Defining Branding and Deciding What to Do With It

It may seem obvious what a brand is to you. After all, you probably buy and use at least a dozen every day, especially since we live in such a brand-conscious world. But, beyond stating that McDonald’s, Nike, and Apple are brands, what is the actual definition of a brand? Is it a logo or a picture? Is it a combination of the two?

On a visual level, a brand is just that—some sort of name, logo, and picture and, sometimes, even a tag line. As a visual representation of a company, however, it stands for such more. A brand is a way to symbolize or create a tangible description of what a company stands for or represents. For example, some say that Wal-Mart is a brand that stands for value. Others might believe that Nike represents performance, quality, and success. And, judging by Apple’s recent successes, its brand represents innovation and cutting-edge technology.

Hence, the goal of branding is to get customers and potential customers to see your company as you want them to see it—somewhere to buy specific products or services that they value and will continue to do so for as long as possible. So, in deciding what to do with it, remember these benefits:

• A brand delivers a clear message about your company.
• It helps customers remember who you are.
• A brand builds credibility and loyalty to sustain your success.
• It creates an emotional connection between your products and services and the buyers.

The brand becomes one of the most important marketing building blocks. It is important to understand what types of messages to send with your brand and where to send it. The brand should be a part of everything you do—from marketing materials and advertising to public relations, signage, and social media tactics. Put your brand on everything you do and make sure that your company’s actions—and those who work with you—help to reinforce the messages contained in that brand so you can build brand equity and leverage those benefits.

This means that when the company name, logo, and tagline are selected, put a lot of thought into a visual representation that represents the most important messages you want to send and make sure that it makes you stand out in a crowded world of visual images now being used by just abut every company.

When developing your brand, be sure to contact the brand wizards at Simons Studios for a unique corporate identity (logo and tagline) that will help create equity and visualize what you want your company to represent in the marketplace.