Branding, corporate identity, marketing…are 3 key focus points of a successful organisation. The industry is full of these buzzwords, brand this, a brand that, identity this and identity that, but what does it mean and why is it so important?
It is fitting to start this article with a poignant quote, just like Adrion Porter did in his article on 5 key elements of a brand.
” Your brand is what people say about you when you leave the room.” – Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com.
Your company brand is important because it represents your values, services, culture and legacy in the visual and linguistic codes without having to be present. An easy way of grasping the concept of the brand is knowing what a “brand” is.
In simple: A brand is a series of visual representations using logos, company colour, style of text and communication messages used to convey your company’s services/purpose/personality.
Think about your favourite brands, off the top of your head you can talk about aspects of their brand. Two good examples of this are Coca-Cola and Nike. Are your consumers able to do this if we showed them your logo and company colours? Your brand speaks for you without you having to be present.
Your company brand sets you apart from your competitors – it defines you. Your brand, and brand reputation supersedes time.
Reading through a few articles on brand importance, almost all of them referred to the fact that you need to have clearly identified who you are, what you do and ensure that your visual and textual references are aligned. “Legal protection given to a brand name is called a trademark” http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brand.asp#ixzz4iTV5RkA1 (There is a list of links at the end of the article with more detailed points.)
Brand and brand identity go hand in hand.
Your brand is who you are and what you do, your brand identity is how internal and external stakeholder identifies with your brand. The examples below will help you distinguish the two easily.
Eg – Brand: Coke, the popular soft drink
Brand identity, the colour red, the phrase:” Enjoy the feeling”
Brand identity, the colour red, the phrase:” Enjoy the feeling”
Paul Stewart sums up the importance of brand identity in an article he wrote for @bizcommnity by saying:
A brand is more than a logo – a brand is the sum of your organisation’s awareness and reputation in the market, as well as a customer’s experience. A brand has both functional and emotional elements which create a relationship between your clients (in this case shoppers), staff, community, and the organisations offering.http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/82/147647.html
Your brand will evolve as your company grows, that is why it is integral to take the time to plan your brand identity. It is a popular trend nowadays to have employees actively contribute because they work with the brand daily and can see where improvements can be made. Team building weekends, where colleagues come together and share their ideas, is a good idea for start-up brands.
You can also do an evaluation of your brand while looking at the points mentioned below.
Kim Gordon, owner of the National Marketing Federation defines the 4 elements of a winning brand as:
- Differentiate your brand
- Promise value
- Be a market leader
- Integrate your messages
These points are good guidelines as a generic starting point for all brands. You are probably reading this thinking where does marketing fit into all of this. It is essential for you to define your brand, it’s identity before focusing on marketing. Your brand is the roots and marketing is the water and nutrients that will help your brand grow.
The secret to a successful brand is an effective brand and marketing strategy.
When brand and marketing are brought together in a cohesive package you can expect a unified message that is shared between all stakeholders with collateral that is aligned to a goal. Your marketing campaign will change depending on the need but the core brand will remain consistent.
Contact our team if you need assistance in building your brand or developing a marketing strategy.
Comment below if you have any questions or would like us to discuss a specific top in an upcoming blog post.
References:
http://adrionporter.com/5-brand-elements/
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/82/147647.html
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brand.asp#ixzz4iTV5RkA1
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/160256
https://www.thebalance.com/brand-identity-and-marketing-2295442