What exactly is a brand?

The words brand and branding are seen everywhere around in various contexts and with different meanings. So what exactly is a brand? A brand is a set of relations that a person (or group of people) makes with a company, product or service. What makes a product different from a brand? The following quote by Stephen King says it all.

“A product is something made in a factory; a brand is something that is bought by the customer. A product can be copied by a competitor; a brand is unique. A product can be quickly out-dated; a successful brand is timeless.”

And now what is branding?  Branding is an attempt to generate, develop, influence and control these relations to help the business perform better. Branding plays an important role in deciding the success of any organisation or company depending on the message conveyed through its branding; whether it is distinctive, trusted, exciting or reliable.

Intelligent use of concepts, designs, advertising and marketing help generate an image in people’s minds. Audience, competitors, service aspects etc. differs for different industry sectors, but the principles and tactics in branding remains the same.

Your brand is the way your customer perceives you.  It is not just a logo or graphic element but it includes everything from your logo, website and social media presence to the way your customers experience your staff. People want to be heard; when they know that they have a go-to brand that provides exactly the service they want, they won’t go anywhere else. And if you fail to present yourself clearly or if you fail to offer what they want then they will surely walk away. This is why branding is so critical to the success of a business. With so much competition, on such a global scale, it's critical to establish one's identity.

Now check this video by David Brier of DBD International on branding. 



InstoreMasters can help you with our branding and marketing services. We have been helping several clients to find their brand identity for the past few years. Just write to us in case you are in the quest to find your brand voice.