What is a brand?
When looking for the definition, we find that a brand is a "sign" that allows distinguishing precisely the products or services of a company from those of its competitors.
Nowadays, brands have become an important part of our consumer society and represent much more than their name and logo on the products we buy.
A brand is attached to a unique set of values that define it and promise consistent satisfaction and quality when purchased, used, or experienced. Brands are also increasingly trying to connect emotionally with their consumers to remain their first and only choice.
- Jupiler: Refreshing taste. All united around sports (soccer) (#wearebelgium)
- Nike: Give your best and dare to make your dreams come true (Just do it!)
- Tesla: Be a trendy actor of innovation by driving electric
- Côte D'or: For the real chocolate connoisseurs (intense taste!)
Thanks to the internet and especially social networks, consumers are very often in contact with brands. This is why they need to control their image at all times and on a maximum of channels. This is why the creation and marketing of a brand have become vital to the success of any product, service, or experience.
Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind
(Walter Landor).
Why should we create a brand?
One word: trust.
The primary purpose of a brand is to reduce the anxiety of choice. The more a brand communicates about its values and products, the more we feel we know it. Therefore, choosing a brand that we seem to know and that triggers the most trust through the values it has communicated, among others, will be easier.
What about branding?
Branding is the art of creating a difference and inspiring trust in something or someone. Understanding the needs and desires of consumers is key to achieving this goal because there are many different strategies.
Branding can generally be summarized in 5 steps:
- 1. Research consumers, competition, needs, and objectives
- 2. Research the concept, the idea, the value to be developed
- 3. Imagine and create visuals (logo, colors, banners, etc...) that will serve as a means to convey the idea to the target people (consumers)
- 4. Test everything with a limited number of people
- 5. Make the necessary adjustments before a more widespread release
Companies that need this branding (new positioning, product launch, etc...) can call upon specialized agencies where a whole team, each one in its specialty, will work on the task.
In the case of SMEs, it is pretty common for this work to be carried out by a minimal number of people or even a single "brand specialist".
As you can see, brands that value their image will, therefore, at different levels, go through this process of introspection and identity creation to anchor their activity or product in the unconscious of consumers and distinguish themselves from the rest of the competition.
