Should you brand your company? And, just what is branding? It’s a lot more than a logo.
Developing a brand requires the execution of a number of elements, all of which must be integrated into every marketing component. These components include the company’s logo, graphics, brand name, marketing communications, promotions, merchandising, sales strategies, product, service, and performance, all working together to build the organization’s brand.
Back in the days of the open frontier, ranchers branded their cattle so they would know theirs from someone else’s. Branding is really that simple but it has become so philosophical. Yet, branding is not purely a logo. Nor is branding a one-step solution to solving all of a company’s problems.
A brand is a promise which must consistently be delivered upon.
Oftentimes people use the terms “brand,” “brand image,” and “brand identity” interchangeably. People talk about an “image” campaign and it is frequently assumed that is branding. But an image campaign is a shallow reflection of the brand. Brands also need to be flexible and change in keeping with the times. A brand has to grow. To define some terms:
Brand Identity: Clarifies what the company or product is all about. To be effective, a brand should be unique and distinguishable. Simply, it is what comes to mind when you mention the name of a well-known brand, i.e., Kleenex, Clorox, or Xerox. These are brands that were big in the 50s, were refreshed in keeping with what they stood for, and remain big today.
Brand Positioning: What a brand stands for in the minds of customers and prospects, relative to its competition in terms of benefits and promises. For example, Chevy is a brand, but it’s not clearly defined … it is diverse and fuzzy thus GM’s issues. Porsche is a brand. It is clearly defined as a sports car. It occupies that space.
Brand Strategic Personality: The outward “face” of a brand; its tonal characteristics most closely associated with human traits. Looking at Harley-Davidson for example, the strategic personality might be “a trusted friend and companion, with a dose of machismo.”
What is the difference between generic and branding or generic and specific? This is the part of branding you must pay attention to.
It is simply being SPECIFIC about what you do.
Look at all of the failed dot-coms… classic examples of what can happen without clearly defined brands. Look at Yahoo! by contrast… known worldwide, Yahoo! is always reinforcing its brand message… it is hip, edgy, irreverent and valuable as a trusted partner. Remember its yodel?
Now go forth and deliver on your brand’s promise with every interaction.
My close colleague, Devon Blaine, is the CEO of the Blaine Group, an award-winning total communications agency with a broad range of services and a master rolodex. I want to share some of her expertise in these pages. Check out www.blainegroupinc.com
