The Brand PINATA helps marketing define its core target and the mental associations it needs to build in order to thrive. This short video clip explains the concept.

First, identify the customer and brand proposition. E.g. Snickers' purpose is to fill you up when you're hungry.

The insight is a related idea that customers can identify with. For Snickers, it’s that people don't act like themselves changes when they’re hungry.

Needs are the mental connections, built mainly by communications, that bring the brand to mind when someone needs or wants something e.g. when you're hungry on the go or after sports. Listen to this short audio clip to understand why some brand need to focus on a specific need.

Next are brand associations and testaments. These are the ideas and feelings (such as 'help you feel like yourself again' and 'stop you feeling hungry') and reasons to believe (stories, claims & facts such as 'contains peanuts') that should be triggered when people see or think of the brand. These can help 'seal the deal,’ crystallising the brand choice.

Finally are the 'distinctive assets’. These are visuals, colours, words, sounds customs etc. that are featured in touch points to help the brand come to mind more easily e.g. the slogan 'You're not you when you're hungry'.

​What to learn more? Try asking Virtual Dan White.