Brand VS Branding
Is it your company logo? The products or services you provide? Your advertising? Maybe even your ethical code?
It isn’t. Your brand is purely and simply what your customers think of you, those thoughts, conscious and subconscious, that make them think, “that’s the one I’m going with.” You don’t tell people what your brand is; they tell you. Your brand is emotion, and gut instincts, and levels of trust. Your brand is your reputation, and like any reputation you can’t control it, but you can influence it.
This is where Branding comes into play.
Your brand needs to communicate. You use everything; your logo, your slogan, your websites, your business cards, your letterhead…and your social networking. If you get your brand right you will communicate your key values, and show that you are genuine about achieving them. If you show your audience the right brand it creates a voice, one that shouts out your ideals and the reasons to choose you without having to say a word. It simply connects.
So how do we get this started?
We look at you. At your company, and everything it stands for. What can you bring to your customers? What do you do? What makes you different? What is your position in an overcrowded marketplace?
Once we discover this then we build. You never truly stop building your brand, but you have to start with something. We start with your logo, and then your website, and your marketing. We use Branding as the keystone of promoting and influencing the perception of your brand.
Let’s put this a little bit more in context. Let’s look at Coca Cola.
Coca cola is a hugely successful global brand, with over 2000 products in over 200 countries. That’s no small achievement. To do this they have used outstanding branding; they communicate an experience, and, more importantly, the feeling of being special.
Coca cola’s ideals, in their own words are:
- To refresh the world – in mind, body and spirit
- To inspire moments of optimism – through our brands and actions
- To create value and make a difference everywhere we engage
Currently the company is using ‘Share a Coke’ as their branding strategy. They have bottles with your name on, and family, and friends. They have made their drinks personal, and everyone is talking about it. They have made people feel special.
When people feel special, they tell people. And a reputation, a brand, thrives.
Really, it’s no surprise that they have 90% Brand awareness in USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany and Australia.
So how we do we build your brand? Let’s start very simply, with three very important questions:
- Who are you?
- What do you do?
- Why does it matter?
When we answer question three, we can start to build and influence your brand.
In the meantime let’s look at few more brands you might know; Apple, Amazon, Asda, Ebay, Fed Ex, Google, McDonalds. Think about what these Brands mean to you and why they create certain responses within people. Then think about all the Brands that have come and gone. There is a reason Coca Cola has lasted over 125 years.
If you would like to talk to ne-web and discuss how we can help build your Brand, call us on 0191 423 6258 or email us on [email protected]
