Have you been doing branding wrong?
(and does it really matter!)
Those who have tapped into the power of a brand know that they should:
If you ever had the privilege to sit across the table from a marketing expert they usually start the conversation with: “Define your brand for us?” Often what follows is a long list of abstract adjectives quoted from the Cambridge dictionary. Even though most people have a vague idea of how they want their brand to be, it’s often difficult to define.
The question is: Does it REALLY matter?
Doing branding wrong
And if so, is there a right way and a wrong way of doing it?
Before we can answer these questions we need to delve deeper into the meaning of a brand.
The word “brand” is defined by the American Marketing Association as:
- “a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers”
We think this is close, although we also like the definition summarised by Ashley Friedlein from Econsultancy:
- A brand is a total of how someone perceives a particular organization. Branding is about shaping that perception.
The perception of a brand is very important to keep in mind
- Niel Patel in his blog wrestles with the meaning of a brand and quotes the definition of Ivan Levison which describes a brand as a “mental franchise”— this we like.
Does communicating your brand really matter?
Yes
- It differentiates you from competitors
- The combination of elements: promise, personality, look, voice, service, attributes, even memorability plants a company in the hearts and minds of clients.
- It is the focus of all your marketing efforts – the way you reach out, connect, create loyalty and motivate others
- It communicates a feeling, which facilitates an emotional transaction between a customer and a business
- It keeps a company focussed on the important things – the reason for existing
Still doing branding wrong? Click on the need brand engineering image to setup a discussion with us.
Is there a right way and a wrong way to do branding or doing branding wrong?
Yes
What are a few common misperceptions about branding?
- The branding process stops after the logo has been approved
- Branding and Marketing is the same thing – branding means getting your message out there – nothing more
- No need to stay within the parameters of a brand identity – all marketing material should be pretty (that’s it!)
- People will get tired of seeing the same fonts, typography, and logo – mix it up – don’t repeat your brand elements.
Those who have tapped into the power of a brand know that they should:
- Define their brand correctly
- Define the tangible and intangible brand elements
- Link the brand elements to the marketing and communication strategy
Branding can be a powerful tool when done right. That’s why we offer a brand consulting session as part of our creative process, to define the intangible and tangible elements of the brand, and build an identity that will communicate the reason for existence. Nothing beats doing branding right and not doing branding wrong!
Rapid Fire
View our rapid fire brand questions and answers session with Diane Boorman. She is a front runner and vastly experienced business woman from a company called Brand Analytics, Diane is also the proud owner of the Diamond Den and Diamond Academy which is one of the Learner Management Platforms we designed and built for her. She has answered the following questions with such ease and passion.
Question
What would you say matters the most to you about your brand? Leave a comment below with your answer.
Editor Notes Resources:
- https://www.thebrandingjournal.com/2015/10/what-is-branding-definition/
- https://heidicohen.com/30-branding-definitions/
- https://neilpatel.com/blog/what-branding-really-means/
- https://www.brandanalytics.co.za/