand Values = Brand Flower: Brand Facets ⊂ Brand Frame: Brand Values = Brand Gestalt Model: Point of View ≈ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Brand Essence ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Mission ⊃ Brand Identity Formation Model: Culture ⊃ Brand Onion: Values = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Positioning: Core Values ⊃ Brand Thinking Canvas: Values = Context Branding Model: Values = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Brand Core: Promise and Core Values ⊃ De Chernatony Brand Pyramid: Values = Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Brand Values = MarkenWesen Model: Values & Character ⊃ Place Brand Identity Model: Values = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Values = TBA Branding Model: Internal Culture and Values ⊃ The Brand Strategy Canvas: Company Values =
Corporate Culture The beliefs, assumptions and ways of behaving that the people of the organisation share, or that the brand owner wants them to share. It shapes how the brand is delivered from the inside.	Identity Content	Brand Culture ⊂ narrower	Anatomy of the Brand: Organisational Culture = B*Canvas 2.0: Corporate Culture ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Culture ⊃ Corporate Branding Model: Corporate Culture = De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Culture = De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Relationships ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Culture = National Brand Identity (NBI) Model: Social System ≈ TBA Branding Model: Internal Culture and Values ⊃
Organisational Attributes The organisation behind the brand as a source of identity: its people, programs, innovativeness or quality focus, as opposed to product features.	Identity Content	Brand Culture ≈ related	Brand Identity Planning Model: Organization Attributes = Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Attributes ⊃ National Brand Identity (NBI) Model: Nation People ≈
Brand Orientation The state in which the brand serves as the guiding idea for the whole company, so that every employee decides and acts with the brand in mind.	Process and Implementation		B*Canvas 2.0: Corporate Culture ⊃ Brand Asset Management Model: Brand-Based Culture = Cohesive Brand: Conscious ≈ Sector Brand Identity Model: Market Orientation ≈
Internal Brand Management The activities that anchor the brand among employees: internal communication, training and motivation so that staff understand and live the brand.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Internal Communication ⊂ B*Canvas 2.0: Internal Brand Management = CORE Discovery Framework: Team Alignment ≈ Cohesive Brand: Connection ≈ Cohesive Brand: Consulting and Coaching in Parallel ≈ Cohesive Brand: Empowering Iterative Brand Internalisation Process = Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Communication ⊃ Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Human Power ≈
Brand Personality The human character traits, attitude and style ascribed to the brand as sender: what kind of person the brand would be. Shows in its tone and behaviour. Includes archetypes used to type the personality and the traits the brand deliberately avoids.	Identity Content	Brand Persona = same	Brand Identity Planning Model: Personality = Brand Identity Prism: Personality = Brand Key: Values & Personality ⊃ Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Tonality ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Personality = Corporate Branding Model: Personality Traits = De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Personality = Identity-Based Brand Management: Brand Personality = Three-Hour Brand Sprint: Personality Sliders = Brand Essence Wheel: Personality = Brand Gestalt Model: Personality = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Personality = Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Characteristics = Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Antonyms ⊂ Brand Identity Formation Model: Personality = Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Personality = Brand Onion: Personality = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Personality = Branding for Builders: Personality = Context Branding Model: Personality = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Personality = De Chernatony Brand Pyramid: Personality Traits = Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Personality = Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Brand Personality = MarkenWesen Model: Values & Character ⊃ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Align Your Brand Archetype ⊂ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Shape Your Brand Personality Strategy = PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Uncover Your Human Brand Persona ⊃ Place Brand Identity Model: Personality = Sector Brand Identity Model: Personality = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Personality = TBA Branding Model: Personality = The Brand Canvas Model: Brand Personality = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Brand Personality =
Brand Face The visible people who personify the brand, such as a founder, spokesperson or typical representative.	Identity Content	Brand Face = same	Brand Thinking Canvas: People, Talent & Behavior ⊃
Brand Heritage and Origin The parts of the brand's history, roots and place of origin that management chooses to stress because they give the brand meaning and credibility.	Identity Content	Brand Culture ≈ related	Brand Identity Planning Model: Country of Origin ⊂ Brand Identity Planning Model: Brand Heritage = Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Culture ⊃ Identity-Based Brand Management: Brand Origin = Brand Gestalt Model: Pedigree ⊃ Brand Identity Formation Model: Culture ⊃ National Brand Identity (NBI) Model: National Heritage = Sector Brand Identity Model: Country of Origin ⊂
Geographic Brand Scope The fundamental choice whether the brand presents itself as a global brand or connects with the local market.	Identity Content		Brand Identity Planning Model: Local vs. Global =
Product Scope The kind of products and services the brand is linked with and provides, from a narrow niche to a broad category.	Identity Content	Brand Authority ≈ related	B*Canvas 2.0: Core & Complementary Products/Services ≈ Brand Identity Planning Model: Product Scope = Identity-Based Brand Management: Brand Offering = Brand Gestalt Model: Product = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Product Category and Product = Brand Thinking Canvas: Products & Services ≈ Personal Branding Canvas: Profession ⊃ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Offering = The Brand Canvas Model: Services / Offers / Products =
Brand Attributes The concrete characteristics of the product or company that customers should associate with the brand, such as features, quality or design.	Identity Content	Brand Qualities = same	4-D Branding: Functional Dimension ⊃ Brand Identity Planning Model: Product Attributes ⊃ Brand Identity Prism: Physique = Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Attributes ⊃ Brand Essence Wheel: Attributes = Brand Identity Formation Model: Physique = Brand Onion: Attributes = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Quality ⊂ Branding for Builders: Product Attributes = De Chernatony Brand Pyramid: Attributes = MarkenWesen Model: Properties & Performance ⊃ Place Brand Identity Model: Distinguishing Preferences ⊃ Sector Brand Identity Model: Product = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Company/Product Features =
Functional Benefits The rational, need-based advantages customers get from what the product does, as opposed to its mere features.	Identity Content	Brand Qualities ≈ related	4-D Branding: Functional Dimension ⊃ Anatomy of Brand Identity: Appeal (Atractivo) ⊃ Anatomy of Brand Identity: Functional Benefits (Beneficios Funcionales) = Brand Identity Planning Model: Product Attributes ⊃ Brand Key: Benefits ⊃ Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Benefits ⊃ Brand Essence Wheel: Benefits = Brand Onion: Benefits ⊃ Branding for Builders: Customer Benefit = Branding for Builders: Product Benefits = Context Branding Model: Benefits ⊃ De Chernatony Brand Pyramid: Benefits = Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Functional Benefit = MarkenWesen Model: Properties & Performance ⊃ Minimum Viable Brand: What Can You Do = Place Brand Identity Model: Functional Value = Place Brand Identity Model: Benefits ⊃ The Brand Strategy Canvas: Rational Benefits =
Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits The feelings a brand gives its customers and the way it lets them express who they are or want to be.	Identity Content	Brand-related Self ⊂ narrower	Anatomy of Brand Identity: Appeal (Atractivo) ⊃ Anatomy of Brand Identity: Emotional Benefits (Beneficios Emocionales) = Brand Key: Benefits ⊃ Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Benefits ⊃ Brand Essence Wheel: Values ≈ Brand Onion: Benefits ⊃ Branding for Builders: Emotional Benefits = Context Branding Model: Benefits ⊃ De Chernatony Brand Pyramid: Emotional Rewards = Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Emotional Benefit = Minimum Viable Brand: How It Will Feel = Place Brand Identity Model: Emotional Value = Place Brand Identity Model: Benefits ⊃ The Brand Strategy Canvas: Emotional Benefits =
Value Proposition and Brand Promise The whole bundle of benefits the brand promises its customers and other stakeholders, functional, emotional and self-expressive, as the reason to buy. It includes the brand promise: the commitment the brand makes to its customers about what they will get.	Identity Content	block 02 Brand Offering ⊃ broader	Brand Identity Planning Model: Value Proposition = Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Value Proposition = De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Positioning ⊃ Brand Frame: Competence ⊃ Brand Frame: Mission = Brand Gestalt Model: Promise ⊃ Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Brand Value Proposition = Brand Thinking Canvas: Brand Promises = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Value Proposition = MarkenWesen Model: Brand Proposition ⊃ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Define Your Strategic Market Position ⊃ Personal Branding Canvas: Promise = Place Brand Identity Model: Experiential Promise = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Benefit Promise = The Brand Canvas Model: Brand Promise = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Brand Positioning Statement ⊃
Price Level and Economic Benefit The price and value tier the brand chooses, from premium to affordable, and the economic benefit customers read into it.	Identity Content	block 02 Brand Offering ≈ related	Anatomy of Brand Identity: Economic Benefits (Beneficios Económicos) = Brand Asset Management Model: Premium Pricing ≈ Brand Identity Planning Model: Quality/Value =
Key Differentiator The real difference from competing brands: the strongest reason to choose this brand rather than another.	Identity Content	Key Differentiator = same	Brand Key: Discriminator = Corporate Branding Model: Competitive Attributes ≈ Brand Frame: Competence ⊃ Brand Frame: Brand Core ⊃ Brand Gestalt Model: Promise ⊃ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Forge Your Differentiation Strategy = Personal Branding Canvas: Positioning = Place Brand Identity Model: Distinguishing Preferences ⊃ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Differentiation = The Brand Canvas Model: Story / Differentiation ⊃
Reasons to Believe The evidence that the brand can deliver what it promises: skills, programs, ingredients, proof and credentials that make the claim credible.	Identity Content	block 02 Brand Offering ≈ related	Brand Identity Planning Model: Credibility ≈ Brand Key: Reasons to Believe = Brand Vision Model: Proof Points = Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Base of Authority = MarkenWesen Model: Brand Proposition ⊃ Personal Branding Canvas: Credibility = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: On-Brand Performance (Proofpoints) ⊃
Brand Competences The special skills, processes and know-how of the organisation that let it deliver the brand and set it apart from rivals.	Identity Content	Brand Authority ≈ related	Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Competences = Identity-Based Brand Management: Brand Competences = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Competences = Genetic Code of the Brand: Cause ≈ National Brand Identity (NBI) Model: Leadership and Growth ≈ Personal Branding Canvas: Competence = Personal Branding Canvas: Profession ⊃ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Strengths =
Brand Authority Domain The field in which the brand wants to be seen as especially strong and competent, such as a category, material, skill, usage occasion or customer problem.	Identity Content	Brand Authority = same	Brand Identity Planning Model: Uses ⊂ Personal Branding Canvas: Arena =
Strategic Imperatives The investments in assets, skills, programs or people that are needed where the organisation cannot yet deliver its brand promise.	Process and Implementation		Brand Vision Model: Strategic Imperatives = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: On-Brand Performance (Proofpoints) ⊃
Target Customers The customer group the brand is primarily designed for, described by demographics, attitudes, values or needs.	Identity Content	Target Customers = same	Brand Key: Target = Three-Hour Brand Sprint: Top Three Audiences ≈ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Brand Positioning ⊃ Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Key Customers = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Target Audience ≈ Brand Thinking Canvas: Audience ≈ CORE Discovery Framework: Customer Profiles ⊃ Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Ideal Customer Image ⊃ Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Target Audience = PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Develop Your Buyer Personas ⊃ Personal Branding Canvas: Audience ≈ Place Brand Identity Model: Stakeholder Groups ≈ Sector Brand Identity Model: Positioning ≈ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Target Groups = The Brand Canvas Model: Customers ⊃ The Brand Strategy Canvas: Customer/User Insight ⊃
Prototypical User The kind of person customers should picture as the brand's typical user: the ideal buyer the brand seems to address, which can differ from the actual target group.	Identity Content	Prototypical User = same	Brand Identity Planning Model: Users = Brand Identity Prism: Reflection = Brand Identity Formation Model: Reflection = Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Ideal Customer Image ⊃
Brand-Related Self-Image How customers should see and feel about themselves when they use the brand: the inner mirror of the brand.	Identity Content	Brand-related Self = same	4-D Branding: Mental Dimension = Brand Identity Prism: Self-Image = Brand Identity Formation Model: Self-Image =
Brand Community The social group customers want to belong to and feel connected with through the brand.	Identity Content	Brand Community = same	4-D Branding: Social Dimension = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Relationship ⊃
Consumer Insight The hidden needs and buying motives of the target group that the brand must respond to. An analytical input gained before the identity is defined.	Analysis Input		Brand Key: Insight = CORE Discovery Framework: Customer Profiles ⊃ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Develop Your Buyer Personas ⊃ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Psychological Moment of Brand Choice = TBA Branding Model: Customer & Stakeholder Insights = The Brand Canvas Model: Customers ⊃ The Brand Strategy Canvas: Customer/User Insight ⊃
Customer Analysis The analysis of customer segments and of how and why customers decide to buy in the category.	Analysis Input		Brand Asset Management Model: Brand-Based Customer Model = Sector Brand Identity Model: Consumer Attitudes and Behavior = TBA Branding Model: Think ⊃
Brand Relationship The kind of relationship the brand builds with its customers and the way it treats and addresses them: its mode of conduct, for example as friend, adviser or authority.	Identity Content	Brand Relationship = same	Brand Identity Planning Model: Brand–Customer Relationships = Brand Identity Prism: Relationship = Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Tonality ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Relationships = De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Relationships ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Relationship ⊃ Brand Identity Formation Model: Relationships = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Relationships = Sector Brand Identity Model: Relationship ≈
Corporate Behaviour The everyday behaviour of the organisation and its people as an expression of the identity, next to design and communication.	Identity Content	block 07 Brand Expression ≈ related	Corporate Identity System: Behaviour Identity (BI) = Brand Thinking Canvas: People, Talent & Behavior ⊃ Corporate Identity Mix: Corporate Behaviour =
Brand Signs The name, logo, colours, slogan and other verbal and visual signs by which people recognise the brand at once.	Identity Content	Brand Expression ⊂ narrower	Anatomy of Brand Identity: Distinctive Features (Distintivos) ⊃ Anatomy of Brand Identity: Outer Level (Plano Exterior) = Anatomy of the Brand: Verbal and Visual Brand = B*Canvas 2.0: Branding = Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Expression ⊃ Corporate Identity System: Visual Identity (VI) = Brand Gestalt Model: Properties = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Symbology = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Typography ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Colour ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Symbols = Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Color ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Typography ⊂ Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Design = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Company Name and Brand Name ⊂ Brand Thinking Canvas: Visual Identity ⊂ Brand Thinking Canvas: Verbal Identity ⊃ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Expression ⊃ Corporate Identity Mix: Corporate Design ⊃ Dentsu Honeycomb Model: Symbol = Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Brand Tagline ⊂ MarkenWesen Model: Manifestations = Minimum Viable Brand: Assets = PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Design Your Brand Identity System = Sector Brand Identity Model: Visual Identity = Sector Brand Identity Model: Stationery ⊂ Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Creativity ⊃ TBA Branding Model: Expression ⊃ The Brand Canvas Model: Corporate Design =
Brand Expression and Imagery The recurring signature elements through which the brand expresses what it stands for: imagery, design, style, tone of voice and all sensory impressions the company creates on purpose.	Identity Content	Brand Expression = same	Brand Identity Planning Model: Visual Imagery and Metaphors = Brand Steering Wheel: Brand Image = Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Expression ⊃ De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Presentation ≈ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Photography ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Tone of Voice ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Voice ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Visual ⊂ Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Form, Line, Texture, Space ⊂ Brand Thinking Canvas: Verbal Identity ⊃ CORE Discovery Framework: Attribute Clustering ≈ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Expression ⊃ Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Brand Voice ⊂ Minimum Viable Brand Canvas: Artifacts = PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Find Your Brand Voice & Tone ⊂ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Uncover Your Human Brand Persona ⊃ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: On-Brand Communication (Coding) = TBA Branding Model: Expression ⊃
Product and Service Design The design of the offer itself as a carrier of the brand's style and tangible personality.	Identity Content	Brand Expression ⊂ narrower	Anatomy of the Brand: Product and Service Design = Corporate Identity Mix: Corporate Design ⊃
Point of Sale and Environmental Design The physical places where people meet the brand, such as shops and exhibitions, and their design as a brand experience.	Identity Content	Key Touchpoints ⊂ narrower	Anatomy of the Brand: Environmental Design = B*Canvas 2.0: PoS = Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Experience ≈ Brand Thinking Canvas: Places & Events =
Key Touchpoints The few communication, distribution or service touchpoints the brand should become known for.	Identity Content	Key Touchpoints = same	Brand Thinking Canvas: Technology ≈ CORE Discovery Framework: Impact Narrative ≈ Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Awareness Goals = TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Touchpoints = TBA Branding Model: Act ⊃
Marketing Communication The external communication activities through which the brand reaches people: advertising, PR, promotions, digital and social media.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Marketing ⊃ Anatomy of the Brand: External Communication and Relations = Anatomy of the Brand: Web and 2.0 Management ⊂ B*Canvas 2.0: Communication = Brand Asset Management Model: Brand-Based Communication = Brand Leadership Model: Brand-Building Programs ⊃ Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Communication = Brand Thinking Canvas: Communication & Channels = Brand Thinking Canvas: How ≈ Context Branding Model: Brand Communication = Corporate Identity Mix: Corporate Communication = Minimum Viable Brand Canvas: Invitation ⊃ Sector Brand Identity Model: Marketing Campaign = Sector Brand Identity Model: Promotion Tools = Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Creativity ⊃ Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Communication ⊃ TBA Branding Model: Act ⊃
Distribution Channels The channels through which products reach customers, such as wholesalers and retailers, and how the brand influences them.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Marketing ⊃ Brand Asset Management Model: Channel Influence =
Brand Leverage and Co-Branding Enriching the brand through partnerships, co-branding, collaborations and similar links to other brands.	Process and Implementation		B*Canvas 2.0: Brand Leverage = Brand Thinking Canvas: Partnerships & Collaborations =
Brand Extension Stretching the brand into new products or markets, and testing how far its boundaries can go.	Business and Strategy	block 08 and 09 The Business Behind It ≈ related	Brand Asset Management Model: Brand Extension =
Competitive Environment The brands and products a customer considers instead, and how the own brand compares with them. An analytical input.	Analysis Input		Brand Asset Management Model: External Environment ⊃ Brand Key: Competitive Environment = Three-Hour Brand Sprint: Competitive Landscape ≈ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Market ⊃ Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework: Market Research = PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Weigh Up the Competitive Brands = Personal Branding Canvas: Competitors = Sector Brand Identity Model: Competitors' Actions = The Brand Canvas Model: Competitors = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Competitive Environment =
External Environment Analysis The analysis of competitors, the market and the wider environment to see where the brand can grow.	Analysis Input		Brand Asset Management Model: External Environment ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Market ⊃ Sector Brand Identity Model: Environment ≈ TBA Branding Model: Think ⊃ The Brand Canvas Model: Framework Conditions / External Factors = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Cultural Moment ⊂
Brand Image as Perceived What customers currently associate with the brand, seen through their eyes and compared with competitors. The outside view, not the intended identity.	Perception and Outcome		Brand Asset Management Model: Brand Image = Context Branding Model: Brand Image = Corporate Identity Mix: Corporate Image = Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Critical Triplet ⊃
Brand Research and Controlling Studies, polls, metrics and controlling as an ongoing activity that supplies facts for brand management and checks results.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Research = B*Canvas 2.0: Brand Tools ⊃ Brand Asset Management Model: Return on Brand Investment ⊂ Brand Leadership Model: Brand-Building Programs ⊃ Sector Brand Identity Model: Product Performance ≈
Brand Equity and Strength The strength of the brand in the minds and behaviour of the public and of customers: awareness, reach, affinity, loyalty.	Perception and Outcome		BCanvas 2.0: Brand Equity (General Public) = BCanvas 2.0: Brand Equity (Customer) = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Brand Results ⊃ Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Awareness ⊂ Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Associations ⊂ Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Loyalty ⊂ Genetic Code of the Brand: Effect ≈
Financial Brand Performance The economic result the brand produces for the company, such as sales, margin or market success.	Perception and Outcome		B*Canvas 2.0: Final Performance = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Brand Results ⊃
Corporate Strategy The overall business strategy, business plan and objectives of the company that the brand strategy must serve and fit into.	Business and Strategy	block 08 and 09 The Business Behind It ≈ related	Anatomy of the Brand: Concept and Management of the Brand ⊃ Anatomy of the Brand: Corporate Strategy = Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Strategy ⊃
Brand Strategy The plan for building the brand: its key ideas, objectives, reasoning and the steps, resources and responsibilities to carry it out.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Branding Project ⊃ B*Canvas 2.0: Brand Strategy = Brand Leadership Model: Brand Identity ⊃ Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Management ⊃ CORE Discovery Framework: Data Matching ≈ Cohesive Brand: Concept ≈ Cohesive Brand: Brand Strategy Map Integrating Inside and Outside = Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Strategy ⊃ The Brand Canvas Model: Marketing Strategy ≈
Brand Governance How work on the brand is organised across departments and who is responsible for what.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Branding Project ⊃ B*Canvas 2.0: Brand Organization = Brand Leadership Model: Organizational Structure and Processes = Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Management ⊃ Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Head Station ⊃ The Brand Canvas Model: Organisation / Structure ⊃
Brand Guidelines and Manuals The rulebooks that collect the criteria and rules for applying the brand, such as corporate design guidelines.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Management and Application Manuals = B*Canvas 2.0: Brand Tools ⊃ CORE Discovery Framework: The Brief ≈
Legal Brand Protection Registering the brand as legal property at home and abroad so that the company fully controls it.	Process and Implementation		Anatomy of the Brand: Brand Protection =
Brand Positioning How the brand should be anchored in customers' minds and set apart from competitors: which facets are stressed, against whom and for which audience.	Process and Implementation		B*Canvas 2.0: Positioning = Brand Asset Management Model: Brand Positioning = Brand Vision Model: Brand Position ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity Matrix: Position ≈ De Chernatony Brand Identity Model: Positioning ⊃ Brand Gestalt Model: Positioning = Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Brand Positioning ⊃ Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Positioning = Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon: Positioning: Core Values ⊃ Branding for Builders: Positioning = Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Position = PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Define Your Strategic Market Position ⊃ TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model: Brand Core ⊃ TBA Branding Model: Be ⊃ The Brand Strategy Canvas: Brand Positioning Statement ⊃
Intended Identity Profile The complete set of traits and associations the organisation wants its publics to recognise it by: the target identity as a whole.	Identity Content	the identity as a whole ⊃ broader	Anatomy of the Brand: Institutional Identity ≈ Brand Vision Model: Vision Elements = Corporate Branding Model: Corporate Identity Profile = Brand Leadership Model: Brand Identity ⊃ Brand Thinking Canvas: What ⊂ CORE Discovery Framework: Brand Attributes ≈ Context Branding Model: Brand Identity = Personal Branding Canvas: Identity ≈ Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Corporate Identity ≈ TBA Branding Model: Be ⊃
Root Strengths The analysis of how the brand became successful: its original product, its flagship product and the strengths that made it big. Includes the causal success factors that explain the brand's effect in the market.	Analysis Input		Brand Key: Root Strengths = Genetic Code of the Brand: Genetic Components ⊂ Genetic Code of the Brand: Genetic Building Blocks =
Brand Story and Narrative The story the brand tells about itself and wants others to pass on: origin, plot, characters, archetypes and brand lore, used to carry the identity in a memorable form.	Identity Content	Brand Expression ⊂ narrower	Brand Gestalt Model: Pedigree ⊃ Brand Identity Canvas (Alves): Narrative = Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Stories = Minimum Viable Brand Canvas: Story ⊃ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Craft Your Brand Storytelling Framework = The Brand Canvas Model: Story / Differentiation ⊃
Key Messages The few consumer-facing core messages, including headline or tagline, that carry the brand's identity and promise consistently across all communication.	Identity Content	Brand Expression ⊂ narrower	Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock): Messaging = Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Message = Branding for Builders: Headline ≈ Minimum Viable Brand Canvas: Invitation ⊃ PRO Brand Strategy Framework: Define Your Brand Messaging Framework = The Brand Strategy Canvas: Key Messages =
Brand Architecture The structure of the company's brand portfolio: the role of each brand, how corporate, business, range and product brands relate, and where a new brand fits.	Business and Strategy	block 08 and 09 The Business Behind It ≈ related	Brand Leadership Model: Brand Architecture = Brand One / Gramco Brand Model: Brand Architecture = The Brand Canvas Model: Organisation / Structure ⊃
Corporate Reputation The settled view of the brand or organisation that its publics form over time, assessed through dimensions such as credibility, trustworthiness, responsibility, relevance, performance, recognisability and willingness to support.	Perception and Outcome		Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Willingness to Support ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Differentiation ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Relevance ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Performance ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Recognisability ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Credibility ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Trustworthiness ⊂ Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix: Responsibility ⊂ Six-Station Corporate Identity Model: Critical Triplet ⊃
Brand Strength Criteria The qualities a brand identity must show to become strong, used as a checklist in planning: individuality (clearly different), consistency (true to itself over time and across measures), attractiveness and familiarity.	Process and Implementation		MarkenWesen Model: Individuality ⊂ MarkenWesen Model: Attractiveness ⊂ MarkenWesen Model: Consistency ⊂ MarkenWesen Model: Familiarity ⊂

By Model
51 Models, Each With Its Own Grouping

The elements exactly as each originator names and groups them, with a short definition from the Atlas profile and the concept they belong to. Tier A models have full profiles, Tier B models short profiles.

Tier A

4-D Branding

Thomas Gad · Brandflight (Stockholm)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Functional Dimension What the product behind the brand offers. This dimension covers the product's visible advantage and the advantage the consumer experiences.	Brand Mind Space – Dimensions 1 and 2	Brand Attributes ⊃
02	Social Dimension The relationship between consumers and the group of people they want to belong to. The point is social identity, the need to be accepted by a group. People choose the brands they feel best suit this identity.	Brand Mind Space – Dimensions 1 and 2	Brand Community =
03	Mental Dimension Brandflight sums it up as "the individual" (Brandflight, 2019, "Brand Strategy"). This dimension reaches deep into the consumer's personality and, as Djordjevic puts it, "touches their soul". It is closely tied to their self-image, the way they see themselves. Education and experience shape this self-image.	Brand Mind Space – Dimensions 3 and 4	Brand-Related Self-Image =
04	Spiritual Dimension Brandflight sums it up as "the purpose & meaning" of the brand (Brandflight, 2019, "Brand Strategy"). Djordjevic also calls it the ethical or idealistic dimension. It links the brand, product or company with the society around them. It covers everything they give to that society and to the consumers who are part of it.	Brand Mind Space – Dimensions 3 and 4	Brand Purpose =
05	Brand Code The second model of Gad's brand strategy. Brandflight writes that it "has six inputs" but lists only four: product (or a service, place or benefit), positioning, style and values (Brandflight, 2019, "Brand Strategy"). A figure in Djordjevic, which gives its source as "redone by T.Gad, 2005, p.	At the Centre	Brand Essence ⊃

Tier A

Anatomy of Brand Identity

Alberto Wilensky · Buenos Aires

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Essence (Esencia) The essence is the most important part of a brand's identity. Wilensky calls it "the soul or the heart of the brand", made up of "a central value that consumers know, understand and appreciate" (Wilensky, 2003, p. 117, as cited in Pawlusiak, 2009, p. 51, translated).	Core	Brand Essence =
02	Appeal (Atractivo) Every brand must help consumers to meet their needs (Pawlusiak, 2009, p. 52). Its appeal, that is, what draws people to it, rests on benefits that help to meet a set of needs and desires in the market. Some benefits are functional and come from the product itself. Others are subjective and come from the consumer.	Appeal and Distinctive Features	Functional Benefits ⊃
03	Distinctive Features (Distintivos) Distinctive features are the elements that make a brand unmistakable and let people recognise it at once (Reche, 2010, p. 14), "even from a distance" (Pawlusiak, 2009, p. 53, translated). They must be strong and broad enough not only to set the brand apart but to make it stronger still (Wilensky, 2005, p.	Appeal and Distinctive Features	Brand Signs ⊃
04	Functional Benefits (Beneficios Funcionales) Functional benefits come from a company's ability to meet specific needs efficiently through what the product does (Pawlusiak, 2009, p. 52). When a brand manages to own a functional benefit that is vital for meeting a need or a desire, this benefit tends to become a powerful competitive advantage (Reche, 2010, p. 13).	Three Kinds of Benefit	Functional Benefits =
05	Emotional Benefits (Beneficios Emocionales) Emotional benefits relate to the consumer's feelings, desires and pleasant experiences. Many brands use them to add value to their identity (Reche, 2010, p. 13; Pawlusiak, 2009, pp. 52–53). The sum of rational and emotional benefits is what makes a brand "truly powerful" (Reche, 2010, p. 13, translated).	Three Kinds of Benefit	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
06	Economic Benefits (Beneficios Económicos) The price of a brand is necessarily tied to the benefits it gives. A high price can signal quality and exclusivity. It can help the brand to be seen as superior in quality and to hold a prestige position. A low price can suggest poor quality and harm the brand, but a low price that people judge as fair adds value.	Three Kinds of Benefit	Price Level and Economic Benefit =
07	Outer Level (Plano Exterior) The outer level is what people can see. Here distinctive features make the brand recognisable by an image or a certain colour in its logo (Reche, 2010, p. 14). Pawlusiak names logos, corporate colours and other visual elements (Pawlusiak, 2009, p. 53).	Two Levels of Distinctive Features	Brand Signs =
08	Inner Level (Plano Interior) On the inner level, distinctive features consist of the values linked with the brand (Reche, 2010, p. 14). Pawlusiak describes this level as less tangible, tied to the emotional values that the brand conveys (Pawlusiak, 2009, p. 53).	Two Levels of Distinctive Features	Brand Values =

Tier A

Anatomy of the Brand

Joan Costa · MasterBrand Internacional, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Concept and Management of the Brand Concepto y Gestión de la Marca is the black centre. On his institute's website, Costa calls it "the concept, the idea, the reason for being of the brand" (translated), with its financial studies, business plan, objectives and positioning.	Core	Corporate Philosophy ⊃
02	Institutional Identity Identidad Institucional is the company's own identity. Costa calls it "the spirit of the company" (translated), which is injected into the whole brand project (Costa, 2012, p. 22).	Inner Ring	Intended Identity Profile ≈
03	Organisational Culture Cultura Organizacional expresses the company's identity. It is the company's way of being and doing things, shown in the vision, the mission and the values that guide its decisions and behaviour (Costa, 2012, p. 22). Culture does not stay inside. A service attitude starts within the company.	Inner Ring	Corporate Culture =
04	Corporate Strategy Estrategia Corporativa is the overall business strategy. The brand's own strategy becomes part of it (Costa, 2012, p. 22) and must fit with it (Joan Costa Institute, n.d.).	Inner Ring	Corporate Strategy = Business and Strategy
05	Branding Project Proyecto de Branding develops the brand's philosophy and strategy. It sets out the brand's key ideas, its objectives and the reasoning behind management decisions. It also plans the process, the use of money, people, technical means and time, and who does which task.	Outer Ring: Planning and Protection	Brand Strategy ⊃ Process and Implementation
06	Research Investigaciones is an open tool that can be used whenever needed. It serves for studies before the project, for one-off research and polls, and for following up, checking and measuring results (Costa, 2012, p. 22).	Outer Ring: Planning and Protection	Brand Research and Controlling = Process and Implementation
07	Brand Protection Protección de la Marca is the strategy for registering the brand as the company's legal property, at home and abroad, so that the company fully controls it. Costa sees this as a precondition.	Outer Ring: Planning and Protection	Legal Brand Protection = Process and Implementation
08	Management and Application Manuals Manuales de Gestión y Aplicaciones are the brand's rulebooks. They collect the criteria, guidelines and rules from the earlier steps that apply to the star, where the brand is expressed.	Outer Ring: Rules and Market	Brand Guidelines and Manuals = Process and Implementation
09	Marketing Marketing covers how the brand and its products are brought to market, including marketing communication and sales (Costa, 2012, p. 23). On the website, the marketing plan is designed in the outer ring, together with legal protection and the branding project (Joan Costa Institute, n.d.).	Outer Ring: Rules and Market	Marketing Communication ⊃ Process and Implementation
10	Verbal and Visual Brand Marca Verbal y Visual covers the brand's name and its visual signs. The verbal brand is the name that comes out of the creative strategy, sometimes linked to a parent brand or backed by it. Costa calls the name "the fundamental sign of identity" (translated).	Star: Signs, Products, Places	Brand Signs =
11	Product and Service Design Diseño de Productos y Servicios gives form to what the brand offers. A design concept that sets a product or product line apart is essential, because it "defines the style and the tangible personality of the brand" (translated). This holds for household appliances as much as for fashion, cosmetics or food.	Star: Signs, Products, Places	Product and Service Design =
12	Environmental Design Diseño Ambiental is the design of the spaces where people meet the brand, such as shops and exhibitions. The point of sale is a place for display, demonstration, information and merchandising. It becomes crucial for the public's emotional experience.	Star: Signs, Products, Places	Point of Sale and Environmental Design =
13	Internal Communication Comunicación Interna is a necessary and valuable channel for informing all staff and motivating them to share in the brand's success. Through the intranet, other media and working meetings with teams and middle managers, the brand project must become part of the organisational culture.	Star: Communication	Internal Brand Management ⊂ Process and Implementation
14	External Communication and Relations Comunicación y Relaciones Externas is a large block. It covers advertising, promotions and information in the mass media. It also covers personalised communication outside the mass media, through small media and below-the-line activities.	Star: Communication	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
15	Web and 2.0 Management Web y Gestión 2.0 covers the corporate website and the web 2.0, which includes managing social networks (Costa, 2012, p. 22). Online, too, everything must fit the brand strategy and the corporate strategy, because the whole digital area is strategic.	Star: Communication	Marketing Communication ⊂ Process and Implementation

Tier A

B*Canvas 2.0

Carsten Baumgarth · Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR Berlin)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Corporate Culture The culture that is actually lived in the company. In Baumgarth's audit model, the brand foundation has two parts. One is this culture, in the form of brand orientation (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 26). Brand orientation means that the brand serves as a guiding idea for the whole company (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 23).	Brand Foundation	Corporate Culture ⊃
02	Positioning How the brand should be anchored in customers' minds and set apart from competitors (Baumgarth & Schmidt, 2024, pp. 41–42). In Baumgarth's audit model, setting the positioning is part of the active management of the brand (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 26).	Brand Foundation	Brand Positioning = Process and Implementation
03	Brand Strategy The strategy for the brand. It has a field of its own in the foundation (Baumgarth, 2021). In Baumgarth's audit model, brand strategy is part of the active management of the brand, together with positioning and internal brand management (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 27).	Brand Foundation	Brand Strategy = Process and Implementation
04	Brand Organization How the work on the brand is organised in the company. For Baumgarth, one of the main challenges of brand management is getting people to work together across departments and across the whole organisation (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 26).	Brand Foundation (Continued)	Brand Governance = Process and Implementation
05	Internal Brand Management Anchoring the brand among the employees. In Baumgarth's audit model, this is part of the active management of the brand and works through suitable measures (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 26).	Brand Foundation (Continued)	Internal Brand Management = Process and Implementation
06	Brand Tools The tools for managing the brand. In the audit model for cultural institutions, the brand tools dimension covered brand controlling and corporate design guidelines (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 30). Brand controlling supplies the facts and figures on which professional brand management is based.	Brand Foundation (Continued)	Brand Research and Controlling ⊃ Process and Implementation
07	Branding The signs of the brand, such as brand name, logo and slogan (Baumgarth & Schmidt, 2024, p. 41). In Baumgarth's audit model, the touchpoints fall into two parts. One is branding, which works across all marketing instruments.	Brand Touchpoints	Brand Signs =
08	Core & Complementary Products/Services What the brand offers, both its core products or services and the additional ones around them. The product is one of the instruments of the marketing mix through which the brand reaches customers (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 26).	Brand Touchpoints	Product Scope ≈
09	Communication How the brand reaches people and talks with them. The canvas splits the field into push, pull and co-creation (Baumgarth, 2021). In the audit model for cultural institutions, communication covered external media communication, personal communication and location-based communication.	Brand Touchpoints	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
10	PoS The point of sale. Baumgarth and Schmidt list it among the touchpoints, next to branding and communication (Baumgarth & Schmidt, 2024, p. 41). Methods that have proved useful in Baumgarth's brand audits include the audit team's own observations and photos, for example of shop design, and mystery shopping (Baumgarth, 2016, p.	Brand Touchpoints (Continued)	Point of Sale and Environmental Design =
11	Brand Leverage A touchpoint field with a plus sign as its icon (Baumgarth, 2021). Its German name, Markenanreicherung, means brand enrichment (Baumgarth & Schmidt, 2024, p. 41). The audit model for cultural institutions already had a dimension of this name among its touchpoints (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 30).	Brand Touchpoints (Continued)	Brand Leverage and Co-Branding = Process and Implementation
12	Brand Equity (General Public) The strength of the brand among the general public. The German version of the canvas calls this field and the next one Markenstärke, brand strength (Baumgarth & Schmidt, 2024, p. 41).	Brand Performance	Brand Equity and Strength = Perception and Outcome
13	Brand Equity (Customer) The strength of the brand among its customers. Baumgarth and Schmidt report a study that used online data to measure the customer side of brand value. It measured reach, for example by views of social media posts, and affinity, for example by the number of followers.	Brand Performance	Brand Equity and Strength = Perception and Outcome
14	Final Performance The final economic result of the brand. In Baumgarth's audit model, brand performance splits into brand strength and this final economic result (Baumgarth, 2016, p. 26). Baumgarth and Schmidt describe brand performance as how successful the brand is in the market.	Brand Performance	Financial Brand Performance = Perception and Outcome

Tier A

Brand Asset Management Model

Scott M. Davis · Prophet Brand Strategy, Chicago

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Vision Davis calls the brand vision "the starting-point" for Brand Asset Management. It states what senior management expects from the brand and how the brand will help the company grow over the next three to five years.	Phase One: Brand Vision	Brand Vision ⊃
02	Brand Image The BrandPicture is "a snapshot of your brand today", seen through the customers' eyes and compared with the competition (Davis, 2002b, p. 505). Its first part, the image analysis, collects everything customers associate with the brand.	Phase Two: BrandPicture	Brand Image as Perceived = Perception and Outcome
03	Brand-Based Customer Model The customer model looks at the brand "from the outside in". It identifies the customer groups, or segments, that respond differently from others and are valuable for the brand. It finds out why and how customers decide to buy in the category.	Phase Two: BrandPicture	Customer Analysis = Analysis Input
04	External Environment This step looks at competitors, the market and the wider environment. Together, these analyses show how the brand can grow and what may keep it out of certain customer groups. For each competitor, a short check shows how customers see that brand, how it is positioned and where its strengths and weaknesses lie.	Phase Two: BrandPicture	External Environment Analysis ⊃ Analysis Input
05	Brand Positioning Positioning moves the brand "along its path to the aspirational identity", the identity the brand is aiming for. It is the basis for everything the brand says to the outside world.	Phase Three: Position and Communicate	Brand Positioning = Process and Implementation
06	Brand-Based Communication Communication must link back to the brand vision, the BrandPicture and the positioning. Davis uses the AUTHOR model, whose name is formed from the first letters of six stages through which communication should lead customers.	Phase Three: Position and Communicate	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
07	Brand Extension This step tests the boundaries of the brand and how far they can be stretched. Before the brand moves into a new product or market, four questions need an answer.	Phase Three: Extend, Distribute, Price	Brand Extension = Business and Strategy
08	Channel Influence Products reach customers through a channel of wholesalers and retailers. Davis describes channel management as a constant "pull and push" between them and the manufacturers, each seeking more power. A strong brand gives the company more influence over how the channel performs.	Phase Three: Extend, Distribute, Price	Distribution Channels = Process and Implementation
09	Premium Pricing The BrandPicture shows whether the brand is strong enough to support a premium price. Brand loyalty is what lets a brand charge more. But the price gap to competitors must be watched and managed with care.	Phase Three: Extend, Distribute, Price	Price Level and Economic Benefit ≈
10	Return on Brand Investment This step asks how well the brand helps to meet the business goals. Brand metrics, the measures a company uses to judge this, fall into two groups. Brand image metrics track awareness, how important and meaningful the brand is, whether it delivers what stakeholders value and whether it makes customers more inclined to buy.	Phase Four: Asset Management Culture	Brand Research and Controlling ⊂ Process and Implementation
11	Brand-Based Culture Even world-class promotions cannot convince customers that a brand cares about service if its delivery staff are rude and late. Many departments touch the customer, so responsibility for the brand "must move beyond the marketing department to the executive suite". Each employee should make decisions with the brand in mind.	Phase Four: Asset Management Culture	Brand Orientation = Process and Implementation

Tier A

Brand Identity Planning Model

David A. Aaker · University of California, Berkeley (Haas School of Business)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Core Identity The central, lasting part of the identity. Aaker calls it "the timeless essence of a brand" (Aaker, 1996, p. 85, as cited in Urde, 2013, p. 746).	Identity Structure	Identity Layering and Weighting =
02	Extended Identity All other elements of the identity. In Aaker's words, the extended identity "fills in the picture, adding details that help portray what the brand should stand for" (Kell, 1996, para. 11).	Identity Structure	Identity Layering and Weighting =
03	Product Scope The products the brand is linked with. The scope can be broad, such as automobiles, or narrow, such as sports cars. Niche brands may have a very narrow scope. A scope drawn too narrowly might keep a brand from reaching its full potential. "What if Nike was still just a shoe brand?" Meyerson asks.	Brand as Product: The Offer	Product Scope =
04	Product Attributes The features of the brand's products and the benefits they bring. These benefits can be functional or emotional. Perhaps the product does something better than its rivals, or something other products do not do at all (Meyerson, 2019b, "Product Attributes" section).	Brand as Product: The Offer	Brand Attributes ⊃
05	Quality/Value Whether the products are known as premium or as affordable. Aaker believes that quality shapes competition in many industries. In some "competitive arenas", the highest quality wins. In others, brands need a minimum level of quality to compete at all.	Brand as Product: The Offer	Price Level and Economic Benefit =
06	Uses The use or occasion the brand is linked with. "Owning" a specific use, so that people think of the brand for it, can work very well for positioning, even if it is not the only use.	Brand as Product: Use, Users and Origin	Brand Authority Domain ⊂
07	Users The type of people the brand is linked with. They can be described by facts such as age or income (demographics), by attitudes and lifestyle (psychographics), or both (Meyerson, 2019b, "Users" section).	Brand as Product: Use, Users and Origin	Prototypical User =
08	Country of Origin The brand's link to a country or region. Some parts of the world are associated with luxury, precision or innovation. Pointing out that a brand comes from one of these places can help give it the same qualities (Meyerson, 2019b, "Country of Origin" section). From where did the brand originate?	Brand as Product: Use, Users and Origin	Brand Heritage and Origin ⊂
09	Organization Attributes The brand as organisation is about the people, culture, values and programs behind the brand, not about product features. Such attributes are usually more stable than product attributes and harder for competitors to copy (Meyerson, 2019b, "Organization Attributes" section).	Brand as Organization	Organisational Attributes =
10	Local vs. Global In Aaker's words, "a brand often needs to make a fundamental identity choice: Should it (1) be a global brand … or (2) try to connect with the local market?" (Aaker, 1996, as cited in Meyerson, 2019b, "Local vs. Global" section). Global brands, or brands seen as global, have size and prestige on their side.	Brand as Organization	Geographic Brand Scope =
11	Personality Through its look, the way it speaks, its advertising and other means, a brand can show a personality. Consumers who feel that this personality fits them may use the brand to express their own personality or values, for example by buying its products (Meyerson, 2019b, "Personality" section).	Brand as Person	Brand Personality =
12	Brand–Customer Relationships This category is closely related to personality. A brand can take on the role of a person in a real-life relationship, such as a close friend, a family member or a business associate (Meyerson, 2019b, "Customer/Brand Relationships" section). The figure names friend and adviser as examples.	Brand as Person	Brand Relationship =
13	Visual Imagery and Metaphors The brand as symbol is about more than the logo. It includes anything that shows the brand visually, such as a character, a recognisable package, a building or a product design. People linked to the brand count too.	Brand as Symbol	Brand Expression and Imagery =
14	Brand Heritage Heritage is the brand's history, and a brand's meaning can be wrapped up in it. Meyerson calls heritage "a sometimes-powerful blend of backstory and nostalgia".	Brand as Symbol	Brand Heritage and Origin =
15	Value Proposition In the figure, the identity leads to a value proposition made up of functional, emotional and self-expressive benefits (Meyerson, 2019b, figure). The sources available on the 1996 model name this box but do not define it.	What the Identity Offers	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
16	Credibility The figure places credibility next to the value proposition, with the note "support other brands". Like the value proposition, it leads to the brand–customer relationship (Meyerson, 2019b, figure). The available sources do not define this box, and they read credibility in different ways.	What the Identity Offers	Reasons to Believe ≈

Tier A

Brand Identity Prism

Jean-Noël Kapferer · HEC Paris

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Physique The brand's physical traits and qualities. These are either objective features that people name right away when asked about the brand, or newer features that are still emerging.	Picture of Sender	Brand Attributes =
02	Personality By communicating, a brand slowly builds up a character. The way it talks about its products shows "what kind of person it would be if it were human". This is the personality of the brand as sender. It should not be confused with the reflected customer, which is a picture of the ideal buyer (Kapferer, 2008, pp. 183–184).	Picture of Sender	Brand Personality =
03	Relationship Brands often sit at the heart of exchanges between people. This facet "defines the mode of conduct that most identifies the brand": how the brand acts, serves and treats its customers. This facet is especially important for services, banks and retailers (Kapferer, 2008, pp. 185–186).	Bridge Between Sender and Recipient	Brand Relationship =
04	Culture The values that inspire the brand. Culture is "the source of the brand's aspirational power" and sets the basic principles behind its products and communication. Kapferer places it at the core of the brand. A brand's country of origin is often a rich source of such values (Kapferer, 2008, pp. 184–185).	Bridge Between Sender and Recipient	Brand Values =
05	Reflection The type of customer the brand seems to be talking to. This is not the same as the target group. The brand shows customers "as he/she wishes to be seen as a result of using a brand", as a model to identify with (Kapferer, 2008, p. 186).	Picture of Recipient	Prototypical User =
06	Self-Image Reflection is the outer mirror: how customers are seen by others. Self-image is the inner mirror: how customers see themselves when they use the brand (Kapferer, 2008, p. 186).	Picture of Recipient	Brand-Related Self-Image =
07	Brand Essence The one central value the brand stands for, written in the middle of the prism (Kapferer, 2008, pp. 180, 198). It is useful for managers because it tries to sum up the richness of an identity, which makes it easier to pass on.	Centre	Brand Essence =

Tier A

Brand Key

Unilever · Consumer Goods Company

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Root Strengths Historische kracht . The first step maps the brand's success so far. It names the product the brand started with, called the parent product, and the product it is best known for today, called the flagship product. When filling in a new Brand Key, it is important not to lose sight of how the brand became "big" (translated).	Starting Points	Root Strengths = Analysis Input
02	Competitive Environment Concurrentieomgeving . This step maps the competition, meaning the brands and products a customer considers when deciding what to buy. They can be direct competitors, but also less obvious ones. The task is to list which brands can compete with the brand.	Starting Points	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input
03	Target Doelgroep . This step maps the desired target group. It covers demographic features as well as attitudes and values (EURIB, 2010, "Stap 3: Doelgroep (target)"). Montalvo-Arroyave and colleagues speak of a full profile of the rational and emotional features of the target markets (Montalvo-Arroyave et al., 2022, p. 171).	Consumer	Target Customers =
04	Insight Inzicht . To succeed in the market, a brand must respond to a relevant consumer insight. EURIB defines it as a latent, or hidden, buying motive of the intended target group towards the product. An insight does not simply answer why consumers buy a branded product. It points to the hidden needs behind the purchase.	Consumer	Consumer Insight = Analysis Input
05	Benefits Voordelen . From this step on, the model zooms in on the internal side of the brand. The task is to name the brand's benefits. They can be functional or psychosocial (EURIB, 2010, "Stap 5: Voordelen (benefits)"). Branding by Garden makes a similar split. Functional benefits are the tangible, rational advantages, the "what".	Proposition	Functional Benefits ⊃
06	Values & Personality Waarden & persoonlijkheid . This step asks which values the brand should appeal to. Brands that do so are thought to click better with consumers. This leads to better recognition and to more appreciation. Two things matter. First, values are best not stated outright. They should come through in the advertising message instead.	Proposition	Brand Values ⊃
07	Reasons to Believe Geloofwaardigheid . This step names the arguments that make the target group believe the brand is the best choice. These arguments can be used in communication.	Proof and Difference	Reasons to Believe =
08	Discriminator Onderscheidende kracht . This step makes clear what the real difference is compared with other brands (EURIB, 2010, "Stap 8: Onderscheidende kracht (discriminator)"; Montalvo-Arroyave et al., 2022, p. 171).	Proof and Difference	Key Differentiator =
09	Essence Merkessentie . The last step sums up steps 5 to 8, from the benefits to the discriminator. It names the essence of the brand in one or two words (EURIB, 2010, "Stap 9: De merkessentie (brand essence)").	Core	Brand Essence =

Tier A

Brand Steering Wheel

Franz-Rudolf Esch · ESCH. The Brand Consultants (Saarlouis)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Competence Markenkompetenz is the heart of the wheel. ESCH. also calls it the brand core ( Markenkern ). It sums up what is essential about the brand, can hold emotional as well as factual content, and forms the lasting core of the brand identity (ESCH. The Brand Consultants, 2025, "Markensteuerrad").	Core	Brand Essence =
02	Brand Attributes Markenattribute are the brand's properties. They can be properties of the offer itself or of the company (ESCH. The Brand Consultants, 2025, "Markenattribute").	Hard Facts – What's in It for Me?	Brand Attributes ⊃
03	Brand Benefits Markennutzen show which customer needs the brand can meet. Put simply, there are functional benefits, such as strong cleaning power, and psychosocial benefits, such as a cream that makes its user attractive and desirable (ESCH. The Brand Consultants, 2025, "Markensteuerrad").	Hard Facts – What's in It for Me?	Functional Benefits ⊃
04	Brand Tonality Markentonalität is the emotional side of the brand. It covers the emotions and feelings the brand should trigger. The brand image lets people experience the tonality. ESCH. offers three ways to capture it. The first is the brand's personality.	Soft Facts – How Do I Feel About It?	Brand Personality ⊃
05	Brand Image Markenbild means the brand's appearance, not the picture of the brand in people's minds. It covers all non-verbal impressions of the brand that the company builds on purpose and that customers should ideally perceive.	Soft Facts – How Do I Feel About It?	Brand Expression and Imagery =

Tier A

Brand Vision Model

David A. Aaker · Prophet

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Vision Elements The building blocks of the vision. They are the associations that should come to mind when people see or hear of the brand (Aaker, 2011a, point 3). A brand may be based on six to twelve of them (Aaker, 2014a, p. 20). They are created in three steps. First, the associations the brand aims for are listed.	Starting Point	Intended Identity Profile =
02	Core Vision Elements The two to five vision elements that are "the most compelling and differentiating". They reflect the brand's future value propositions, that is, what it will promise customers. They drive the brand-building programs and initiatives (Aaker, 2014a, p. 20).	Priorities	Identity Layering and Weighting =
03	Extended Vision Elements All other vision elements, usually three to five (Aaker, 2012, principle 3). They "add texture" to the vision and help strategists judge whether a program is "on brand". They give a home to aspects that may not deserve a core place, such as a brand personality.	Priorities	Identity Layering and Weighting =
04	Brand Essence An optional central theme of the vision. It "provides an umbrella over what the brand aspires to do". The right essence can be "magic" for internal communication, for inspiring employees and partners and for guiding programs. It should always be sought, but sometimes it gets in the way.	Theme and Communication	Brand Essence =
05	Brand Position A short-term guide for communication. It often states "what will be communicated to which target audience with what logic". The current position often stresses the vision elements that will appeal and that the brand can already deliver credibly.	Theme and Communication	Brand Positioning ⊂ Process and Implementation
06	Proof Points Evidence that the organisation can keep its promise. Proof points are skills and programs the organisation already has. They enable it to deliver what each vision element and its value proposition promise (Aaker, 2014c, "Is Your Vision Really Feasible" section).	Elaboration	Reasons to Believe =
07	Strategic Imperatives Where proof points are weak or missing, a strategic imperative is needed. Aaker defines it as "a strategic investment in assets, skills, programs or people". Without it, the promise to customers cannot be delivered. But it may require a large investment or a change in culture. Imperatives act as a reality check.	Elaboration	Strategic Imperatives = Process and Implementation

Tier A

Corporate Brand Identity Matrix

Mats Urde · Lund University

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Value Proposition The mix of appealing arguments aimed at customers and other stakeholders. A strong value proposition should build a good relationship between customers and the brand, lead to purchases and earn the company a good reputation.	External	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
02	Relationships How the company builds relationships with customers and other stakeholders over time. The element "defines a mode of conduct". It covers how the company serves its customers, works with them and relates to them. This should match the company's culture (Urde, 2013, p. 753).	External	Brand Relationship =
03	Position Where management wants the corporate brand to stand in the market and in the hearts and minds of key stakeholders. It is not the positioning itself but a point of reference for the positioning work that follows once the identity is defined (Urde, 2013, p. 753).	External	Brand Positioning ≈ Process and Implementation
04	Expression The verbal, visual and other signs by which people recognise the company, such as tone of voice, design, graphic style and logo. It also includes a flagship product that shows the brand's qualities. Visual identity is part of the corporate brand identity, "but not at its heart" (Urde, 2013, p. 752).	External / Internal	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊃
05	Core: Promise and Core Values The heart of the matrix. Urde defines the brand core as a set of core values that support and lead up to a promise. The promise ties the core values together into a meaningful whole. It is communicated to the outside and guides the company on the inside (Urde, 2013, p. 752).	External / Internal	Brand Essence ⊃
06	Personality The mix of human traits that form the company's character. Following Keller and Richey, Urde points to a key difference. A product brand's personality is usually linked to the image of its consumers and users.	External / Internal	Brand Personality =
07	Mission & Vision The mission explains why the company exists and what drives it beyond making money. The vision says where it is heading and what inspires it. For companies that start from the inside (brand-oriented), the mission is typically a starting point for defining the corporate brand identity (Urde, 2013, p. 751).	Internal	Brand Purpose ⊃
08	Culture The company's attitudes, values and beliefs, and the way it works and behaves. Culture can set the company apart from its competitors. Heritage and track record, country of origin and iconic leaders can be important parts of the culture that shape the corporate brand identity (Urde, 2013, pp. 751–752).	Internal	Corporate Culture ⊃
09	Competences The company's skills and processes, above all its core competences. They show what the company does especially well, which knowledge and ways of working set it apart, and where it beats its rivals. This element ties the brand to lasting competitive advantage.	Internal	Brand Competences =

Tier A

Corporate Branding Model

Paul Capriotti · Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Corporate Philosophy The overall idea of the organisation, set by top management (the owner, the CEO or the board, for example) so that the organisation reaches its goals. It is what top management sees as central, lasting and distinctive about the organisation (Capriotti, 2009, p. 25). It has three parts.	Corporate Identity	Corporate Philosophy =
02	Corporate Culture The beliefs, values and ways of behaving that the members of the organisation share without writing them down. They guide the members and show in the way they act (Capriotti, 2009, p. 24). The beliefs are basic assumptions that members share without being aware of them.	Corporate Identity	Corporate Culture =
03	Corporate Identity Profile How the organisation wants its publics to see it. The profile sets out the basic traits the organisation chooses so that publics recognise it, tell it apart from others and prefer it (Capriotti, 2009, p. 213).	From Identity to Profile	Intended Identity Profile =
04	Personality Traits The organisation seen as a "person". These attributes describe the inborn traits and the behaviour that define its character. They concern the way the organisation is and the way it expresses itself, for example young, modern, dynamic or fun (Capriotti, 2009, p. 218, translated).	Three Types of Attributes	Brand Personality =
05	Institutional Values The organisation seen as a "social institution". These are the basic values and principles it adopts towards the society, culture and economy around it, in order to earn credibility and trust. Examples are corporate ethics, commitment, care for the environment and support for culture (Capriotti, 2009, p. 218, translated).	Three Types of Attributes	Brand Values ⊂
06	Competitive Attributes The organisation seen as a "commercial entity". These attributes aim to strengthen its ability to compete, to win customers or users and to keep them loyal.	Three Types of Attributes	Key Differentiator ≈
07	Level of Relevance How central each attribute is to the organisation. Capriotti proposes three levels. At the top are two or three central attributes. Next come two or three secondary ones of medium importance. All remaining attributes are peripheral (Capriotti, 2009, p. 221).	Weighting the Attributes	Identity Layering and Weighting =
08	Desired Level of Recognition How strongly the organisation wants publics to recognise each attribute (Capriotti, 2009, p. 221). It gives each attribute a value from 1 to 5 or from 1 to 7, based on the attribute's level of relevance. Every attribute thus gets its own number, and the profile can be drawn as a graph (Capriotti, 2009, p. 222).	Weighting the Attributes	Identity Layering and Weighting ⊂

Tier A

Corporate Identity System

Japanese CI Practice · Formula Summarised by Okada (1986)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Mind Identity (MI) MI reviews the corporate philosophy and rebuilds it. It makes clear why the company exists and what it aims for. It also sets rules for running the company to match. Hiraike, summing up Okada, calls MI "the essential part of CI" (Hiraike, 2001, pp. 2–3, translated).	Core	Corporate Philosophy =
02	Visual Identity (VI) VI gives the corporate philosophy a visible form. Hiraike, summing up Okada, calls it "the most CI-like part". Typical steps are a new company name or a new symbol mark (Hiraike, 2001, p. 3, translated). Okada's table speaks of giving the philosophy a form that people can see and hear (Hiraike, 2001, p. 2, Table 1).	Two Ways to Spread It	Brand Signs =
03	Behaviour Identity (BI) BI makes the corporate philosophy take root in everyday behaviour. When people say that CI improves a company's constitution or revives the organisation, this is the part they mean (Hiraike, 2001, p. 3).	Two Ways to Spread It	Corporate Behaviour =

Tier A

De Chernatony Brand Identity Model

Leslie de Chernatony · Open University Business School

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Vision The vision is the starting point of the model. It is the brand's "core purpose and envisioned future". The core purpose "shows how the brand will make the world a better place, improving people's lives". It should inspire staff and give direction to their work.	Centre	Brand Vision ⊃
02	Culture Corporate culture covers the company's artefacts, values and assumptions, and it guides behaviour (de Chernatony & Harris, 2000, p. 269). Artefacts are the visible part of a culture (Suomi et al., 2013, p. 205). The values and assumptions of staff steer what they do, "particularly in novel situations".	Centre	Corporate Culture =
03	Positioning Positioning "sets out what the brand is, who it is for and what it offers" (Harris & de Chernatony, 2001, p. 444). Managers need to check whether the intended positioning fits the brand's core purpose and values (de Chernatony & Harris, 2000, p. 269).	Driven by Vision and Culture	Brand Positioning ⊃ Process and Implementation
04	Personality Personality is "a metaphor for the brand's emotional values" (de Chernatony & Harris, 2000, p. 269). It describes the kind of person the brand would be if it were human (Suomi et al., 2013, p. 205). It grows out of the brand's core values, among other sources, and out of its positioning.	Driven by Vision and Culture	Brand Personality =
05	Relationships Relationships grow out of the way stakeholders deal with the brand, and the brand's values define them. Staff are central here (de Chernatony & Harris, 2000, p. 269). The figure lists relationships from staff to staff, staff to customers and staff to other stakeholders (Harris & de Chernatony, 2001, p. 443, Figure 1).	Towards Stakeholders	Brand Relationship ⊃
06	Presentation The last component is the way the identity is presented to stakeholders (de Chernatony & Harris, 2000, p. 269). The task is to find presentation styles that reflect stakeholders' aspirations and self-images, in other words how they would like to be and how they see themselves (de Chernatony & Harris, 2000, pp. 269–270).	Towards Stakeholders	Brand Expression and Imagery ≈

Tier A

Identity-Based Brand Management

Christoph Burmann · University of Bremen

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Origin Origin ( Markenherkunft ) is the foundation of the identity. Insiders and outsiders alike first see and interpret a brand in the light of where it comes from. Origin is not the same as history. History covers every past event linked to the brand. Origin picks out certain parts of that history and stresses them.	Foundation and Offering	Brand Heritage and Origin =
02	Brand Competences Next to origin, the identity rests mainly on the competences of the company that runs the brand. The figure calls them (Kern-)Kompetenzen der Marke , the brand's (core) competences. They are the company's special ability to combine its resources in a way that suits the market.	Foundation and Offering	Brand Competences =
03	Brand Offering The offering ( Art der Markenleistungen ) is the basic kind of products and services the brand provides. It builds directly on the competences and decides how customers can use the brand. Management has to set the basic form and features of these products and services.	Foundation and Offering	Product Scope =
04	Brand Vision The vision ( Markenvision ) sets the brand's long-term direction for five to ten years. It should motivate everyone inside the company. Vivid, emotional guidelines should show what role the brand plays in reaching the company's long-term goals. Brand goals are more concrete and cover a shorter time.	Direction and Character	Brand Vision =
05	Brand Values The values ( Markenwerte ) are the basic beliefs of management and employees, in other words, what the brand "believes in" (translated). They should express important emotional parts of the identity and what the target groups wish for in an ideal brand.	Direction and Character	Brand Values =
06	Brand Personality Following Azoulay and Kapferer, Burmann defines the personality ( Markenpersönlichkeit ) as "the set of human personality traits that are both applicable and relevant for brands". These traits show in the brand's verbal and non-verbal style of communication. The brand's typical representatives and its origin shape this style.	Direction and Character	Brand Personality =

Tier A

Three-Hour Brand Sprint

Jake Knapp · GV (Google Ventures)

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	20-Year Roadmap Fifteen minutes. Most teams focus on what they are doing now. "But if your company is successful, your brand will last a long time." So the team looks 20 years ahead. On a timeline marked 5, 10, 15 and 20 years ahead, everyone notes what the company might be doing at each date, and the Decider picks one item per date.	Motivation	Brand Vision ≈
02	What, How, Why Thirty minutes. The exercise is "based completely on Simon Sinek's 'Golden Circle'". The team draws three circles inside each other: what on the outside, how in the middle, why at the centre. What is a phrase for the company's main business over the next five years.	Motivation	Brand Purpose ⊃
03	Top Three Values Thirty minutes. Values make the why more specific. Knapp knows that "company values" can sound like "consultant baloney". For him, they are "stuff that really matters to us" or, better still, "decision-making principles". Many companies list values, but few do the hard work of reducing and ranking them.	Detail	Brand Values =
04	Top Three Audiences Thirty minutes. Values are not the whole picture, because "you need to know who you're talking to". The team lists all possible audiences and then decides which matter most. Customers count, but Knapp suggests thinking more broadly about whose opinion matters.	Detail	Target Customers ≈
05	Personality Sliders Thirty minutes. This exercise "defines the attitude and style of your brand" (Knapp, 2017, "Introducing the Brand Sprint" section). The whiteboard shows four lines, each running between two extremes: Friend to Authority, Young & Innovative to Mature & Classic, Playful to Serious, and Mass Appeal to Elite.	Position Relative to Others	Brand Personality =
06	Competitive Landscape Thirty minutes. The last exercise "compares your brand to other companies" (Knapp, 2017, "Introducing the Brand Sprint" section). It uses "a simple 2x2 matrix", two crossing axes that form four fields. Classic to Modern runs along the horizontal axis, Expressive to Reserved along the vertical one.	Position Relative to Others	Competitive Environment ≈ Analysis Input

Tier B

Brand Essence Wheel

Ted Bates Agency (Bates Worldwide) · Advertising Agency · c. 1980

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Attributes The outer ring, the brand attributes (Markenattribute), describes the product as it can be experienced through all the senses (Drömann, 2020, para. 2).	Four Rings and the Core	Brand Attributes =
02	Benefits The next ring holds the brand benefit (Markennutzen). Drömann reads it as the rational or functional-technical benefit only; at least the description does not clearly refer to a psychosocial or emotional benefit (Drömann, 2020, para. 2).	Four Rings and the Core	Functional Benefits =
03	Values The third ring from the outside holds all the emotional values (Werte) that users ascribe to the brand (Drömann, 2020, para. 2).	Four Rings and the Core	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits ≈
04	Personality The fourth ring holds the brand personality (Markenpersönlichkeit): all the human traits that consumers ascribe to the brand and that have a positive effect on their relationship with it (Drömann, 2020, para. 2).	Four Rings and the Core	Brand Personality =
05	Brand Essence At the centre is the brand essence: the core or heart that sums up the brand and its four outer layers in condensed form and says what the brand stands for. It should be limited to a single short sentence (Drömann, 2020, para. 3).	Four Rings and the Core	Brand Essence =

Tier B

Brand Flower

Dietrich Identity · Brand and Corporate Identity Consultancy · 2018

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Core The brand core ( Markenkern ) sits in the middle of the flower, where the three brand values overlap. It "symbolises the most important value" (translated). It identifies the brand to the outside world and sets it apart from competitors more strongly than anything else (Dietrich, 2021; Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell").	Brand Flower	Brand Essence =
02	Brand Values Three brand values ( Markenwerte ) surround the core. They describe the brand's attitude and reflect the inner culture and strengths of the organisation (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell").	Brand Flower	Brand Values =
03	Brand Facets Each brand value has three brand facets ( Markenfacetten ) (Dietrich, 2021). They complement the value and describe it in more detail. With them, the values become "tangible, understandable" and guide behaviour (translated) (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell").	Brand Flower	Brand Values ⊂

Tier B

Brand Frame

Helder · Brand Strategy and Design Agency, Berlin · 2023

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Competence Competence is "the value your brand delivers to its target audience" and the way the brand "differentiates itself from competitors" (Helder, n.d.-a, "The Elements of the Helder Brand Frame"). In short, it defines what the brand delivers and to whom (Helder, n.d.-a, "Frequently Asked Questions").	Brand Frame	Value Proposition and Brand Promise ⊃
02	Mission The mission is the brand promise, written as a simple equation: "the customer's problem plus your brand's solution equals the customer's success" (Helder, n.d.-a, "The Elements of the Helder Brand Frame"). It expresses the value the brand creates for its customers (Helder, n.d.-a, "Frequently Asked Questions").	Brand Frame	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
03	Ambition Helder uses an ambition instead of a vision: "a concrete objective your brand aims to achieve within a defined timeframe" (Helder, n.d.-a, "Ambition Instead of Vision").	Brand Frame	Brand Ambitions =
04	Brand Values Brand values are "the principles that shape how your brand delivers on its promise, both internally and externally" (Helder, n.d.-a, "The Elements of the Helder Brand Frame"). They define how the brand behaves (Helder, n.d.-a, "Frequently Asked Questions").	Brand Frame	Brand Values =
05	Brand Core The brand core is the brand's "superpower": "the single most distinctive and defining characteristic that sets it apart" (Helder, n.d.-a, "The Elements of the Helder Brand Frame").	Brand Frame	Brand Essence ⊃

Tier B

Brand Gestalt Model

Andreas Wiehrdt · BrandDoctor, Munich · 2020

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Point of View The first module asks: "What is your brand's attitude towards topics that are highly important and relevant to your target group?" (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). Not every brand can take a credible stand on every social issue.	Eight Modules	Brand Values ≈
02	Pedigree The second module asks: "What is the founding story behind your brand? What stories and myths are told?" (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). Like a family tree for a person, the pedigree defines the brand's roots and gives it a home and an authentic story. This can make the brand more approachable, tangible and exciting (Wiehrdt, 2021c).	Eight Modules	Brand Heritage and Origin ⊃
03	Product The third module asks: "What kind of products and services should be offered under the trademark?" (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). The German version adds which iconic product customers should link with the brand (Wiehrdt, 2020a).	Eight Modules	Product Scope =
04	Personality The fourth module asks which personality the brand should radiate and which human characteristics it should be given (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). A clearly defined brand personality builds an emotional bond with customers, sets the brand apart from competitors and keeps its communication consistent (Wiehrdt, 2024a).	Eight Modules	Brand Personality =
05	Principles The fifth module asks: "What is the higher meaning, the purpose of your company? Which guiding principles and which values shape your actions?" (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). This is also the place for the "why" or purpose: the entrepreneurs' vision, the mission and the most important values that are to guide future decisions.	Eight Modules	Corporate Philosophy =
06	Properties The sixth module asks: "What iconographic elements shape the perception of your brand? Which images form the brand experience?" (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). Such distinctive brand elements, also called brand assets, include symbols, logos, colours, taglines, sounds, characters, brand ambassadors, shapes and tones.	Eight Modules	Brand Signs =
07	Positioning The seventh module asks which place the brand should occupy in the minds of customers and how it will stand out from competitors (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). A strong positioning says not only who the brand is but also who it is not, and for whom it is not there (Wiehrdt, 2026).	Eight Modules	Brand Positioning = Process and Implementation
08	Promise The eighth module asks: "What relevant value proposition does the brand want to give its customers?" (Wiehrdt, 2020a, figure). The promise is more than a list of benefits. It describes how the brand solves an important customer problem in a way the competition cannot, and so becomes its unique selling point (Wiehrdt, 2021d).	Eight Modules	Value Proposition and Brand Promise ⊃

Tier B

Brand Identity Canvas (Alves)

Antonio Pedro Cruz Costa Alves · ESPM, São Paulo · 2022

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Organisation The most internal dimension: the corporate influence on the brand and its activities. The company's mission, vision and values work in the background and "should not contradict the brand essence"; employees and other stakeholders can also affect the brand (Alves, 2022, p. 142).	Internal: Organisation	Corporate Philosophy ≈
02	Brand Essence The core brand identity and centrepiece of the model, made up of the brand ethos and values: "what the brand stands for, why it has come into existence, and why it needs to be kept unchanged over time" (Alves, 2022, p. 143). It is strategic and rarely changes, because brand values and purpose need to stay consistent (p. 144).	Internal and External: Brand Identity	Brand Essence ⊃
03	Narrative Brands need to strengthen their storytelling so that the consumer is "transported" into the story. Plot, characters and causal links create the story ambience, and archetypes and myths can deepen emotional bonds (Alves, 2022, pp. 142–143).	Internal and External: Brand Identity	Brand Story and Narrative =
04	Personality The anthropomorphisation of the brand: a tone of voice and human characteristics that people can easily recognise and praise. A brand can adopt a personality and should remain consistent "to avoid being seen as fickle" (Alves, 2022, p. 143).	Internal and External: Brand Identity	Brand Personality =
05	Relationship The same human characteristics should also be explored in the brand's relationships: brands should embrace and leverage fan communities and keep a dialogue with consumers, while interactions, events and co-creation increase attachment and loyalty (Alves, 2022, p. 143).	Internal and External: Brand Identity	Brand Relationship ⊃
06	Symbology The brand's symbols and how they are expressed: logotypes, fonts, colours, symbols and sometimes spokes-characters, all with denotative and connotative meanings that brand managers should explore (Alves, 2022, p. 143). The canvas asks for the key brand symbols, their meanings and how they are represented (p. 141).	Internal and External: Brand Identity	Brand Signs =
07	Brand Positioning Positioning is "the brand frontier and what consumers and competitors see": brands define their target consumers, where they sell and the best functional and emotional attributes (Alves, 2022, p. 143). Positioning is tactical and constantly reviewed (p. 144).	External: Positioning and Market	Brand Positioning ⊃ Process and Implementation
08	Market The societal, environmental and cultural aspects of a particular place and time: consumer values and preferences, the competitor landscape, norms, habits and culture wherever the brand is sold. Positioning only makes sense when it is directed at a specific market (Alves, 2022, p. 143).	External: Positioning and Market	External Environment Analysis ⊃ Analysis Input
09	Brand Results The outcome of the interactions between the brand and its environment (Alves, 2022, p. 142), summarising all branding efforts, such as brand awareness, valuation, equity and market share: "No brand can endure without being tracked and measured." (p. 143).	Results	Brand Equity and Strength ⊃ Perception and Outcome
10	Photography Guides the creative direction with example images that show the intended camera angles, aperture, composition, light, pose, setting, dress code and so on; video and sound can be added here (Alves, 2022, p. 145).	Mood Board (Back Page)	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂
11	Typography The fonts used, examples of text and their applications (Alves, 2022, p. 145).	Mood Board (Back Page)	Brand Signs ⊂
12	Tone of Voice The brand language: friendly, smart or direct, relaxed and conversational or formal and sophisticated, and the words that describe it; speech can be added here (Alves, 2022, p. 145).	Mood Board (Back Page)	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂
13	Colour The palettes used, primary and secondary colours, combinations, saturation, hue, black and white (Alves, 2022, p. 145).	Mood Board (Back Page)	Brand Signs ⊂
14	Symbols The logo, characters, icons, brand names, taglines, emblems and any other graphic element "that embeds the brand values and meanings" (Alves, 2022, p. 145).	Mood Board (Back Page)	Brand Signs =

Tier B

Brand Identity Canvas (Whitlock)

Jeff Whitlock · SafeBoda · 2016

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Mission Why the company exists: its core purpose and values (Whitlock, 2016, figure). Whitlock describes a startup's mission as the "dent it hopes to make in the universe". Mission and vision sit at the top because they should guide every aspect of the brand (Whitlock, 2016, "At the Top").	At the Top	Brand Purpose ⊃
02	Vision What the company aspires to become (Whitlock, 2016, figure; "At the Top"). Together with the mission, it should guide every aspect of the brand (Whitlock, 2016, "At the Top").	At the Top	Brand Vision =
03	Essence The single word that says what the brand stands for, "your company's soul in one word" (Whitlock, 2016, figure). The word is chosen and defined in this field; Whitlock also suggests listing the connotations the brand deliberately seeks (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 1: Essence	Brand Essence =
04	Characteristics The core traits and attributes of the brand, "the personification of your brand" (Whitlock, 2016, figure): the human traits of its personality. The test question is how one would describe the brand if it were a friend (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 2: Characteristics and Antonyms	Brand Personality =
05	Antonyms What the brand is not: the attributes it seeks to avoid (Whitlock, 2016, figure). Noting them explicitly helps to keep a wanted trait from coming across as an unwanted one (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 2: Characteristics and Antonyms	Brand Personality ⊂
06	Voice A high-level description of how the brand expresses itself through words and prose style (Whitlock, 2016, figure): the type of words and the general prose style used across all copy, whether product, advertising or content (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 3: Voice, Messaging and Stories	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂
07	Messaging The key consumer-facing messages of the brand, including its tagline (Whitlock, 2016, figure): the few messages that convey the value the products deliver to customers (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 3: Voice, Messaging and Stories	Key Messages =
08	Stories The legends about the brand that the company wants to start, its "brand lore" (Whitlock, 2016, figure), and the stories about the company that it will tell (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 3: Voice, Messaging and Stories	Brand Story and Narrative =
09	Visual A high-level description of how the brand expresses itself through visual elements (Whitlock, 2016, figure): the company's design style at a high level (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 4: Visual Brand Language	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂
10	Color The brand's color palette (Whitlock, 2016, figure), given as specific hex values for use across product and content. Defining it early avoids "fifty shades of your startup's blue across the internet" (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 4: Visual Brand Language	Brand Signs ⊂
11	Typography The brand's typeface and fonts (Whitlock, 2016, figure), specified for all copy (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 4: Visual Brand Language	Brand Signs ⊂
12	Form, Line, Texture, Space The principles that govern the other distinctive visual elements of the brand (Whitlock, 2016, figure). Whitlock advises non-designers to look into form, line, texture and space so that the guidelines keep the brand consistent (Whitlock, 2016, "From Left to Right").	Column 4: Visual Brand Language	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂

Tier B

Brand Identity Formation Model

Marina B. Yanenko · Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University · 2016

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Physique Physique ( физические данные , literally "physical data") covers both the physical attributes of each item in the range and the unity of the physical data of the brand as a whole.	Facets	Brand Attributes =
02	Personality Personality ( индивидуальность , literally "individuality") describes the brand's characteristic features in terms of personal traits. The product becomes a means of self-identification: consumers project their own wishes, experiences and preferences onto it.	Facets	Brand Personality =
03	Culture Culture ( культура ), like personality, belongs to the brand's content features. It can reflect the image of a country, the history of the company or product, traditions, corporate values (following Kapferer), national features and the like.	Facets	Brand Values ⊃
04	Relationships Relationships ( взаимоотношения ) are a particular type of relationship and interaction between consumer and brand, "a type of behaviour that for the most part identifies brands" (translated). The facet defines how the brand acts, how it delivers services and what its relations with consumers are like.	Facets	Brand Relationship =
05	Reflection Reflection ( отражение ) is how consumers would like to appear to others and what impression they would like to make when using the brand. Here the brand serves as a means of building relationships, fitting into a group or reaching shared goals.	Facets	Prototypical User =
06	Self-Image In the self-image ( самообраз ), the brand serves as a means of self-identification. For B2B brands, as with reflection, the self-image may carry a sense of professionalism, status, modernity or conservatism (Yanenko, 2016, p. 116).	Facets	Brand-Related Self-Image =
07	Brand Essence Brand essence ( суть бренда ) is "the most important thing about the brand in two or three words" (translated). This facet reflects the group of characteristic properties that express what the brand is, its main mission and idea (Yanenko, 2016, p. 116).	Centre	Brand Essence =

Tier B

Brand Leadership Model

David A. Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler · Prophet and Vivaldi · 2000

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Organizational Structure and Processes This field ( Estructura y procesos organizativos ) stands for the task of creating the organization that builds brands: taking responsibility for creating strategies and management processes (Campos Guzmán, 2012, p. 91; translated). The figure names its two parts, responsibility for brand strategy and management processes (p.	Four Tasks	Brand Governance = Process and Implementation
02	Brand Architecture Brand architecture ( Arquitectura de la marca ) means developing a complete architecture: defining the role of each of the organization's brands, how the existing brands are articulated and how new brands are included, so that offers to the customer become clear and the brands create synergy among themselves (Campos Guzmán, …	Four Tasks	Brand Architecture = Business and Strategy
03	Brand-Building Programs Brand-building programs ( Planes de construcción de la marca ) are to be efficient and effective: they access multiple media in order to achieve brilliance, while the results are measured (Campos Guzmán, 2012, p. 91; translated).	Four Tasks	Marketing Communication ⊃ Process and Implementation
04	Brand Identity Brand identity ( Identidad de la marca ) belongs to the task of developing a brand strategy for the key factors.	Four Tasks	Intended Identity Profile ⊃

Tier B

Brand One / Gramco Brand Model

Gramco · Branding firm, Tokyo · 2021

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Purpose Purpose ( パーパス , 存在意義 ) is the company's reason for being: the answer to the question "why does the world need this company?" (translated).	Centre	Brand Purpose =
02	Brand Vision The brand vision ( ブランドビジョン ) puts in writing what the brand wants to be, or should be, in the future. It declares the will to achieve this for certain, even if it is not achieved today.	Centre	Brand Vision =
03	Brand Value Proposition The value proposition ( 提供価値 ) is the unique value that a company or organisation can hand to its customers and stakeholders and that others cannot copy. It is the core of the brand concept and consists of emotional and functional value (Gramco, n.d.-a, "Value Proposition (提供価値)"). It also includes the benefits.	Centre	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
04	Personality The brand personality ( パーソナリティ ) is the brand's character as a person; it overlaps with the culture of the whole organisation. It is made clear when the brand concept is defined and shows how the brand should behave.	Lower Half of the Outer Ring	Brand Personality =
05	Key Customers The key customers ( 戦略顧客 , literally "strategic customers") are the group the brand most wants to do business with, or whose empathy it most wants to win. The brand still serves other customers, but products and services are hard to develop without an assumed customer.	Lower Half of the Outer Ring	Target Customers =
06	Positioning Positioning ( ポジショニング ) decides which position the brand should take in the market compared with its competitors. After research has shown the current situation, the target position is chosen with the brand vision and the key customers in mind (Gramco, n.d.-a, "Positioning").	Lower Half of the Outer Ring	Brand Positioning = Process and Implementation
07	Brand Architecture Brand architecture ( ブランド体系 ) covers the vertical and cross-cutting relations between a company's brands. Drawn as a triangle, the corporate brand sits at the top, with business, category, line (series) and product brands below it.	Lower Half of the Outer Ring	Brand Architecture = Business and Strategy
08	Message The brand message ( ブランドメッセージ ) is one of the elements of the Brand Model. It is composed from the written brand vision, value proposition, personality and so on.	Upper Half of the Outer Ring	Key Messages =
09	Design Brand design ( ブランドデザイン ) is one of the elements of the Brand Model: the design that symbolises the brand. It consists of the brand symbol, the logo, sub-elements, colours, the brand style and so on (Gramco, n.d.-a, "Design").	Upper Half of the Outer Ring	Brand Signs =
10	Experience Brand experience ( ブランド体験 ) means letting the key customers feel the brand's world: for example, touching and trying a product to understand its functional value, or hearing the brand story so that interest grows and the emotional value can be felt. Designing the "place" of the experience matters.	Upper Half of the Outer Ring	Point of Sale and Environmental Design ≈
11	Management Brand management ( ブランドマネジメント ) is the set of tasks for planning, developing and running the brand so that the company can use it strategically.	Upper Half of the Outer Ring	Brand Strategy ⊃ Process and Implementation

Tier B

Brand Onion

Planning format of agency strategists and marketing teams · Originator not documented · n.d.

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Attributes The outer layer, where the work starts with what is visible: "The tangible, functional characteristics of the brand. What it does. What it offers. The rational, provable facts." In short, attributes "describe features" (FRMWRKS, n.d., section The Framework).	Five Layers	Brand Attributes =
02	Benefits The second layer: "What those attributes deliver to customers. The practical and emotional outcomes. Why the attributes matter." Benefits "explain value" (FRMWRKS, n.d., section The Framework).	Five Layers	Functional Benefits ⊃
03	Values The third layer: "The beliefs and principles the brand stands for. What it cares about beyond profit. The moral and ethical foundation." Values "express belief" (FRMWRKS, n.d., section The Framework).	Five Layers	Brand Values =
04	Personality The fourth layer asks: "If the brand were a person, how would it behave?" It covers "the tone, style, and character" and how the brand "shows up in the world"; personality "gives it character" (FRMWRKS, n.d., section The Framework).	Five Layers	Brand Personality =
05	Essence The core: "The single word or short phrase that captures the brand's core identity. Everything distilled to its simplest, truest form." The essence "captures everything in a word or phrase" (FRMWRKS, n.d., section The Framework).	Five Layers	Brand Essence =

Tier B

Brand Orientation and Brand Hexagon

Mats Urde · Lund University · 1994/1999

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Vision & Mission The lower node is the point of departure of the model (Gerlach & Witt, 2012, p. 18). Brand building starts from a clear understanding of the internal brand identity, so the brand mission comes first (Mohamed, 2013, p. 47).	Outer Nodes	Brand Purpose ⊃
02	Target Audience The upper node stands for how the target customers understand the brand (Mohamed, 2013, p. 48). In a brand-oriented organisation, the brand is "a strategic platform for interplay with the target group" and not just an unconditional response to what customers demand at any moment (Urde, 1999, as cited in Mohamed, 2013, pp.	Outer Nodes	Target Customers ≈
03	Product Category and Product On the right side of the hexagon, product category and product serve as the reference function, and customers judge them rationally (Mohamed, 2013, p. 48). Urde's model distinguishes between product and product category (Larsson et al., 2001, p. 26). The product is linked to the centre by quality (Gerlach & Witt, 2012, p.	Outer Nodes	Product Scope =
04	Company Name and Brand Name On the left side, company name and brand name carry the emotional function, and customers judge them emotionally; for Urde, a brand is experienced as a whole, with feeling as well as reason (Mohamed, 2013, p. 48). The brand name is linked to the centre by personality (Gerlach & Witt, 2012, p. 18, Figure 3). Larsson et al.	Outer Nodes	Brand Signs ⊂
05	Positioning: Core Values The centre holds the core process in which the meaning of the brand is created; it consists of positioning and core values (Mohamed, 2013, p. 48). A brand-oriented company communicates its core values through positioning (Larsson et al., 2001, p. 29; translated).	Centre	Brand Positioning ⊃ Process and Implementation
06	Communication Positioning consists of three parts, quality, personality and communication, and their combination makes it possible to position the brand clearly in customers' minds (Urde, 1999, as cited in Larsson et al., 2001, p. 29; translated).	Links to the Centre	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
07	Personality Personality means the human characteristics that can be associated with the brand (Larsson et al., 2001, p. 29; translated).	Links to the Centre	Brand Personality =
08	Quality Quality is product-related; price, for example, often reflects quality and can therefore be used in positioning (Larsson et al., 2001, p. 29; translated). In Mohamed's reading, the model treats product quality and brand identity as important parts of brand building (Mohamed, 2013, p. 49).	Links to the Centre	Brand Attributes ⊂
09	Awareness Awareness, associations and loyalty build the fundamental inner relationships of the model (Gerlach & Witt, 2012, p. 18); they follow Aaker's brand equity dimensions of brand awareness, brand association and brand loyalty (Mohamed, 2013, p. 49).	Inner Triangle	Brand Equity and Strength ⊂ Perception and Outcome
10	Associations Through associations, the second step, the brand is differentiated, and attitudes and feelings are created (Gerlach & Witt, 2012, p. 18). In the figure, the step runs along the base of the triangle between brand name and product (Figure 3).	Inner Triangle	Brand Equity and Strength ⊂ Perception and Outcome
11	Loyalty In the last step, a strong relationship and loyalty are created through the communication of the brand identity and core values (Gerlach & Witt, 2012, p. 18). In the figure, the step runs between brand name and target audience (Figure 3).	Inner Triangle	Brand Equity and Strength ⊂ Perception and Outcome

Tier B

Brand Thinking Canvas

Anne Miltenburg · Brand The Change · 2014

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Essence The centre of both parts of the canvas (Brand The Change, n.d., figure). Miltenburg calls a great brand essence "a catalyst" for everything a brand does: it guides the way the brand communicates, and finding the right way to bring it to life in visuals and messages takes time and practice (Miltenburg, 2016b, section "Lesson …	Part One: Brand Core	Brand Essence =
02	Vision The brand core "is built on the change you want to see in the world" and is captured in a vision, mission and values (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63).	Part One: Brand Core	Brand Vision =
03	Mission "A mission describes how you are going to get there", the way up the mountain to the vision (Miltenburg, 2016a, sections on the mission and on the difference).	Part One: Brand Core	Brand Mission =
04	Values Brand values are "the fundamental beliefs and principles that will guide and define its identity and behaviour". They shape how a brand presents itself and how it deals with its team, its audiences and other stakeholders (Miltenburg, 2023, section "What Are Brand Values?").	Part One: Brand Core	Brand Values =
05	Brand Promises The brand promises capture "what you commit to deliver to your audiences" (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63). On the canvas they form the outer ring of the brand core, around vision, mission and values (Brand The Change, n.d., figure).	Part One: Brand Core	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
06	Visual Identity The brand identity "consists of your visual and verbal expression: what you look like, how you talk" (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63). The visual identity is how the brand looks; the field text on the canvas gives examples such as the logo, the colour palette and type (Brand The Change, 2022, manual p. 10).	Part One: Brand Identity	Brand Signs ⊂
07	Verbal Identity How the brand talks (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63). The field text on the canvas names as examples "your brand name, pay-off/slogan, tone of voice, messaging or content" (Brand The Change, 2022, manual p. 10).	Part One: Brand Identity	Brand Signs ⊃
08	Products & Services Brand interactions "guide all the points of contact that you build with your audiences", from the people a brand hires to the products and services it offers. The core also guides how a brand sets up its production chain or sources its materials (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63).	Part One: Brand Interactions	Product Scope ≈
09	Places & Events The places where the brand wants to be seen (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63). The field text asks where the brand is located and which events it can develop (Brand The Change, 2022, manual p. 10).	Part One: Brand Interactions	Point of Sale and Environmental Design =
10	Communication & Channels The types of channels a brand chooses to communicate (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63). The field text asks how the brand will communicate and through which channels, what its topic is and what it says (Brand The Change, 2022, manual p. 10).	Part One: Brand Interactions	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
11	Partnerships & Collaborations The partnerships a brand forms with others (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63).	Part One: Brand Interactions	Brand Leverage and Co-Branding = Process and Implementation
12	People, Talent & Behavior The people a brand hires and how they behave when they meet its customers (Brand The Change, 2023, book p. 63). The field text asks: "Who are the faces of your brand? How do they put your purpose and values into action?" (Brand The Change, 2022, manual p. 10).	Part One: Brand Interactions	Corporate Behaviour ⊃
13	Technology The field text asks: "What hardware or software can support interaction with your audiences?" (Brand The Change, 2022, manual p. 10).	Part One: Brand Interactions	Key Touchpoints ≈
14	Audience The second part of the canvas asks who needs to know about the brand (Brand The Change, n.d., figure). It helps to define "who your audience is and how you can direct what they think and feel about you" (Brand The Change, 2022, product description).	Part Two: Who Is Your Audience?	Target Customers ≈
15	What For each audience, what the brand wants them "to think and feel about you" (Brand The Change, n.d., figure, Part Two).	Part Two: Who Is Your Audience?	Intended Identity Profile ⊂
16	How For each audience, "how you will achieve that" (Brand The Change, n.d., figure, Part Two).	Part Two: Who Is Your Audience?	Marketing Communication ≈ Process and Implementation

Tier B

Branding for Builders

Gibson Biddle · Former VP of Product, Netflix · 2017

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Positioning Positioning is "the place a brand occupies in a consumer's mind" (Biddle, 2017, figure): a brand's ability to place an idea in people's heads relative to competitors.	The Positioning Model	Brand Positioning = Process and Implementation
02	Customer Benefit The second question of the positioning model asks: "How does it benefit customers?" The answer reappears in the brand pyramid as its second level, the product benefits (Biddle, 2017).	The Positioning Model	Functional Benefits =
03	Personality The third question asks: "How do you define its personality?" The question behind it is how the product should relate to customers. Biddle suggests imagining that someone met the company or product at a cocktail party: how should people describe it afterwards (Biddle, 2017)?	The Positioning Model	Brand Personality =
04	Product Attributes The base of the pyramid, read from bottom to top, holds the product features that deliver benefits to customers: the features or components that consumers buy or use. All other levels "ladder up" from this foundation.	The Brand Pyramid	Brand Attributes =
05	Product Benefits This level states how the product improves customers' lives. The benefits are the same as the customer benefits of the positioning model, and the product attributes must make them possible (Biddle, 2017).	The Brand Pyramid	Functional Benefits =
06	Emotional Benefits This level asks how the product makes customers feel, if a world-class product delivers its benefits and exceeds customers' expectations; the words must describe feelings. Biddle includes emotion because it makes things memorable, citing Maya Angelou: people "will never forget how you made them feel" (Biddle, 2017).	The Brand Pyramid	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
07	Something Bigger The top asks how the product might "dent the universe" in the long term, if it fully delivers the product and its emotional benefits; teams should think twenty years ahead. Many teams struggle with this part, and Biddle's advice is "Think Big".	The Brand Pyramid	Brand Purpose ⊃
08	Headline The headline gives an executive summary of the whole model. When an advertising campaign is developed, it is the title of the campaign (Biddle, 2017).	The Brand Pyramid	Key Messages ≈

Tier B

CORE Discovery Framework

Jose Caballer · The Futur · 2019

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Team Alignment The opening exercise ( Alignment Exercise ) starts from the observation that "people love it when they are included".	The Core of CORE	Internal Brand Management ≈ Process and Implementation
02	Brand Attributes For Caballer, the first and most important driver of strategy is an organisation's understanding of who it is: what it does, for whom, how it does it, how it feels and how it affects the world.	The Core of CORE	Intended Identity Profile ≈
03	Customer Profiles Delivering value with any product or service rests on understanding customer needs, yet whole teams are seldom clear, aligned and prioritised around them.	The Core of CORE	Target Customers ⊃
04	Goals Prioritization People need to know what to focus on and do not want to waste effort on work that will be changed or thrown away later. The exercise defines the business priorities for revenue (monetisation), awareness (marketing) and efficiency (operations), simply by asking the right questions and listening.	The Core of CORE	Brand Ambitions ≈
05	Attribute Clustering Because no design can serve every brand attribute, this exercise turns the attributes into tangible design in a clearer, systematic way. For each planned design direction, one main and three supporting attributes are selected.	The Core of CORE	Brand Expression and Imagery ≈
06	Data Matching This exercise looks for solutions to the client's business problems beyond the requested deliverable, such as a website, a video or an identity. It matches the top three needs of the customers with the priorities of the business, which Caballer calls "The Weave", and brainstorms solutions that are a win for both.	The Core of CORE	Brand Strategy ≈ Process and Implementation
07	Impact Narrative The brainstormed solutions are put into the context of time as customer journeys. The journeys of three to four customers are mapped in parallel, so that the links between the solutions become visible, as well as how customers relate to one another and can add value to each other in a community.	The Core of CORE	Key Touchpoints ≈
08	The Brief The brief translates the strategy into instructions for design. It informs the two to three design directions presented to the client and is where the designer "plans the design" with a conceptual framework of five questions, starting with "What is the highest impact, lowest effort solution that I have to create to move the …	The Core of CORE	Brand Guidelines and Manuals ≈ Process and Implementation

Tier B

Cohesive Brand

Labsology · Brand consultancy (法博思品牌顧問), Taipei · 2022

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Conscious Conscious ( 清醒的組織團隊 , "a clear-minded organisational team"): the root of the brand is the organisation.	Core Elements	Brand Orientation ≈ Process and Implementation
02	Concept Concept ( 整合的策略系統 , "an integrated strategy system"): only an integrated strategy system gives the members of the organisation a shared picture of the brand's development goals.	Core Elements	Brand Strategy ≈ Process and Implementation
03	Connection Connection ( 內外的持續串連 , "continuous linking of inside and outside"): a vital brand keeps growing organically.	Core Elements	Internal Brand Management ≈ Process and Implementation
04	Consulting and Coaching in Parallel The consulting-and-coaching mode ( 顧問輔導與教練並行模式 ) is more than a consultant solving short-term problems.	Brand Empowerment System	Internal Brand Management ≈ Process and Implementation
05	Brand Strategy Map Integrating Inside and Outside The brand strategy map ( 內外整合的品牌策略地圖 ) rests on the view that brand development needs a clear strategy and, just as much, an organisation able to carry it out. The map links organisation and market, strategy and execution, so that the members of the organisation work together to reach the goals (Labsology, n.d.; translated).	Brand Empowerment System	Brand Strategy = Process and Implementation
06	Empowering Iterative Brand Internalisation Process The internalisation process ( 賦能式品牌內化迭代流程 ) solves problems and also creates chances to learn, empowering the organisation.	Brand Empowerment System	Internal Brand Management = Process and Implementation

Tier B

Context Branding Model

Satoshi Akutsu and Shigeru Ishida · Hitotsubashi University and Dentsu, Tokyo · 2002

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Identity Brand identity ( ブランド・アイデンティティ ) is the company side of the model (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 112; Sakurai, 2018, p. 21, Fig. 2-8). It stands for what the company wants the brand to be: the company's self-image of the brand and, at the same time, the brand image it seeks from customers.	Three Domains	Intended Identity Profile =
02	Brand Communication Brand communication ( ブランド・コミュニケーション ) links identity and image (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 112). The same product changes its value depending on the context in which it is interpreted; this is what brand value is, and it is also the purpose of communication in branding.	Three Domains	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
03	Brand Image Brand image ( ブランド・イメージ ) is the customer side of the model (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 112; Sakurai, 2018, p. 21, Fig. 2-8). Knowledge and information about the brand form the brand image in the customer's mind as a network of brand associations.	Three Domains	Brand Image as Perceived = Perception and Outcome
04	Philosophy Philosophy ( フィロソフィー ) is one of the four elements of brand identity and consists of mission, values and vision (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 114).	Philosophy (Brand Identity)	Corporate Philosophy =
05	Mission The mission ( ミッション ) shows the brand's reason for being ( 存在意義 ) (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 114; Akutsu & Katsumura, 2016, p. 10).	Philosophy (Brand Identity)	Brand Purpose =
06	Values The values ( 価値観 ) are the guideline for action when carrying out branding (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 114): the values that the brand holds dear (Akutsu & Katsumura, 2016, p. 10).	Philosophy (Brand Identity)	Brand Values =
07	Vision The vision ( ビジョン ) suggests concrete measures for achieving the mission (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 114). Akutsu and Katsumura describe it as what the brand should be at a certain point in the future (2016, p. 10).	Philosophy (Brand Identity)	Brand Vision =
08	Personality Brand personality ( パーソナリティ ) appears in all three domains: together with benefits and attributes, the book treats it as an important element of brand identity, brand image and communication, and it is the only element with a chapter of its own (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 114; Aiuchi et al., 2005, p. 4).	Levels Across All Three Domains	Brand Personality =
09	Benefits Benefits ( ベネフィット ) are, like personality and attributes, an element of identity, image and communication (Kobayashi, 2003, p. 114).	Levels Across All Three Domains	Functional Benefits ⊃

Tier B

Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix

Mats Urde and Stephen A. Greyser · Lund University and Harvard Business School · 2016

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Value Proposition The key offerings of the organisation and the way they should appeal to customers and non-customer stakeholders. It is one of the three external elements, aimed at the receivers of the brand. The competences are the prerequisites that substantiate it (Urde & Greyser, 2016, pp. 99, 103, 106).	Identity: External Elements	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
02	Relationships The nature of the relationship the organisation wants with its key customers and non-customer stakeholders. It is an external element, and the culture of the organisation relates to it and reflects it (Urde & Greyser, 2016, pp. 99, 103, 109).	Identity: External Elements	Brand Relationship =
03	Position The intended position in the market and "in the hearts and minds" of key customers and non-customer stakeholders (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 103). As an identity element, the wanted position shows that "the ambition is part of what a brand stands for and how it would like to be perceived" (p. 105).	Identity: External Elements	Brand Positioning = Process and Implementation
04	Expression What is unique or special about the way the organisation communicates and expresses itself, so that people can recognise it at a distance (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 103). Expression "defines the verbal and visual manifestations of the brand" (p.	Identity: Internal and External Elements	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊃
05	Brand Core: Promise and Core Values The heart of the corporate brand identity: a brand promise and the core values that support it (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 100). The core works as a hub, so all identity and reputation elements are connected to it and influenced by it (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 104).	Identity: Internal and External Elements	Brand Essence ⊃
06	Personality The combination of human characteristics or qualities that forms the corporate character (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 103). Personality "describes the corporate brand's individual character" and, like expression and the brand core, belongs to the inside and the outside at the same time (p. 100).	Identity: Internal and External Elements	Brand Personality =
07	Mission & Vision What engages the organisation beyond the aim of making money (mission) and what gives it direction and inspiration (vision). It is one of the three internal elements, and the engagement and inspiration found here are closely linked to the promise (Urde & Greyser, 2016, pp. 99, 103, 105).	Identity: Internal Elements	Brand Purpose ⊃
08	Culture The attitudes of the organisation and the way it works and behaves (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 103). Culture is an internal element. How responsible the organisation appears to stakeholders is "primarily reflected and shaped by its culture" (pp. 99, 109).	Identity: Internal Elements	Corporate Culture =
09	Competences What the organisation is particularly good at and what makes it better than the competition (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 103). The element concerns "an organisation's capabilities and resources and how they are combined into value-creating processes and potential competitive advantages" (p. 106).	Identity: Internal Elements	Brand Competences =
10	Willingness to Support Urde and Greyser take the element from Greyser (2009), who used willingness-to-support as a measure of the impact of reputation, and define it with the dictionary entry "approve of, encourage, stand-behind, stand up for, endorse, recommend" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, pp. 101–102).	Reputation: Strategy Diagonal	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
11	Differentiation Urde and Greyser take the element from the Young & Rubicam model and define it with the dictionary entry "distinction, distinctiveness, contrast, difference, demarcation" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102).	Reputation: Strategy Diagonal	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
12	Relevance Urde and Greyser take the element from the Young & Rubicam model and define it with the dictionary entry "closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102). It is the perceived relevance of the value proposition (pp. 106–107).	Reputation: Competition Diagonal	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
13	Performance Urde and Greyser take the element from Fombrun (1996) and define it with the dictionary entry "consistently good in quality or performance, able to be trusted" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102). It mirrors the competences (p. 107).	Reputation: Competition Diagonal	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
14	Recognisability Urde and Greyser take the element from the Young & Rubicam model and define it with the dictionary entry "identification from previous encounters or knowledge. Recollection, recall, remembrance" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102). It mirrors expression (p. 108).	Reputation: Communication Horizontal	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
15	Credibility Urde and Greyser take the element from Fombrun (1996) and define it with the dictionary entry "the quality of being convincing or believable" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102). It is closely linked to personality (p. 108). Guiding question: "How believable and convincing are they?" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, Table 2, p. 102).	Reputation: Communication Horizontal	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
16	Trustworthiness Urde and Greyser take the element from Fombrun (1996) and define it with the dictionary entry "firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability. A relationship built on mutual trust and respect" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102).	Reputation: Interaction Vertical	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome
17	Responsibility Urde and Greyser take the element from Fombrun (1996) and define it with the dictionary entry "a moral obligation to behave correctly towards or in respect of" (Urde & Greyser, 2016, p. 102). How responsible an organisation is seen to be is mainly reflected and shaped by its culture (p. 109).	Reputation: Interaction Vertical	Corporate Reputation ⊂ Perception and Outcome

Tier B

Corporate Identity Mix

Klaus Birkigt, Marinus M. Stadler & Hans Joachim Funck · Verlag Moderne Industrie, Landsberg am Lech · 1986

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Corporate Personality Birkigt, Stadler and Funck see the corporate personality ( Unternehmens-Persönlichkeit ) as the core of corporate identity and the mission as the guideline within a firm (Haslinger, 2004, p. 8).	Corporate Identity	Corporate Philosophy ≈
02	Corporate Behaviour Corporate behaviour ( Unternehmens-Verhalten ) is how the company acts: important factors are its behaviour in product, sales, social and financial policy, with the consequences and effects that follow (Haslinger, 2004, p. 8).	Corporate Identity	Corporate Behaviour =
03	Corporate Communication Within the identity mix ( Identitätsmix ), corporate communication ( Unternehmens-Kommunikation ) is the most flexible and the fastest instrument (Haslinger, 2004, p. 8). Verbal communication complements behaviour when people form a picture of the company (Pérez & Rodríguez del Bosque, 2014, p. 25).	Corporate Identity	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
04	Corporate Design Corporate design ( Unternehmens-Erscheinungsbild , literally "corporate appearance") forms a unity of brand design, product design, graphic design and architecture, and it changes over time (Haslinger, 2004, p. 8).	Corporate Identity	Brand Signs ⊃
05	Corporate Image Corporate identity is the company's self-image; the corporate image is "the projection of identity in the social field" (Haslinger, 2004, p. 8; translated). In the figure, the image is a smaller circle with the same structure as the identity, joined to it by two lines (Haslinger, 2004, p. 7).	Corporate Image	Brand Image as Perceived = Perception and Outcome

Tier B

De Chernatony Brand Pyramid

Leslie de Chernatony · University of Birmingham · 2006

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Attributes Attributes form the base of the pyramid: the steps it sets out begin with product attributes, which are transformed into consumer benefits (Rossolatos, 2012, p. 29). Quest counts attributes among the tangible elements that the pyramid relegates to its lower levels (Quest, 2019, pp. 73, 165).	Five Levels, From the Base Up	Brand Attributes =
02	Benefits On the second level, product attributes have been transformed into consumer benefits, which in turn give rise to emotional rewards (Rossolatos, 2012, p. 29).	Five Levels, From the Base Up	Functional Benefits =
03	Emotional Rewards Benefits give rise to emotional rewards, and emotional rewards are in turn transformed into values (Rossolatos, 2012, p. 29). Quest names emotional rewards and personality traits as examples of the intangible elements that the pyramid places higher up the hierarchy (Quest, 2019, p. 73).	Five Levels, From the Base Up	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
04	Values Emotional rewards are transformed into values, which form a framework of values, an "axiological framework" (Rossolatos, 2012, p. 29).	Five Levels, From the Base Up	Brand Values =
05	Personality Traits At the top, values that are projected onto the brand and recognised in it take the form of brand personality traits, which are reflected in brand image attributes (Rossolatos, 2012, p. 29). The brand personality is projected metaphorically and forms the synthesis of attributes, benefits and values (Rossolatos, 2012, p. 28).	Five Levels, From the Base Up	Brand Personality =

Tier B

Dentsu Honeycomb Model

Dentsu Inc. · Advertising agency, Tokyo · 2003

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Symbol The symbol (in Japanese glossed as ロゴやカラーアイコン , "logo, colour, icon") is an icon that stays in the five senses, such as the logo or the brand colour: the logos and colours that make people think of the brand. It is defined as the brand's visual emblem (Damema, 2019, "Symbol").	Message Layer 1 (This Is …)	Brand Signs =
02	Base of Authority The base of authority ( ブランドの信頼の証 , "proof of the brand's trustworthiness") can be translated as the grounds of authority. It defines the evidence-based grounds for trust: what the brand does in order to be trusted, or what technology it has (Damema, 2019, "Base of Authority").	Message Layer 1 (This Is …)	Reasons to Believe =
03	Emotional Benefit The emotional benefit ( 情緒的価値 , "emotional value") is the emotional and sensory value that the brand offers (Damema, 2019, "Emotional Benefit"). With the functional benefit, it forms the second message layer, "You can get ~": the message about which benefits the brand can offer consumers (Sato, 2003, pp. 7–8).	Message Layer 2 (You Can Get …)	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
04	Functional Benefit The functional benefit ( 機能的価値 , "functional value") is the practical, functional value the brand offers, for example "plenty of milk", "just the right sweetness" or "the aroma when you open it". Users feel it directly; it is the value expected from the product's specification (Damema, 2019, "Functional Benefit"; translated).	Message Layer 2 (You Can Get …)	Functional Benefits =
05	Personality The personality ( ブランドの人的性格 , "the brand's human character") asks what character the brand would have if it were a person. Giving a product a character, such as "kind" or "difficult but consistent", is common practice (Damema, 2019, "Personality"; translated).	Message Layer 3 (I Am …)	Brand Personality =
06	Ideal Customer Image The ideal customer image ( ターゲット , "target") defines whom the brand wants to use it, whom it moves most and whom it wants as fans. It is an important part: if it wavers, the other elements change too (Damema, 2019, "Ideal Customer Image").	Message Layer 4 (You Are …)	Target Customers ⊃
07	Core Value (Brand Essence) The core value ( 象徴的なブランド経験 , "symbolic brand experience"), labelled "Brand Essence" in Dentsu's figure (Sato, 2003, p. 8, Figure 3), sits at the centre of the honeycomb. It brings the six surrounding elements together into the brand position that users hold; the brand image consists of these six elements.	Centre	Brand Essence =

Tier B

Ebaqdesign 9-Step Brand Strategy Framework

Arek Dvornechuck · Ebaq Design, Brooklyn · 2020

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Purpose This step asks why the brand exists beyond profit. Purpose is "a higher order reason for a brand to exist, other than just making a profit", and unlike a goal it is never completed.	Brand Core	Brand Purpose =
02	Brand Vision This step asks where the brand is heading. A vision is "what the organization wishes to be like in some years' time", a definition Dvornechuck takes from Graham Kenny. If purpose is the why, vision is the where. It should be bold enough to be audacious, yet achievable, so that the team buys into it.	Brand Core	Brand Vision =
03	Brand Values This step asks how the brand behaves. Values are the compass of the business: three to five lasting principles, each described in one line. They concern how the company does things, and so shape the experience that customers, suppliers and the wider public have with the brand (Dvornechuck, 2026, "Exercise 3: Brand Values").	Brand Core	Brand Values =
04	Target Audience This step asks who the primary customer is. The target audience is "the group your brand is built to serve", and a customer persona is the named profile of its most common member.	Brand Positioning	Target Customers =
05	Market Research This step asks how the brand differs. Market research here means mapping the alternatives the customer already has. The aim is to set the brand apart rather than copy competitors, by finding where the market is under-served.	Brand Positioning	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input
06	Awareness Goals This step asks how customers will find the brand. Awareness goals are "the prioritized list of ways customers will discover your brand". The team sorts every initiative by effort and impact. The list scopes the branding project and is explicitly not a marketing strategy (Dvornechuck, 2026, "Exercise 6: Awareness Goals").	Brand Positioning	Key Touchpoints =
07	Brand Personality This step asks who the brand would be if it were a person. Brand personality is "the set of human characteristics associated with a brand" (Jennifer Aaker's definition).	Brand Persona	Brand Personality =
08	Brand Voice This step asks how the brand should sound. Brand voice is "how the personality of your brand comes through the words you use". The voice stays the same, while the tone changes with the situation.	Brand Persona	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂
09	Brand Tagline This step asks for the brand's mantra. The tagline condenses the message into a few concise, memorable words. Unlike the internal positioning statement, it faces customers, but it stays aligned with the positioning. A tagline belongs to the brand for years; a slogan belongs to a campaign.	Brand Persona	Brand Signs ⊂

Tier B

Genetic Code of the Brand

Institut für Markentechnik Genf · Brand Consultancy Institute, Geneva · 2005

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Cause The company's performances (Unternehmensleistungen) are the cause (Ursache) of the brand's effect in the market (IfM, 2005, p. 4).	From Cause to Effect	Brand Competences ≈
02	Genetic Components The conditions (Bedingungen) behind each building block, called genetic components (Genetische Komponenten) (IfM, 2005, p. 5).	From Cause to Effect	Root Strengths ⊂ Analysis Input
03	Genetic Building Blocks The causal success factors of a brand (Genetische Bausteine): its specific strengths, each with a description of its concrete effect in the market (IfM, 2005, p. 5; 2014, p. 4).	From Cause to Effect	Root Strengths = Analysis Input
04	Effect The effect (Wirkung) is the brand energy in the customers (Marken-Energie in der Kundschaft) (IfM, 2005, p. 4): the force with which an established company prevails against competitors in the long run.	From Cause to Effect	Brand Equity and Strength ≈ Perception and Outcome

Tier B

MarkenWesen Model

Marc Sasserath & Christiane Wenhart · Publicis Sasserath Brand Consultancy, Frankfurt and Berlin · 2004

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Properties & Performance This dimension ( Eigenschaften & Leistungen ) covers the brand's factual performance and properties, which in a person would be intelligence or particular abilities (PSBC, 2004, p. 4). Its guiding questions are "What is the brand? What can the brand do?" (PSBC, 2004, p. 6, Figure 2; translated).	Three Descriptive Dimensions	Brand Attributes ⊃
02	Values & Character This dimension ( Werte & Charakter ) covers the brand's emotional values, in everyday psychology its character (PSBC, 2004, p. 4). Its guiding questions are "What is the brand like? What does it stand for?" (PSBC, 2004, p. 6, Figure 2; translated).	Three Descriptive Dimensions	Brand Values ⊃
03	Manifestations Manifestations ( Manifestationen ) are the brand's typical signals and symbols, the counterpart of a person's physical traits such as eye colour or height (PSBC, 2004, p. 4). Guiding question: "Are there symbols or signals?" (PSBC, 2004, p. 6, Figure 2; translated).	Three Descriptive Dimensions	Brand Signs =
04	Individuality Individuality ( Individualität ) means that the brand clearly differentiates itself in the market and from its competitors, so that its descriptive traits evoke a wholly individual and unmistakable MarkenWesen in people's minds (PSBC, 2004, p. 6).	Four Strength Parameters	Brand Strength Criteria ⊂ Process and Implementation
05	Attractiveness Attractiveness ( Attraktivität ) means that the brand is relevant to its target group and desirable; ideally it is admired and loved (PSBC, 2004, p. 7). As between people, initial attraction leads to relationships in which an exchange of rewards plays a part.	Four Strength Parameters	Brand Strength Criteria ⊂ Process and Implementation
06	Consistency Consistency ( Konsistenz ) means that the brand behaves consistently at all times, over longer periods too, and across all measures: it has to stay true to itself (PSBC, 2004, p. 7).	Four Strength Parameters	Brand Strength Criteria ⊂ Process and Implementation
07	Familiarity Familiarity ( Vertrautheit ) means that the brand is known in its target group and, beyond that, conveys familiarity: it has to be "close" to people (PSBC, 2004, pp. 6–7). Familiarity can grow through habit, when a brand accompanies someone over a long time or is present in their life so often that it becomes indispensable.	Four Strength Parameters	Brand Strength Criteria ⊂ Process and Implementation
08	Brand Proposition Besides the target MarkenWesen, the brand strategy defines the condensed core message of this MarkenWesen as the Brand Proposition. It contains the overarching Benefit, which describes the benefit of the brand rather than of single products, and the Support, which explains why the brand can offer this benefit (PSBC, 2004, p.	Derived from the MarkenWesen	Value Proposition and Brand Promise ⊃

Tier B

Minimum Viable Brand

Wolff Olins · Brand Consultancy, London · 2013

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Why It Matters The first question of the pitch names "the bigger purpose of the brand in the world" (Thomson, 2013).	Pitch: Four Questions	Brand Purpose =
02	Why the Brand Exists The second question, "Why we exist" in the source, asks how the brand achieves the bigger purpose named in the first (Thomson, 2013).	Pitch: Four Questions	Brand Mission =
03	What Can You Do The third question turns to the user: "The action the user takes and the impact on their life" (Thomson, 2013).	Pitch: Four Questions	Functional Benefits =
04	How It Will Feel The fourth question covers "the emotional experience for the user" (Thomson, 2013).	Pitch: Four Questions	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
05	Assets The second part of the toolkit answers "How you make it yours": the brand assets "that are used to express the brand including the name, tagline, logo, and visual identity" (Thomson, 2013).	Assets	Brand Signs =

Tier B

Minimum Viable Brand Canvas

Jeremiah Gardner · The Lean Brand · 2014

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Story "Story is your story. Who you are. Why you do what you do. Why people should care about a relationship with you." It is the "unique rallying point" that defines what the brand is fighting against and what it is fighting for; relationships form "in the synchronicity between who you are and who your audience wants to become" …	Canvas Components	Brand Story and Narrative ⊃
02	Artifacts "Artifacts are expressions of your story." The goal is to find artifacts that tell the story and engage people with who the brand is; "Great artifacts evoke emotion and reflect the relationship you are forming with your audience." (Gardner, 2014a, section "Artifacts").	Canvas Components	Brand Expression and Imagery =
03	Invitation "Invitations are active calls for people to join your story." An invitation is "much more than 'messaging'": what the brand says, where it says it and how it says it shape the way people respond; "Compelling invitations don't sell, they inspire." (Gardner, 2014a, section "Invitation").	Canvas Components	Marketing Communication ⊃ Process and Implementation

Tier B

National Brand Identity (NBI) Model

You-Kyung Kim & Yoo-Shin Kim · Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Pusan National University · 2012

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Social System The social system ( 사회시스템 ) is the first dimension; it explains 39.7 percent of the variance. Its items cover the transparency and fairness of society, inclusiveness and tolerance towards other cultures and races, democratic awareness, and a law-abiding system with a sense of order.	Dimensions of National Brand Identity	Corporate Culture ≈
02	Leadership and Growth Leadership and growth ( 리더쉽/성장력 , in the English abstract "leadership/growing power") is the second dimension (9.9 percent of the variance). It expresses a nation's international standing on the political and economic side and assesses its future growth potential as well as its present state.	Dimensions of National Brand Identity	Brand Competences ≈
03	National Heritage National heritage ( 국가유산 ) is the third dimension (6.8 percent of the variance). Its items include the inspiring quality of the heritage, its originality and excellence compared with other nations, and its artistic value, so the dimension rests mainly on the aesthetic appeal and value of the nation's cultural heritage (Kim & …	Dimensions of National Brand Identity	Brand Heritage and Origin =
04	Nation People Nation people ( 국민 ) is the fourth dimension (4.0 percent of the variance). It consists of items such as a spirit of challenge, the effort made to reach goals, and diligence.	Dimensions of National Brand Identity	Organisational Attributes ≈

Tier B

PRO Brand Strategy Framework

Stephen Houraghan · Brand Master Academy · 2020

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Uncover Your Brand Core The first step draws heavily on the business and brand leaders, because it extracts the meaning of the brand from their perspective. Through discovery and collaboration it uncovers why the brand exists, where it is going, what it is committed to and how it will behave (Houraghan, n.d., Step 1).	Twelve Steps	Corporate Philosophy =
02	Develop Your Buyer Personas So much of the brand stems from who the audience is and how it is segmented that this step takes the time needed to get into the heads and hearts of that group of people. Few brands are built with that level of understanding (Houraghan, n.d., Step 2).	Twelve Steps	Target Customers ⊃
03	Weigh Up the Competitive Brands The target market already has options through competitors, and a brand that offers the same thing is at a disadvantage against brands that already have presence and awareness. This step uncovers what competitors do well and where they leave gaps the brand could exploit (Houraghan, n.d., Step 3).	Twelve Steps	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input
04	Forge Your Differentiation Strategy Audience research and competitor analysis give a bird's-eye view of the market. From there, the gaps that competitors leave open are developed into fully fledged positioning ideas (Houraghan, n.d., Step 4).	Twelve Steps	Key Differentiator =
05	Define Your Strategic Market Position Once the differentiation strategy and the target market are aligned, and the market is confirmed to be big enough, the position is set: what the brand does, whom it does it for, how it differs from existing options, and what benefit and value it adds for the audience (Houraghan, n.d., Step 5).	Twelve Steps	Brand Positioning ⊃ Process and Implementation
06	Align Your Brand Archetype With the audience and its desires known, the strategist uncovers the audience's personality type with brand archetypes, a framework going back to the psychiatrist Carl Jung.	Twelve Steps	Brand Personality ⊂
07	Shape Your Brand Personality Strategy The archetype is only a starting point. To make the brand feel like a persona the audience can connect with, attitudes on the industry, opinions on the wider world and broader beliefs add detail and believability to its personality (Houraghan, n.d., Step 7).	Twelve Steps	Brand Personality =
08	Find Your Brand Voice & Tone The tone of voice carries the traits defined for the personality into the written and spoken word. An audience that reads or hears language and tone that feel familiar is far more open to the message (Houraghan, n.d., Step 8).	Twelve Steps	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊂
09	Uncover Your Human Brand Persona Archetype, personality and voice come together in a character that represents the human brand. For most brands this persona does not appear as a figure; it lives in the traits the brand shows at every touchpoint, through visual identity, typography, colour, image style, message, story and tone of voice (Houraghan, n.d., Step 9).	Twelve Steps	Brand Personality ⊃
10	Define Your Brand Messaging Framework With the human brand persona and a close knowledge of the audience and what it wants, the brand message is written to land in their hearts and minds. Knowing their challenges, pain points, hopes, dreams, fears and desires lets the message resonate on a deep, human level (Houraghan, n.d., Step 10).	Twelve Steps	Key Messages =
11	Craft Your Brand Storytelling Framework People pay far more attention to information delivered as a story; Houraghan cites the neuroscientist Uri Hasson, by whose findings people are 22 times more attentive. In this step the strategist wraps the brand message into story-based information that can be delivered at every touchpoint (Houraghan, n.d., Step 11).	Twelve Steps	Brand Story and Narrative =
12	Design Your Brand Identity System Here the work crosses over from strategy to visual identity. A designer who has all the strategic information and direction gains a vantage point that designers without a strategy lack, and the visual identity gets an edge from it (Houraghan, n.d., Step 12).	Twelve Steps	Brand Signs =

Tier B

Personal Branding Canvas

Luigi Centenaro · BigName · 2014

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Audience Who needs to know (block 1): "customers, influencers and their communities", whom the guide calls "the real stars". The audience is the receiver the person wants to influence, and it is the place to start when there is no personal branding strategy yet (BigName, n.d.-a).	Receiver	Target Customers ≈
02	Competence What the person can do (block 3): their abilities, contacts and skills. The guide adds: "Don't be afraid to boast!" (BigName, n.d.-a).	Sender	Brand Competences =
03	Identity Who the person is (block 4): what makes them unique, because that is what "makes you successful" (BigName, n.d.-a).	Sender	Intended Identity Profile ≈
04	Credibility Why the person is credible (block 5). People "don't believe in fairytales anymore, they also want facts", so this block shows why others can trust the person (BigName, n.d.-a).	Sender	Reasons to Believe =
05	Profession What the person does and how (block 2): their services, but also their talents and their soft and hard skills, "whatever produces value" (BigName, n.d.-a).	Sender	Product Scope ⊃
06	Arena The area in which a professional wants to compete and gain visibility (Centenaro, 2017). It sits at the centre of the four sender blocks and is worked on together with the profession (block 6; BigName, n.d.-a).	Sender	Brand Authority Domain =
07	Promise So what (block 7): people sign up for the profession when they have high expectations, so the promise answers what is in it for them (BigName, n.d.-a). The canvas centres on this promise of value, which the person conveys to the right audience (Centenaro, 2014).	Sender	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
08	Positioning Why this person specifically (block 9): how the person is different from others. The guide asks whether this differentiation is "clear and effective" (BigName, n.d.-a).	Activation	Key Differentiator =
09	Competitors A secondary mini-block that prompts thinking about differentiation and competitive positioning (Centenaro, 2017). On the canvas it sits between positioning and audience (block 8; BigName, n.d.-a).	Activation	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input

Tier B

Place Brand Identity Model

Maja Konečnik Ruzzier and Leslie de Chernatony · University of Ljubljana (Konečnik Ruzzier) · 2011

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Experiential Promise The identity elements of a destination brand interact constantly to fulfil the brand promise through functional and emotional values, with the aim of creating an experiential promise ( izkustvena obljuba ) (Konečnik Ruzzier & de Chernatony, 2013, as cited in Stubelj, 2018, p. 17; translated).	Core	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
02	Emotional Value Emotional value ( čustvena vrednota ) is one of the two values in the core through which the identity elements fulfil the brand promise (Konečnik Ruzzier & de Chernatony, 2013, as cited in Stubelj, 2018, p. 17).	Core	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
03	Functional Value Functional value ( funkcionalna vrednota ) is the other value in the core through which the identity elements fulfil the brand promise (Konečnik Ruzzier & de Chernatony, 2013, as cited in Stubelj, 2018, p. 17).	Core	Functional Benefits =
04	Benefits Benefits ( koristi ) of a destination are the rewards that people think the destination can offer them; the rewards can result from functional or psychological attributes.	Identity Elements	Functional Benefits ⊃
05	Mission Mission ( poslanstvo ) is the second element that the place model adds to de Chernatony's identity model (Konečnik Ruzzier et al., 2011, p. 404).	Identity Elements	Brand Mission =
06	Vision De Chernatony, whose identity elements the model takes over, sees vision ( vizija ) as a clear direction for how the organisation will work for a better future. It has three parts: the desired future environment, the purpose of the brand and the values of the brand (de Chernatony, 2010, as cited in Stubelj, 2018, p.	Identity Elements	Brand Vision ⊃
07	Values Konečnik Ruzzier and de Chernatony (2013) see the values ( vrednote ) of a destination brand as values that the destination's influential stakeholders share.	Identity Elements	Brand Values =
08	Personality Konečnik Ruzzier and de Chernatony (2013) add that the personality ( osebnost ) of a destination brand relies heavily on the personality of the people who make up and live the brand, so it can include their main traits and their way of life; they regard this view as a usual part of the identity of any brand (as cited in …	Identity Elements	Brand Personality =
09	Distinguishing Preferences Distinguishing preferences ( razlikovalne prednosti , literally "distinguishing advantages") can refer either to the attractions a destination offers or to its attributes (Konečnik Ruzzier & de Chernatony, 2013, as cited in Stubelj, 2018, p. 23; translated).	Identity Elements	Key Differentiator ⊃
10	Stakeholder Groups The outer ring holds the stakeholder groups ( interesna skupina , literally "interest group").	Outer Ring	Target Customers ≈

Tier B

Sector Brand Identity Model

Marina Toledo de Arruda Lourenção and Janaina de Moura Engracia Giraldi · University of São Paulo (FEA-RP) · 2017

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Personality The personality attributes of the sector brand. The identity components are "managerial decision attributes" that characterise the products or services of the organisation (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 17).	Identity Components	Brand Personality =
02	Positioning The target markets of the sector brand; in the application, each country is a target market for the exports of the sector's firms (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 18; Table 3, p. 36).	Identity Components	Target Customers ≈
03	Product The characteristics by which the sector's products are known abroad; the element "represents the difference in products being exported" by the industries of each association (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 19; Table 3, p. 36).	Identity Components	Brand Attributes =
04	Country of Origin Whether the sector brand is associated with its country, that is, whether the exported products relate to characteristics of the country of origin (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 19; Table 3, p. 36).	Identity Components	Brand Heritage and Origin ⊂
05	Market Orientation Whether the sector helps its companies to target the international buyer, that is, whether they adapt their export products to the preferences of international consumers (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 19).	Identity Components	Brand Orientation ≈ Process and Implementation
06	Marketing Campaign How the sector brand is used in campaigns abroad: whether all partners take part and who defines the campaign and its attributes. The communication components follow once the identity components are defined and set how the identity is communicated to the external market (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 20; Table 3, p. 37).	Communication Components	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
07	Visual Identity The attributes that the visual identity of the sector brand should communicate abroad, for example through the semiotic resources of its logo (Lourenção et al., 2018, pp. 20–21; Table 3, p. 37).	Communication Components	Brand Signs =
08	Stationery Stationery developed for the sector brand and its use by the partners (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 21; Table 3, p. 37).	Communication Components	Brand Signs ⊂
09	Promotion Tools The tools the partners use to communicate the sector brand internationally (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 21; Table 3, p. 37).	Communication Components	Marketing Communication = Process and Implementation
10	Relationship The relationship with buyers, through programmes with international clients. Once the identity is defined and communicated, the brand, that is, the organisation and its products, also has to make contact with the consumer (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 21; Table 3, p. 37).	Identity Delivery Elements	Brand Relationship ≈
11	Product Performance Whether the sector knows how its products are accepted by international buyers (Lourenção et al., 2018, Table 3, p. 37).	Identity Delivery Elements	Brand Research and Controlling ≈ Process and Implementation
12	Competitors' Actions The countries or regions that compete with the sector (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 23; Table 3, p. 37).	External Factors That Influence Identity	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input
13	Environment The conditions of the environment in which the sector operates; here the image of the country abroad: whether a brand that links products to Brazilian characteristics helps or harms, and whether there is prejudice against Brazilian products (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 23; Table 3, p. 37).	External Factors That Influence Identity	External Environment Analysis ≈ Analysis Input
14	Consumer Attitudes and Behavior The behaviour of international buyers, assessed before the sector enters a market and through the buyers' opinion after the purchase, including any restrictions on the country's products (Lourenção et al., 2018, p. 23; Table 3, p. 37).	External Factors That Influence Identity	Customer Analysis = Analysis Input

Tier B

Six-Station Corporate Identity Model

Jean Yannis Suvatjis, Leslie de Chernatony and John Halikias · 2012

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Corporate Identity Corporate identity ( tożsamość przedsiębiorstwa ) sits at the core of the model and comprises the six stations, which together form the set of issues and management areas that make up corporate identity; the model shows its management as a cyclical process (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; translated).	Core	Intended Identity Profile ≈
02	Head Station The head station ( stacja główna ; in Stangierska's text czynnik główny , “main factor”) comprises mission, vision and values, leadership and the management board ( misja, wizja, wartości, przywództwo, zarząd ) (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; translated). Jedynak et al.	Six Stations	Corporate Philosophy ⊃
03	Strategy The strategy station ( strategia ) comprises the brands of the company, its products and services, and marketing ( marki przedsiębiorstwa, produktów i usług, marketingu ) (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; translated). Jedynak et al. list corporate brands, corporate strategy and marketing (2022, p. 22; translated).	Six Stations	Corporate Strategy ⊃ Business and Strategy
04	Creativity The creativity station ( kreatywność ) comprises visual identity, the visual identification system, also called symbolism, and advertising ( tożsamość wizualna, system identyfikacji wizualnej/ inaczej symbolika, reklamy ) (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; translated). Jedynak et al.	Six Stations	Brand Signs ⊃
05	Communication The communication station ( komunikacja ) comprises traditional and digital channels within the company and in its relations with its environment ( kanały tradycyjne i cyfrowe w obrębie przedsiębiorstwa i w relacji z otoczeniem ) (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; translated). Jedynak et al.	Six Stations	Marketing Communication ⊃ Process and Implementation
06	Human Power The human power station ( energia ludzi , literally “people's energy”; in Stangierska's text zasoby ludzkie , “human resources”) comprises employees and stakeholders ( pracownicy oraz interesariusze ) (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; Jedynak et al., 2022, p. 22; translated).	Six Stations	Internal Brand Management ≈ Process and Implementation
07	Critical Triplet The critical triplet ( krytyczna trójka ; in Stangierska's text punkt krytyczny , “critical point”) comprises image, reputation and personality ( wizerunek, reputacja, osobowość ) (Stangierska, 2015, p. 46; translated). Jedynak et al. name corporate reputation, corporate image and corporate personality (2022, p.	Six Stations	Brand Image as Perceived ⊃ Perception and Outcome

Tier B

TAIKN Brand Identity and Management Model

Achim Burkhardt & Henrike Göpel · TAIKN Strategische Markenberatung (brand consultancy, Heidelberg) · 2011

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Brand Core At the centre of the identity lies the brand core ( Markenkern ), also called the core idea. It is the basis of the communication strategy, sets a clear mission for the future, links the values of the corporate brand and is the brand's central communicative positioning statement (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, pp. 3–4).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Brand Essence ⊃
02	Brand Values The values ( Markenwerte ) are "standards against which one's own or other people's behaviour is measured" (Bierhoff, 1998, as cited in Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 3; translated).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Brand Values =
03	Brand Personality Because the values stay few, the identity also fixes a brand personality ( Markenpersönlichkeit ). It is the basis for the tone of the brand's communication. TAIKN determines it inside and outside the company with Jennifer Aaker's internationally validated personality items (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 3).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Brand Personality =
04	Brand Offering The offering ( Markenleistung ) states exactly which products and services the brand "actually offers" (translated). Together with the strengths, the benefit promise and the differentiators, it forms the core of the identity in the narrow sense (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 3).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Product Scope =
05	Brand Strengths The identity defines the brand's strengths ( Markenstärken ) (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 3). The first success criterion of the positioning, competence, says that it should represent the brand's actual strengths (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 4).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Brand Competences =
06	Benefit Promise The identity sets the brand's exact benefit promise ( Nutzenversprechen , in the text also Markennutzen ) (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, pp. 2–3). A positioning should make a clear benefit promise to the stakeholders (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 4).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
07	Differentiation The differentiators ( Differenzierung in the figure, Differentiatoren in the text) answer the question of how the brand differs from its competitors "actually and noticeably in content" (translated) (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 3).	Who Are We? Brand Identity in the Narrow Sense	Key Differentiator =
08	Target Groups The ring around the core specifies the target groups ( Zielgruppe(n) ) the brand should address and surveys what they expect from it; the groups with priority get a detailed psychographic description (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 2).	Whom Do We Address? Target Groups	Target Customers =
09	Psychological Moment of Brand Choice Beyond naming the groups, the model describes them by their motives and expected benefits. The aim is to understand these motives and the experience customers have when the brand's promise fulfils them. Burkhardt and Göpel call this the "psychological moment of brand choice" ( psychologischer Moment der Markenwahl ).	Whom Do We Address? Target Groups	Consumer Insight = Analysis Input
10	Brand Touchpoints The outermost ring records the brand's touchpoints ( Markenkontaktpunkte ) on the communication side and on the performance side (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, p. 2). Communication alone does not make a brand successful in the long run: the promise it makes has to be in step with the company's performance processes.	Where Can We Be Experienced? Brand Touchpoints	Key Touchpoints =
11	On-Brand Performance (Proofpoints) For each relevant touchpoint, the model works out in detail what performance fits the brand ( markenadäquate Leistung ), where the brand stands today and which measures are needed to keep its promise.	How Can We Be Experienced? On-Brand Performance and Communication	Strategic Imperatives ⊃ Process and Implementation
12	On-Brand Communication (Coding) On the communication side, the model defines the design of the brand's appearance ( markenadäquate Kommunikation ): its coding through language, images and symbols, and other sensory elements. It has proved helpful to set down in detail not only the "go's" but also the "no go's" (Burkhardt & Göpel, 2011, pp. 2–3, 9).	How Can We Be Experienced? On-Brand Performance and Communication	Brand Expression and Imagery =

Tier B

TBA Branding Model

Emilio Llopis · Brand consultant and lecturer (GLR Partners, EDEM Escuela de Empresarios) · 2023

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Think The first phase centres on understanding the context in which the company operates and analysing its impact on its surroundings. It calls for a diagnosis both inside and outside the company that considers factors such as customer behaviour, the competition and regulatory demands.	Three Phases	External Environment Analysis ⊃ Analysis Input
02	Be Once the analysis is done, this phase builds sustainability into the core of the brand: its identity, value proposition and positioning. The brand sets out its commitment to sustainability, both in its mission and in the benefits it offers its customers.	Three Phases	Intended Identity Profile ⊃
03	Act The last phase is devoted to carrying out and rolling out the sustainable brand. The company has to make sure that sustainability shows in all its interactions with customers and stakeholders, from communication to customer experience.	Three Phases	Marketing Communication ⊃ Process and Implementation
04	Customer & Stakeholder Insights Customer and stakeholder insights ( Clientes y stakeholders insights ) mean knowing the needs and aspirations of the company's stakeholders in depth (Galué, 2025).	Six Identity Blocks	Consumer Insight = Analysis Input
05	Expression Expression ( Expresión ; Galué names the block Expresión, hechos y símbolos , "expression, facts and symbols") covers the visual and tangible elements that communicate the identity (Galué, 2025).	Six Identity Blocks	Brand Expression and Imagery ⊃
06	Personality Brand personality ( Personalidad de marca ) is the style and tone in which the brand relates to others (Galué, 2025).	Six Identity Blocks	Brand Personality =
07	Internal Culture and Values Internal culture and values ( Cultura interna y valores ) are the principles that guide actions within the organisation (Galué, 2025).	Six Identity Blocks	Corporate Culture ⊃
08	Mission, Vision, Purpose Mission, vision and purpose ( Misión, visión y propósito ) are the "why" of the brand, which inspires and guides (Galué, 2025).	Six Identity Blocks	Corporate Philosophy =
09	Brand Essence Brand essence ( Esencia de marca ) is the central idea that sums up everything the brand stands for (Galué, 2025). In the figure, it sits at the centre of the identity (Llopis, 2024b, figure).	Six Identity Blocks	Brand Essence =

Tier B

The Brand Canvas Model

Brandcom · Brand and advertising agency, Germany · 2018

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Framework Conditions / External Factors The top block describes how the brand is set up between external and internal conditions and its objectives (Brandcom, 2018a).	Set-Up	External Environment Analysis = Analysis Input
02	Organisation / Structure A brand can be anchored in a company in very different ways ( Organisation/Struktur ): is the company the brand, or is the brand only a product or a service line? The field also covers internal conditions: is a team, a single person or an advertising agency responsible for the brand? Is the brand international, with its origin …	Set-Up	Brand Architecture ⊃ Business and Strategy
03	Objectives The objectives ( Zielsetzung ) are among the most important guidelines for the brand's direction, but are often treated far too superficially. Good marketing is always targeted communication, so the clearer the objective, the more targeted the measures.	Set-Up	Brand Ambitions =
04	Competitors The middle block defines the brand's strategic direction, above all in the tension between competition and customer requirements (Brandcom, 2018a).	Alignment	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input
05	Customers This field ( Kunden ) describes who the brand's customers are and what makes them, beyond age and gender. It lists their main requirements and needs, what they expect from the brand and what problem they have.	Alignment	Target Customers ⊃
06	Brand Promise A good brand is a convincing promise to the customer, who links this promise with the product through the brand. The promise ( Markenversprechen ) is the core of the brand: at best, a clear statement that sits exactly between what customers want and what competitors can offer.	Alignment	Value Proposition and Brand Promise =
07	Story / Differentiation This field ( Story/Differenzierung ) asks for the story behind the brand and what makes it unique and different from the competition (Brandcom, 2022). The German word for brand, Marke , comes from Markierung (marking), because the brand marks the difference from the competition.	Alignment	Brand Story and Narrative ⊃
08	Services / Offers / Products Every brand has something to offer: products, services or, for NGOs, beliefs or services for others. This field ( Leistungen/Angebote/Produkte ) lists the brand's building blocks of performance, with their specific features if needed.	Alignment	Product Scope =
09	Corporate Design The bottom row holds the parameters that shape how the brand appears; they should follow logically from the fields above (Brandcom, 2018a). Once it is clear for whom and for what the brand stands, its visual appearance ( Corporate Design ) can be derived.	Derivation	Brand Signs =
10	Brand Personality The personality is shaped by the corporate design but deserves its own description.	Derivation	Brand Personality =
11	Marketing Strategy A strategy is a plan aimed at a goal. This field ( Marketing-Strategie ) asks what the brand's goal is and what the plan is to reach it.	Derivation	Brand Strategy ≈ Process and Implementation

Tier B

The Brand Strategy Canvas

Patrick Woods · Archer Malmo · 2020

#	Element	Group (as named by the originator)	Concept
01	Customer/User Insight "A precise portrait of who you're building for": not a demographic checkbox, but a real understanding of how these people think, what they fear and what they are trying to become (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Market Opportunity	Target Customers ⊃
02	Cultural Moment What is shifting in culture, technology or the market that makes the brand timely right now: the "why now" that separates a brand that feels prescient from one that feels generic. Woods calls it the most dynamic box on the canvas, to be revisited as the moment evolves (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Market Opportunity	External Environment Analysis ⊂ Analysis Input
03	Competitive Environment A map of the landscape: which alternatives exist, how they position themselves and where the white space is. An "anti-audience" exercise clarifies who the brand is explicitly not for (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Market Opportunity	Competitive Environment = Analysis Input
04	Company/Product Features "What your product actually does", the raw material before benefits, emotion and story (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Market Opportunity	Brand Attributes =
05	Rational Benefits How customers experience the features: "not what it does, but what it means for them". It is the first step up the "Ladder of Abstraction" (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works"), on a continuum that runs from feature to rational benefit to emotional benefit (Woods, 2020, p. xii).	Benefits	Functional Benefits =
06	Emotional Benefits "The higher-order payoff". Woods notes that this is "where most startups stop" and calls it "the biggest differentiation opportunity on the canvas" (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Benefits	Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits =
07	Brand Positioning Statement "One sentence. Who you're for, what you offer, why it matters." (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Positioning	Brand Positioning ⊃ Process and Implementation
08	Brand Essence "2–4 words that distill the whole statement. Short enough to remember. Clear enough to make decisions from." (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works").	Positioning	Brand Essence =
09	Company Values "Internal guide rails, not marketing copy": the nouns that describe what the company genuinely believes and how it makes decisions (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works"). The values help a startup deliver its messaging authentically (Woods, 2020, p. xii).	Voice & Expression	Brand Values =
10	Brand Personality How the brand shows up in the world, "characterful, not generic": "the outward expression of everything your values say internally" (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works"). Personality guides the tone and voice of the brand and offers further room for competitive differentiation (Woods, 2020, p. xii).	Voice & Expression	Brand Personality =
11	Key Messages "3–5 concepts you communicate consistently, each backed by proof points", checked with the "Talk Like a Human test" before they are done (Woods, n.d., section "How It Works"). Here the strategy becomes actionable: the key messages inform everything from website copy to press releases and customer support emails (Woods, 2020, p.	Voice & Expression	Key Messages =

Coverage
How Often Each Concept Appears, and Whether the Canvas Carries It

Counts are models, not mentions. Tier A counts weigh more: Tier B contains many derivative models, so a high Tier B count alone does not make a concept important.

Concept	Tier A models	Tier B models	Canvas
Brand Personality	9	22	Brand Persona (same)
Brand Values	7	18	Brand Culture (narrower)
Brand Essence	7	13	Brand Theme (related)
Brand Signs	5	17	Brand Expression (narrower)
Functional Benefits	5	10	Brand Qualities (related)
Brand Positioning	5	10	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Brand Vision	5	9	Vision (same)
Brand Relationship	5	4	Brand Relationship (same)
Corporate Culture	5	3	Brand Culture (narrower)
Brand Purpose	4	10	Purpose (same)
Brand Attributes	4	10	Brand Qualities (same)
Brand Expression and Imagery	4	10	Brand Expression (same)
Corporate Philosophy	4	7	block 01 Brand Vision (broader)
Value Proposition and Brand Promise	3	12	block 02 Brand Offering (broader)
Emotional and Self-Expressive Benefits	3	9	Brand-related Self (narrower)
Marketing Communication	3	9	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Competitive Environment	3	7	outside the identity core (Analysis Input)
Intended Identity Profile	3	7	the identity as a whole (broader)
Product Scope	3	6	Brand Authority (related)
Brand Heritage and Origin	3	4	Brand Culture (related)
Reasons to Believe	3	4	block 02 Brand Offering (related)
Brand Research and Controlling	3	2	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Identity Layering and Weighting	3	0	not placed
Price Level and Economic Benefit	3	0	block 02 Brand Offering (related)
Target Customers	2	14	Target Customers (same)
Key Differentiator	2	7	Key Differentiator (same)
Brand Strategy	2	6	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Brand Competences	2	5	Brand Authority (related)
Brand Governance	2	4	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Internal Brand Management	2	3	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Brand Orientation	2	2	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Prototypical User	2	2	Prototypical User (same)
Point of Sale and Environmental Design	2	2	Key Touchpoints (narrower)
Organisational Attributes	2	1	Brand Culture (related)
Brand-Related Self-Image	2	1	Brand-related Self (same)
Brand Guidelines and Manuals	2	1	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Distribution Channels	2	0	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Consumer Insight	1	6	outside the identity core (Analysis Input)
External Environment Analysis	1	5	outside the identity core (Analysis Input)
Brand Mission	1	3	Mission (same)
Brand Ambitions	1	3	Ambitions (same)
Brand Image as Perceived	1	3	outside the identity core (Perception and Outcome)
Brand Equity and Strength	1	3	outside the identity core (Perception and Outcome)
Customer Analysis	1	2	outside the identity core (Analysis Input)
Corporate Behaviour	1	2	block 07 Brand Expression (related)
Brand Authority Domain	1	1	Brand Authority (same)
Strategic Imperatives	1	1	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Brand Community	1	1	Brand Community (same)
Product and Service Design	1	1	Brand Expression (narrower)
Brand Leverage and Co-Branding	1	1	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Financial Brand Performance	1	1	outside the identity core (Perception and Outcome)
Corporate Strategy	1	1	outside the identity core (Business and Strategy)
Root Strengths	1	1	outside the identity core (Analysis Input)
Geographic Brand Scope	1	0	not placed
Brand Extension	1	0	outside the identity core (Business and Strategy)
Legal Brand Protection	1	0	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)
Brand Story and Narrative	0	6	Brand Expression (narrower)
Key Messages	0	6	Brand Expression (narrower)
Key Touchpoints	0	5	Key Touchpoints (same)
Brand Architecture	0	3	outside the identity core (Business and Strategy)
Corporate Reputation	0	2	outside the identity core (Perception and Outcome)
Brand Face	0	1	Brand Face (same)
Brand Strength Criteria	0	1	outside the identity core (Process and Implementation)

Method
How This Map Was Built

Inventory. All elements were taken from the Atlas profiles, which quote each originator's own definitions with page references. The grouping is the originator's, not ours.
Concepts. Elements were grouped by the meaning of their definitions, not by their names, following the logic of qualitative content analysis: same name with a different meaning stays apart, different names with the same meaning come together. Four relations are used: same, narrower, broader, related. Nothing was forced into a match.
Scope. Each concept was tested against the Atlas definition of a brand identity model: identity content, analysis input, perception and outcome, process, or business. Only identity content is placed on the Canvas grid.
Placement. Each identity concept was matched to a Canvas block or element. Concepts that fit nowhere appear under Not Placed; that list is the starting point for the question whether the Canvas should grow.
Limits. Short definitions are abridged from the profiles; the profile pages carry the full wording and sources. Concept matching is a judgement, documented in the Atlas glossary, and revised as models are added.

Status: 13 October 2026. Part of the Brand Identity Model Atlas by Klaus Heine.

Part of the Brand Identity Model Atlas. The atlas underpins the Brand-Building Canvas: a practical one-page brand identity and strategy framework for building, auditing, and repositioning brands. Download the PDF or PowerPoint template, or compare all brand identity models in the overview.