BRAND

TENSITY
OPPOSITES ATTRACT
WE KNOW BRANDS
 FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, WE’VE GATHERED CONSUMER
PERCEPTIONS OF MORE THAN 50,000 BRANDS.

BAVLAB is a global brand consultancy with local expertise. Our approach to strategy is grounded in
brand analytics. Leveraging the brand data and philosophy of Y&R’s BrandAsset® Valuator (BAV®),
the world’s largest database of brand perceptions, we help our clients make more informed
marketing decisions.
!

BAV monitors the brand data points that matter, evaluating how brands create momentum and drive
consumer passion. By understanding and exploring a brand’s strengths and challenges against the
fundamental dynamics of its category, BAV provides unique insights into a brand’s larger role in the
evolving cultural marketplace.
 
BAV is the world’s largest database and model on brands


1,000,000 +  
 52,000 +     OVER  300 +
 51  
 72  
 2 DECADES  OF 

CONSUMERS BRANDS BRAND STUDIES COUNTRIES BRAND METRICS LEARNING & TRENDING

BAV is A developmental MODEL THAT identifies clear patterns and trends reflective of brand growth, decay and recovery.

arrogant authentic best brand carefree caRes customers charming daring

BAV measures brands
on a set of 48 image anD
personality DIMENSIONS
different distinctive down to earth dynamic energetic friendly fun gaining in
popularity glamorous good value healthy helpful high performance high
quality independent innovative intelligent kind leader obliging original
prestigious progressive reliable restrained rugged sensuous simple social
socially responsible straightforward stylish traditional trendy trustworthy
unapproachable unique up to date upper class visionary worth more
 Differentiation Relevance Esteem Knowledge
THE UNIQUE MEANING, ENERGY How appropriate How highly the 
 How well the brand
AND DYNAMISM OF THE BRAND the brand is brand is regarded is understood

DIFFERENTIATION
BAV measures

KNOWLEDGE
RELEVANCE
brands on 


ESTEEM
!

four

 pillars
of brand equity 

and momentum

Relates to margins, Relates to market Relates to 
 Relates to consumer

advocacy and penetration perception of 
 experience with the
cultural currency quality and respect brand
In the two decades that BAV has studied the brandscape, brands have become 200% less
distinct from one another.

Marketers must work harder than ever in order to make their brands stand out. but how?

BY Studying thousands of brands - from the most iconic to the most commoditized - we
found that breakaway brands have an inherent tension That makes them irresistible.

we call this
BRAND TENSITY ®
BRAND
TENSITY
The convergence of two or more contradictory
forces, resulting in excitement, anticipation,
and A palpable energy.
Tensity in Culture Traditionally
TENSITY can be found across culture: compelling art, music,
food, architecture and people are not one-dimensional and
flat, but rather, have contradictory layers and depth.

Marilyn Monroe SEDUCTIVE

Marilyn Monroe’s tensity of UNTRADITIONAL
Seductive-Innocence has made
her irresistible, and she Pope Francis
remains a cultural icon more
Once a bar bouncer, now the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope
than 50 years after her death.
Francis is changing the global perception of what it means to be
She continues to be the
the Pope. He declines to wear ornate clothing and jewelry,
spokesperson for brands
encourages interfaith dialogue and refused the Papal
across sectors. She has been
apartment. He is seen as progressive, in touch with
the face of brands including
contemporary culture, and relatable while holding a
Coca-Cola, Bed Bath and beyond,
traditional role. According to Pew Global, as of December 2014,
Mercedes-Benz, MAC, and
Pope Francis had a 60% favorability rating around the world1
Macy’s. in January 2015, she INNOCENCE and was the most talked about topic on Facebook in 2014.
became the new face of Max
Factor. 1http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/12/11/pope-francis-image-positive-in-much-of-world/).
 TENSITY IN ENTERTAINMENT
In 2009, Disney invested four billion
dollars in Marvel, a company that INTROVERTED
consistently produces record RECKLESS ACADEMIC INDIVIDUAL
breaking box-office hits. Tensity can O u r at t r a c t i o n t o t h e
be found throughout Marvel’s convergence of contradictory
portfolio: Iron Man balances his elements is apparent
throughout time, around the
reckless billionaire playboy persona
world. The most compelling
with a Genius wisdom; The Hulk is an
stories have twists and turns,
introverted academic with heroes and foes, joy and
uncontrollable rage; and The despair.
Avengers are a group of individuals UNCONTROLLABLE
WISDOM RAGE TEAM
who are at their greatest when
united. IRONMAN the hulk THE AVENGERS

“Unlike other superhero films and action spectacles, Marvel movies manage to combine the everyday
and
! the extraordinary to create their epic narratives. ” - Gary SusmaN, moviefone.com2

2DC vs Marvel: Who’s Winning the Comics War on TV, moviefone.com

 Tensity in Music
Iconic collaborations - from RUN DMC’s 1986 cover of Aerosmith’s hit “Walk This Way,” to pop star Lady
Gaga and jazz legend Tony Bennett’s number one selling album CHEEK TO CHEEK - embody the opposing
forces of contradictory genres that make the music unexpected and compelling.
!
The Beatles balanced the Tensity of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s opposing music styles. Bob Spitz,
author of The Beatles said, “In the almost eight years of the partnership, it had seemed fruitless to try to
reconcile their different styles in the larger picture, they merged seamlessly into the universally
recognized Beatles sound.”3
!
At the same time, the antithesis of the clean-cut Beatles arose: The Rolling Stones. The introduction of
The Rolling Stones as the anti-Beatles created a Tensity within the music landscape of the British
Invasion. The polarity of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles was best described by Rolling Stones Keith
Richards: “The Beatles got the white hat, what was left - the black hat."
!
EVEN Bob Dylan, described at the Rock and Roll Hall of fame as the “uncontested poet laureate of the
rock and roll era and the preeminent singer/songwriter of modern times,” embodies Tensity by delivering
his poetic lyrics in a unique and gritty style- a voice that David Bowie Described as “sand and glue.”4

3Excerpt From: Spitz, Bob. “The Beatles.” Little, Brown and Company, 2007-10-15. iBooks.
4Bowie, David. Song for Bob Dylan. David Bowie. Ken Scott, 1971.
TENSITY MAKES BRANDS BREAK AWAY
BREAKAWAY  BRANDS
For insight into how brands break away from their categories, we studied the
imagery patterns of brands that disrupted commoditized sectors.

BREAKAWAY BRANDS  deliver on the perceptual expectations of their

categories, while also leaning toward imagery that opposes these category
requirements, creating Tensity in their brand identities.

DIFFERENTIATION
•
     SNACK  FOODS
 

•      SPORTS  SHOES
 

•      DEODERANTS
 

FUN SEDUCTIVE EVERYMAN •

   HOTELS •  
•
       SAUCES      CEREALS
 

•
     AIRLINES
 
•
     SUPERMARKETS
 
•        INSURANCE
 
COMMODITY  SPACE
• CAR  &  TRUCK  RENTALS
 

Base: BAV USA; UK (Virgin Atlantic) All Adults

VALUE SERVICE ELITE RELEVANCE

All Scores Vs Category Average

“Once upon a time, access to retail
brands was enough to generate sales.
Open a chain store in a mall in
Anywhere USA and the locals would
Tensity in RETAIL BRANDS
flock to it. But in an over-retailed age
where purchases are a click away,
mere access is insufficient. You need to
We see Tensity in retail brands that are able to break away
offer more. And that’s where Retail from peers.
Tensity for brands is important. You !
need to stand for something. Stand out.
And stand apart, with qualities that Paris, one of the major department stores in Chile, worked
make your brand interesting. EXCLUSIVE with BAVLAB to Identify the brand’s Tensity: Exclusive-
Otherwise, you will be consigned to Inclusive. The Paris brand is always on trend, offering the
being a commodity brand, sent to the
brand bargain basement and quickly most exclusive products and services. At the same time, the
forgotten about.”  brand is also seen as a place where customers feel welcome.
! !
!
! Utilizing BAV data, we uncovered the innate truth within the
! brand that could provide the foundation to its Tensity. Paris
! INCLUSIVE is an inclusive store, conscious of the environment, connected
!
Jon Bird, Global Managing Director, with the joy of living and concerned about its customers,
Y&R Labstore while also being an authority on fashion in Chile.
 CHALLENGING THE CATEGORY LEADER
CHEAP 2007
“The key to Target's marketing strategy has
been its ability to continuously position itself •2005
 

as a high-style brand despite its low prices. • 2003  

It's a crowded retail space and Target Has •2001

 

managed to create a brand that people love…”

DIFFERENTIATION
- Jose Costa, President, MAACO5
CHIC •  
2007
•1999
 

•1997  

Walmart is synonymous with “value” in the US retail sector. For competitors to •

1993
 

capture a greater share of the consumer’s heart and wallet, they must build
Tensity beyond the category expectation of “value.”
!
Target has partnered with high-end designers including Missoni, Jason Wu, Prabal Base: BAV USA
RELEVANCE
Gurung and, most recently, Lilly Pulitzer to create affordable designer clothing
lines. Through IT’s Mission of “Design for all” and 12 years of designer collaborations
that started with Isaac Mizrahi in 2003, Target has reinforced the Tensity of Cheap-
Chic as core to its meaning, helping to make it a brand icon in our culture. 5http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jose-costa/target-solidifies-its-pos_b_7151706.html

!
The majority of fashion retail advertising focuses on the
clothing. RKCR/Y&R helped Marks & Spencer in the UK REFRAMING FASHION
stand out by highlighting the women in the M&S clothing.
The “Leading Ladies Campaign” featured notable women
as their models including singer-songwriter and human
rights activist Annie Lennox, actor and writer Emma
Thompson, structural engineer Roma Agrawal, designer SUBSTANCE
Lulu Kennedy and campaigner Baroness Lawrence. Marks
& Spencer balanced the Tensity between fashion and
substance to establish itself as a unique brand in the
retail space.

STYLE

“These dynamic leading ladies represent the unique and diverse women of a
modern Britain. They are united in their extraordinary achievements but
confident in their differences. Marks & Spencer is a democratic brand that is
relevant to women of all ages and strands of life; it is therefore natural
for M&S to celebrate women in this way. ”
Patrick Bousquet Chavanne, M&S Executive Director of Marketing and
Business Development
 MORE THAN LUXuRY
HARDWORKING When a brand embraces its Tensity, it more deeply engages people in the real
world. Land Rover integrated hardworking functionality with luxury. This
opposing dynamic enabled the brand to break away from its competition while
supporting its premium price point.

“Sometimes the ultimate in luxury is really just the ultimate in utility.

Call it industrial chic. A handful of clever brands — Viking ranges, Orvis
LUXURY
outerwear — have made fortunes out of it, but Land Rover wrote the
book.”
- Robert Klara, Adweek6

6 Adweek “Land Rover’s Evolution From Safari Wagon to Luxury SUV: Once Ugly in England Now Admired in America” (Robert Klara, May 29, 2013)
THROUGH A 25-YEAR PARTNERSHIP
with RKCR/Y&R London, 

Virgin Atlantic Airways 

embraced IT’s Tensity of 

Seductive - Service.
Your Airlines Either Got It Or It Hasn’t

SEDUCTIVE

SERVICE

Your Airlines Either Got It Or It Hasn’t

UNION JACK 2012
FOR beverage brand ichitan, Y&R
created the “guilty” campaign
featuring Thai singer Ben Calatit
and Miss Thailand World to help
the brand embrace its tensity:
HEALTHFUL-INDULGENCE

HEALTHFUL

INDULGENCE
 Patagonia
Patagonia, a premium outdoor clothing company, positions itself as
an advocate for the earth and actively fights overconsumption with
IT’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign. To further mitigate
environmental impact, the brand encourages consumers to repair
items with its “Worn Wear” initiative.
!
Brands are bombarding consumers with reasons to buy their
products. Patagonia encourages conservative consumerism, a
thought that is counterintuitive to most retail marketing objectives.
REBELLIOUS
CAPITALISM
“There is nothing we can change about how we make
clothing that would have more positive environmental
impact than simply making less. Worn Wear is a
celebration of quality products and their relationship
to our lives. It’s a simple but critical message: keep
your gear in action longer and take some pressure off
our planet.”

Selflessness – Rose Marcario, ceo, Patagonia
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson embraces the Tensity of Rebellious - Camaraderie. In it’s - “United
by Independents” campaign, Harley tells consumers that while they are each
unique individuals, they belong to the Harley -Davidson motorcycle culture.
CAMARADERIE
 WE complEment our data knowledge
FINDING TENSITY IN HOSPITALITY with real world findings
Embassy Suites had strong equity with business travelers, so it set out to increase bookings among
family leisure travelers. BAVLAB found a Tensity foundation for Embassy Suites in Approachable-
Excellence, enabling the brand to protect its Relevance while driving brand Differentiation. This
campaign successfully resonated with moms, who feel that family vacation is often full of
compromises.

eXploring is a guide to action, inspired by

real people in the real world.
!

BRAND TENSITY
+ eXploring
If you want someone to tell you how they
really feel, you must get to know them.
!
eXploring puts us in the lives of the
Approachable 
 Family Travel 

people we want to understand. eXploring
-ExcellenCE means COMPROMISE
reveals the truths about how people
really feel and act.
Y&R Chicago used the Approachable-Excellence Tensity to craft the “YEAH, IT’S PRETTY GREAT!”
campaign. Through the lense of this tensity, the campaign highlighted the brand's unique product IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW
offerings: every room is a two-room suite with free made-to-order breakfast and a
complimentary reception every evening. A LION HUNTS, YOU DON'T GO TO THE
ZOO, YOU GO TO THE JUNGLE. 
 B:8.5” B:8.5” B:8.5”
T:7.875” T:7.875” T:7.875”
S:7.375” S:7.375” S:7.375”

A door just did this Apparently, Our vacation just got

a couple of hours happier.
to my face. she’s a picky eater.

B:11.125”

B:11.125”
T:10.5”

T:10.5”
S:10”

S:10”
That’s right, a door. At home you take them for granted. But at Embassy Suites, a two-room Kids don’t care if breakfast is free, they care if it’s right. At Embassy Suites we’ll get your Wherever you stay, everyone should feel welcome. That’s why Embassy Suites
suite with the kids will break your trip into two things: peace and quiet. little darlings a breakfast made-to-order. And by the way, it’s free. provides complimentary drinks and snacks for two hours every night.

, , ,

BOOK NOW AT EMBASSYSUITES.COM BOOK NOW AT EMBASSYSUITES.COM BOOK NOW AT EMBASSYSUITES.COM

2 2 2 TWO-ROOM SUITES COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS FREE MADE-TO- ORDER BREAKFAST

Service of alcohol subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal drinking age. ©2014 Hilton Worldwide. TM indicates a trademark of Hilton Worldwide. Service of alcohol subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal drinking age. ©2014 Hilton Worldwide. TM indicates a trademark of Hilton Worldwide.
Service of alcohol subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal drinking age. ©2014 Hilton Worldwide. TM indicates a trademark of Hilton Worldwide.

File Name: ESHEBSP13045_Door_EDWRR_Ad_v2.indd Revision: 1 File Name: ESHEBSP13045_Brkfst_Parents_Ad_v3.indd Revision: 3 File Name: ESHEBSP13045_DateNight_Family_Fun_Ad_v2.indd Revision: 2
 what we do
CUSTOM 

BRAND 
 BRAND
 PORTFOLIO

ARCHETYPES LOYALTY RESEARCH &
HEALTH IMAGERY ANALYSIS TRACKING

CONSUMER 
 PARTNERSHIP
CATEGORY NEW 
 BRAND 

INSIGHTS/ IDENTIFICATION/
 ELASTICITY
SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS SELLING LUXURY TENSITY

SOME AREAS OF EXPLORATION

Brand Revival 
 Breakaway The “IT” The Value Shifting Category 
 Paths to Millennials in
Strategies Brands Factor of “Value” Dynamics Trust the Marketplace
 ABOUT BAVLAB
BAVLAB combines data with strategic planning expertise to help clients better understand their
brandS. Backed by 20 years of brand data and insights, we inspire motivating ideas, tactics,
partnerships and marketing platforms that drive brand momentum and yield tangible results.

Brand Tensity is a proprietary Y&R approach 


to identifying compelling brand platforms for our clients
To learn more about Brand Tensity and how BAV data
can help position your brand for growth, please contact:

Michael Sussman 

President, BAV Worldwide
info@bavlab.com
www.yr.com/BAV
@YR_BAV
 A Y&R CONSULTANCY

NA EMEA APAC LATAM