Building strong brand important for business success: entrepreneurs

By Katlene O. Cacho

Sunday, November 11, 2012
BUILDING a good brand is important for business success, two brothers who are also business partners said.
Kaz and Ken Onozawa said this was one of the reasons for the success of Rhipstop Soul Clothing, on top of the hard work and creativity they put into the business.
“More than just a mere clothing brand, we have successfully positioned Rhipstop as a lifestyle brand,” said Kaz. “We wanted to market something that is locally-made but has an “international feel.”
Rhipstop was formed in November 2003 with a P5,000 start-up capital by then high-school buddies Kaz, Kurt Ebarita, Martin Sitoy, Mikel Rama and Jom Gonzales, who all share a passion in skateboarding.
The team designed shirts that would complement their hobby. They started selling to friends and classmates.
The business was put on hold when they went to college. It was re-launched in 2006.
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“We thought of reviving the business because we saw its potential. My brother, Ken, later joined the team. His expertise on brand strategy management helped us create a stronger brand in the market,” said Kaz, who is a project manager of a real estate firm.
Ken said the company now sells a thousand shirts per month.
Rhipstop is sold at What a Girl Wants/For Her Man in Ayala Center Cebu, Secret Service-Ronac Art Center in Greenhills and Boardwalk/Melrose in Mango Avenue. The company also started exporting clothes to the US and ships orders to various parts of the country.
“On top of teamwork and creativity, what fueled the success of Rhipstop is that it encourages people to wear something that fits their lifestyle,” said Ken.
Ken who also co-owns Ninja Brands Strategy said branding is important as it can make or break the business.
According to Kaz, profits earned from Rhipstop is not being kept in the bank but is spent on improving the brand. “Trends change and we want to be ahead of it. We want to strengthen the company’s ‘backbone,’ which is the brand,” he said.
“Branding is more than just the looks and the logo. It is about making people feel about the product, the services and the company. It has to establish influence,” said Ken.
He said that in Cebu, there is still a huge gap between creative people and business people. Most businesses are still run by traditional ways of marketing and communication, although there are also some that have adapted, especially those run by young entrepreneurs, he said.
“There should be an upgrade on (marketing, communication and creativity) as the advancement of technology affects preferences of consumers. An effective advertising is one that doesn’t have to cost a lot but hits the spot,” Ken said.
Ninja is composed of skilled specialists in business, visual communication and research. Among Ninja’s clients are Rhipstop Clothing, Sperry Top-Sider Philippines and Ila Puti.
The Onozawa brothers, together with their partners also organize events, through Spectrum Events, like Sinulog and Masskara Invasion, Invierno and Wet Weekend. It is during these events that they get to network and attract clients for Rhipstop Clothing and Ninja Brands Strategy.
Ken and Kaz were among Cebu’s outstanding young entrepreneurs recognized during the first Go Negosyo Youth Summit- Visayas leg held in Cebu.
“Aspiring entrepreneurs should do whatever they love doing. They should never be afraid with failure,” Ken said. “Because if you don’t fail you will never get to know the true meaning of success,” his brother Kaz added.