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CONCEPTS OF BRANDING

A brand is the combination of properties within and outside an offering that gives it an
identity and makes it distinct from others.

Branding is the process of researching, developing, and applying a distinctive feature or

set of features to your organization so that consumers can begin to associate your brand with
your products or services.

Branding is important because it helps create recognition, differentiation, value, and trust
for your offering.

Generally, people consider a name, logo, colour, and even sound to be a brand. While
they’re partially correct as these do form elements of a brand, they are just scratching the surface.

The brand is an intangible asset inherent to the offering, forming its identity, experience,
and/or characteristic(s) that differentiates it from others in the market.

According to Philip Kotler, “a brand is a – name, term, sign symbol (or a

combination of these) that identifies the maker or seller of the product”.

In simple terms, a brand is the sum of all the attributes inherent to the offering, used to
develop the offering’s identity in the market.

Importance of branding

 Branding helps create an identity and recognition for a product or service in the market.
 Branding helps differentiate a product or service from its competitors and create customer
preference.
 Branding helps build trust, loyalty, and value for a product or service among customers.
 Branding helps communicate the message, personality, and values of a product or service
to the target audience.

From the viewpoint of a company

A brand is the identity and story of a company that makes it stand out from competitors
that sell similar products or services. The goal of branding is to earn space in the minds of the
target audience and become their preferred option for doing business.
Types of branding
There are different types of branding based on the scope, scale, and purpose of the offering.
Some of the common types are:

 Product branding: The branding of a specific product or a product line, such as Coca
Cola, Nike Adidas etc.
 Service branding: The branding of a service or a service provider, such as Uber, Netflix
etc.
 Corporate branding: The branding of a company or an organization as a whole, such as
Google, Apple ,Starbucks etc.
 Personal branding: The branding of an individual or a professional, such as Christiano
Ronalod, Lionel Messi etc.
 Employer branding: The branding of a company or an organization as an employer,
such as Microsoft, Amazon, or Facebook .
 Co-branding: The branding of a partnership or a collaboration between two or more
brands, such as Red Bull and GoPro, BMW and Louis Vuitton, or Spotify and Starbucks.
 Cause branding: The branding of a social or environmental cause or a non-profit
organization, such as WWF and UNICEF .
 Country branding: The branding of a country or a nation, such as Switzerland, or New
Zealand.

BRAND AWARNESS

Brand awareness is the extent to which consumers are familiar with and recognize a
brand and its products or services.
Brand awareness can be measured by metrics such as recall, recognition, and aided or
unaided awareness.
Brand awareness can be increased by various marketing strategies such as advertising,
word-of-mouth, social media, events, sponsorships, etc

Recall

Also known as unaided awareness, is when consumers can remember a brand or product
without any specific prompting or assistance.
For example If you ask someone to name a brand of bottled water, and they say
“Aquafina”, that means they have unaided awareness of Aquafina.
Recognition

Also known as aided awareness, is when consumers can identify a brand or product when
they are given some kind of cue or hint.
For example If you show someone a list of bottled water brands, and they recognize
“Bisleri” as one of them, that means they have aided awareness of Bisleri.

Aided awareness can help marketers understand the reach and exposure of their
advertising campaigns. While unaided awareness can help marketers assess the strength and
differentiation of their brand identity.

BRAND ESSENCE

Brand essence is the core, fundamental, and intangible attribute or value that defines the
brand and its purpose.
Brand essence is often expressed in a short phrase or slogan that captures the soul of the
brand, such as Nike’s “Just Do It”, Apple’s “Think Different”, or L’Oréal’s "Because You’re
Worth It".
Brand essence can be derived from the brand vision, mission, values, and
personality.

Brand essence statements of wellknown companies

• Airbnb – Belong Anywhere • Starbucks – Rewarding Everyday Moments
• McDonald's – Consistency • BMW – Driving Pleasure
• Nike – Authentic Athletic Performance
Kevin Keller refers to this as a "brand mantra" and says its purpose is to "define the
category of business for the brand and set brand boundaries. It should also clarify what is unique
about the brand. It should be memorable…it should be short, crisp, and vivid in meaning."

Importance of Brand Essence

• Inform brand decisions
• Define your competitive advantage
• Build trust
Brand Essence Framework
• Make it relevant
• Make it timeless
• Make it memorable
• Make it distinct
• Make it believable

BRAND PERSONALITY

Brand personality is the process of bringing a human element to a company brand or

product through a set of recognizable personality traits. It’s an effective tool that can differentiate
a brand and enhance customer perception.
When businesses convey human personality to their target audience, it can lead to strong
brand recognition and consumer loyalty. Brand personality creates something recognizable and
helps consumers relate to the brand. The reasons for the brand personality are;

• Enhances brand story

• Boosts brand awareness

• Differentiates brand from the competition

• Creates brand loyalty and emotional connection

Aaker’s 5 brand personality dimensions

The five brand personality dimensions identified by Stanford graduate Jennifer Aaker
stem from the existing research and evidence in personality psychology. • She applied these
human dimensions to the construct of brand personality. These dimensions include:
Sincerity

• Brands that usually reflect sincerity have traits like wholesomeness, cheerfulness,
honesty, and down-to-earthiness.
• In a way, they’re typically family-friendly, like Disney or Hallmark. Because
consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand if they share a similar personality, this
personality type might work best for your business if you’re in the food, hospitality, or safety
industry.

Excitement

• Brands that portray excitement are often perceived as spontaneous, sporty, extroverted,
edgy, and on-trend.
• These brands are often geared toward younger demographics. You can see this in the
energy-loving brand Red Bull, which caters to athletes, musicians, and those who live an active
lifestyle. Red Bull stays active and connected with its target audience through celebrity
endorsements, concerts and music, social media, and extreme sports.

Competence

• Brands that exemplify competence often stand out as reliable and intelligent and meet
high standards.
• They’re also often seen as thought leaders and industry experts—businesses that
customers can trust to solve their pain points.
• One brand that comes to mind when discussing competence is Microsoft. The brand
has been at the forefront of innovation for decades and continues to release computer products
that consumers can rely on.
• This personality dimension might fit your business if you’re in health care, finance,
insurance, or even logistics.

Sophistication

• Brands that are grouped under the sophistication dimension often bring to mind traits
like elegance, luxury, and the upper class.
 • When you think of sophistication, you might think of brands like Louis Vuitton, which
sells designer handbags and clothing. Sophisticated brands essentially offer prestige. • If
your brand is looking to sell higher-end products, you might try encapsulating
sophistication to resonate with the right consumers.

Ruggedness

• When people hear the word “rugged,” they might think of traits like tough and
longlasting.
• A rugged personality dimension can appear hearty and outdoorsy. A prime example of
a rugged brand is Harley-Davidson.
• Consumers know this brand for its rebellious sense of adventure and unending quest for
freedom and independence.
• If your business is looking to attract customers who want to express themselves and see
everything the world has to offer, you might try developing a rugged personality.

BRAND IDENTITY

 Brand identity is the visual, verbal, and behavioral expression of a brand that
distinguishes it from others in the market.
 Brand identity can be composed of elements such as the brand name, logo, color, font,
icon, image, sound, shape, etc.
 Brand identity can be developed by following a process of research, analysis, strategy,
design, and implementation.
 Brand identity can help communicate the brand essence, personality, and values to the
consumers.

BRAND ASSOCIATIONS

 Brand associations are the mental links or connections that consumers make between a
brand and its attributes, benefits, or experiences.
 Brand associations can be formed by direct or indirect exposure to the brand through
marketing, word-of-mouth, or personal experience.
 Brand associations can be positive or negative, strong or weak, unique or common, etc.
  Brand associations can help create brand equity, loyalty, and preference.

BRAND IMAGE

 Brand image is the overall perception and impression that consumers have a brand based
on their associations.
 Brand image can be influenced by factors such as the brand identity, personality, essence,
awareness, and communication.
 Brand image can be evaluated by using methods such as surveys, interviews, focus
groups, or online reviews.
 Brand image can affect the consumer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty.

BRAND LOYALTY

 Brand loyalty is the degree to which consumers are committed and faithful to a brand and
its products or services.
 Brand loyalty can be measured by metrics such as repeat purchase, retention,
recommendation, or advocacy.
 Brand loyalty can be influenced by factors such as the brand quality, value, image,
personality, and relationship.
 Brand loyalty can benefit the brand by reducing marketing costs, increasing sales, and
creating positive word-of-mouth.

BRAND EQUITY

 Brand equity is the value and worth that a brand adds to a product or service in the
market.
 Brand equity can be measured by methods such as the brand asset valuator, the brand
resonance model, or the customer-based brand equity model.
 Brand equity can be built by creating high brand awareness, strong brand associations,
positive brand image, and loyal brand customers.
 Brand equity can result in higher market share, profitability, and growth for the brand.
PRODUCT VS CORPORATE BRANDING

Product branding and corporate branding are two different types of branding strategies
that can help a business market its products or services to its customers.

PRODUCT BRANDING CORPORATE BRANDING

Focuses on the features, benefits, and quality of a Focuses on the vision, mission, values, and culture
specific product or a product line, of a company or an organization as a whole

Helps create differentiation and preference for the Helps create trust and reputation for the company
product

Target different segments of customers with different Target a broader audience with a consistent
needs and preferences, message and identity

Can be more flexible and adaptable to changing Can be more stable and long-lasting
market conditions and customer demands,

Can enhance the value and recognition of the

Can be influenced by the corporate branding of the product brands, and a successful product brand can
company, and vice versa. boost the image and reputation of the corporate
brand

Example : iPhone is a product brand that focuses on Example : PepsiCo is a corporate brand that
the features, benefits, and quality of its smartphones. It focuses on the vision, mission, values, and culture
has a distinctive logo, design, and packaging that of its company. It has several product lines in its
make it stand out from other phones. It also has a loyal product mix, such as Frito-Lay, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi,
customer base that values its innovation, performance, Mountain Dew, Lay’s, Gatorade, Tropicana, etc. It
and style. uses its logo, color, and name to create a consistent
identity and reputation across its products.

Co-branding

Nike and Apple have a co-branding partnership that combines their strengths and
expertise in sports and technology.
• They have created products such as Nike+ iPod, Nike+ FuelBand, and Nike+ Running
App that allow users to track their fitness and performance.
• They also share a similar brand personality of excitement, innovation, and excellence.
NEW BRAND DEVELOPMENT

 It is the process of creating and launching a new brand in the market.

 New brand development can involve steps such as identifying the target market,
conducting market research, defining the brand strategy, designing the brand identity,
testing the brand concept, implementing the brand launch, and evaluating the brand
performance.
 New brand development can help fill a gap or meet a need in the market, or create a new
market all together.