What Exactly is a Brand? And Other Branding Questions You’ve Been Afraid to Ask.

A “brand” is one of those tricky terms that many people feel they understand, but defining it precisely can be surprisingly difficult. Many of us use the word with confidence, yet when asked to nail down its meaning, we often get stuck.

Let’s start with the basics:

• Is a brand just the name of a company? No.

• Is a brand a logo? Also no. (We’ll dive deeper into that important distinction below.)

Even the Oxford Dictionary struggles with the modern marketing sense of the term, defining a brand simply as “a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name.” While technically correct, this definition doesn’t capture how the term is used in today’s marketing world. No wonder branding can feel so confusing!

Here’s a more current, industry-accepted definition:

A brand is a person’s perception of a product, service, organization, experience, or person. In other words, it’s how people feel about—or view—something you offer.

For a slightly more advanced perspective, consider Seth Godin, teacher, author, and serial entrepreneur:

“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”

This is the definition I keep front of mind when helping clients with brand strategy—it reminds us that a brand isn’t just what you say about yourself, but how others experience and perceive you.

A brand is a person’s perception of a product or service; organization or experience; or person. A brand is how other people feel about, or view, a certain product or service.

A slightly more advanced definition by Sett Godin (teacher and serial entrepreneur) is:

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.

This is the definition that I like to keep in mind when I help clients with brand strategy.

How did this confusion over ‘what is a brand’ come about? 

Evolution. This word’s application has changed since its origin more than a century ago with the act of branding livestock to differentiate each ranch’s herd.

With the rise of packaged goods in the 19th century and competing products in the same category, manufacturers started to name and label (‘brand’) their products in order to stand out to consumers. 

Coca-Cola was introduced as a brand in 1886.

Fast forward to the 1950s - because I realize you’re not here for a history lesson - when the biggest consumer goods companies like Procter & Gamble developed the discipline of brand management and marketing, bringing us very close to the definition of a brand today. 

Your “brand” is what your target customer thinks of when he or she hears your brand name.  It’s everything they think they know about your name brand offering: factual, emotional, experiential.  

Your brand is what people see, but your brand exists only in someone’s mind.

Here’s a quick example and exercise:

When you think of the best sportswear brands in the world, what companies do you think of? Narrow it down to three.

Odds are Nike and Adidas are on that list, but the third will depend upon your values and how you personally define ‘the best’. 

Back to Nike and Adidas: When you think of these brands, how would you describe them and what do they mean to you?

Nike’s brand could be perceived as: 

• Technically innovative

• Fashionable

• Cool

• High-quality

• Cultural pioneer

• Creative

On the flip side it could also be seen as:

• Sweatshop producer

• Ubiquitous

• Too trendy

As you can see, a brand has different meanings to different people. As per Seth Godin’s brand definition, this meaning has been shaped over time by a person’s experience with, or related to, that brand.

When you personally feel a connection with a product or service, you are connecting with what they stand for to you.

Are brands able to shape how they are perceived by their audiences? Yes—see “branding” below.

What is Branding? 

Branding is any effort or program to build out a brand. It’s the process of brand building.

I like how the e-commerce platform Shopify defines it: 

Branding is all of the ways you establish an image of your company in your customers’ eyes.

By building a website that describes what you offer, designing ads that promote your goods and services, selecting specific corporate colors that will be associated with your company, creating a logo, and featuring it across all your social media accounts, you are branding your company. That is, you are shaping how and what people’s perceptions of your business are.

Did you catch that last part? Branding is the act of shaping how a company, product, or individual is perceived.

Why Should I Care About Branding? 

Branding is a way to easily help your customers understand what you offer and how you differ from other options they may be considering. This is known as ‘differentiation’.

Competition creates infinite choices, and often consumers have a hard time distinguishing one product from another. The need to differentiate is crucial for a company’s survival. 

The act of branding has the ability to create a strong brand that stands out in a heavily crowded marketplace.

Branding is a powerful business strategy that can get customers to buy more, pay more, make quicker purchasing decisions, and become brand advocates.

It has the ability to yield measurable returns throughout the life of your company.

What is a Brand Identity?

Back to that question about the logo at the beginning: The logo is part of a brand’s identity.

A logo is the point of entry to the brand.

- Milton Glaser, Graphic Designer 

Brand identity is the face of the brand: the visual and verbal expression, beginning with the brand name and brandmark (what many call the “logo”), and extending into a set of assets for communications.

The visual elements of a brand identity, AKA logo or brandmark

These brand design elements should be considered a company’s most valuable assets:

• Brandmark - wordmark/logotype + icon

• Colour palette

• Typography

• Supporting graphics or shapes

• Imagery, e.g. photography style

Extensions of the brand identity could include:

• Tag line

• Sound

• Voice/tone

• Motion

All of the pieces work together to form a cohesive identity, by which customers can instantly recognize your product/company from competitors.

Understanding these concepts is key to building a stronger brand. If you need help defining yours, get in touch.

Blog image source: Charles Deluvio on Unsplash