A Brand Is a Value Promise

The Brand Already Exists

Wherever there is a product or company with a name or symbol attached to it, we can say that a brand already exists in some form.

Every product and company has a brand—what differs is how that brand is cultivated and managed, and this has a significant impact on business outcomes.
So, what exactly is being cultivated and managed in branding?
It is the bond between the value expected by customers and the value delivered by the business.

This bond is built on mutual promises and empathy.
If that relationship of trust breaks down, so too does the brand.
That’s why it is essential to engage in an ongoing dialogue with target audiences—understanding their characteristics and needs, and delivering brand value that resonates with them.

This mutual understanding—this alignment of promise and empathy—is what we refer to as the value promise.

Let us take a closer look at Haagen-Dazs Japan, a company that has consistently centred its brand strategy around this value promise.

The Philosophy and Business Strategy of Haagen-Dazs

Haagen-Dazs began in 1961, in New York, founded by Reuben Mattus, a Polish immigrant with a vision to create the ultimate premium ice cream.

His insistence on perfection quickly made the product a sensation. This caught the attention of Pillsbury, which acquired the business and laid the foundation for Haagen-Dazs to grow into a global brand.

The brand entered the Japanese market in 1984 as a joint venture between Suntory, Takanashi Dairy, and Pillsbury.
Japan’s ice cream market is valued at approximately 350 billion yen—a market experiencing a slow but steady decline.
Despite this, Haagen-Dazs has steadily grown its share. Today, it holds around 10% of the overall domestic market, and an impressive 85% share in the premium ice cream segment, with annual sales of around 35 billion yen. Globally, the brand has expanded to 55 countries and over 650 shops.

The brand’s philosophy is simple and clear:

“Our purpose is to create more Haagen-Dazs fans by delivering what we call the ‘Haagen-Dazs Moment’—the instant one experiences our ice cream.”

“To achieve this, we pursue perfection. We are uncompromising in our commitment to quality and brand integrity.”

Haagen-Dazs manages its business strategy in five-year phases:

Phase 1: Introduction Phase
Focused on premium department stores and flagship shops in major cities.

Phase 2: Expansion Phase
Introduced greater product variety and expanded into convenience stores and supermarkets nationwide.
Phase 3: Current Phase
Focused on developing new products tailored to Japanese tastes and experimenting with new café-style retail formats.
The brand strategy has evolved to align with each of these phases.
This case demonstrates why people say:
“A brand is an asset.”
“Branding is about building a system that enables continuous sales.”

The “Haagen-Dazs Moment”: A Brand Aligned by Its Value Promise

The success of Haagen-Dazs lies in its uncompromising focus on managing its value promise.
All aspects of the company’s activities are aligned to deliver a single, unified experience:
“The Haagen-Dazs Moment” – the moment of bliss when the product touches the palate.
From senior leadership to frontline staff, the entire organisation is unified around this promise.
Each employee carries a booklet titled the Haagen-Dazs Passport, which articulates the brand’s value promise. This is not merely distributed, but read, reflected upon, and put into action daily.

Two Dimensions of Delivering the Value Promise

Haagen-Dazs expresses its value promise through two core dimensions:
Unwavering Commitment to Quality
As a manufacturer, Haagen-Dazs is relentlessly selective with its ingredients and invests extensive time in product development.
For example, it took six years to perfect the strawberry flavour and three years for matcha.
From production to delivery, stringent temperature controls are maintained across the supply chain.
Dedicated market crew members monitor the texture of ice crystals—an indicator of product quality—right up to the point of sale.

Dedication to Brand Culture
The brand curates an ecosystem of appealing products, tailored distribution channels, and original shop designs.
This is supported by consistent brand communication to cultivate loyal customers and deliver the Haagen-Dazs Moment to every consumer interaction.

Managing the Value Promise

The brand strategy of Haagen-Dazs has consistently been grounded in its corporate philosophy, adapted across different phases of business growth.
Phase 1: Introduction
Focused on a minimal product lineup—pints only—and sold through premium department stores.
The brand relied on earned media through magazines and PR tie-ups.
Its original flagship store in Aoyama, Tokyo, attracted long queues and national media coverage.
The emphasis was on building awareness and trust.

Phase 2: Expansion
The brand diversified its offerings, introducing cups and bars into convenience stores and supermarkets.
Marketing efforts were directed toward preventing brand dilution, ensuring that wider accessibility did not compromise brand perception.

Phase 3: Current Phase
Focus has shifted to the development of new product categories tailored to Japanese preferences.
The brand has also launched initiatives such as a Premium Club with over 85,000 members and the Lovers Circle, an interactive fan community of about 10,000 people.
These efforts aim to deepen brand loyalty and increase repeat purchases.
Throughout these phases, the company has pursued phase-specific optimisation—including the ongoing refinement of package design—while staying firmly anchored in the consistent delivery of its value promise.
One can clearly see a deliberate, sustained effort to communicate and realise this promise both in the market and internally.

These persistent and thoughtful efforts are what enable Haagen-Dazs to maintain an 85% share of the premium ice cream segment in Japan.

This case illustrates that:
A brand is a value promise,
and that successful branding is the result of managing that promise in alignment with changing contexts and strategic phases.
Such alignment not only builds strong brands, but also enables sustainable business growth.