What is a brand? If you are asked that question, how do you respond? Do you describe a logo and designated colours? Maybe you talk about it in terms of descriptive adjectives, similar to how you’d describe a friend or trusted colleague? Or maybe you reply with the purpose of that particular brand?

Large multinational businesses spend millions on developing a brands values, and personality, they are hoping that you describe a brand in terms of descriptive adjectives. Did you know Coke brand values is happiness?

Branding as a verb. Is this the ultimate measurement of the success of a brand in terms of awareness?

You don’t search the internet, you google it.

You fedex your packages, instead of shipping them.

You xerox your notes, versus making photocopies.

You photoshop an image rather than edit the image.

You hoover your home rather than vacuuming.

You make an announcement over the tannoy rather than the PA system.

I am sure you can come up with loads of your own.

Successful companies create successful brands, and never the other way around. Unless you count buying a brand.

However, look at Apple it’s the most valuable brand in the world, but we don’t use “Apple” as a verb. The same is true with Amazon, Facebook, and Disney. These companies are wildly successful household names, but we don’t use their brand names as verbs. Why?

Why do companies use brands and branding?

Branding is absolutely critical to a business because of the overall impact it makes on a target audience. Branding can change how people percept your brand, it can drive new business and increase brand awareness, probably more important it keeps customers.

Companies are constantly sending you marketing communications to keep you engaged with their brand as they want you to look at them as if they have a personality.

Ultimately a brand aim is for you to need them not want them. I am sure we all know of teenagers who need a smart phone otherwise their life is not worth living.

What are your thoughts on branding? Does it work? Do we really make free will choices now or are we steered into a choice due to brand communications?

May 7th, 2019