One of the most misunderstood concepts in the business world is branding. Depending on who you ask, the response may vary widely. This article will identify brandings’ true meaning and tackle those erroneous popular beliefs. Before defining what branding really is, let’s take a close look at the most common misconceptions and false concepts.
Logo or Brand Icon
The logo is the most common mislabeled concept. The logo and its creation process or the freelancer’s service are tied to the brand’s visual identity process, an element of the branding identity.
- Logo: is a symbol or identifier which provides the most obvious visual representation of a business.
Product or goods
Individuals will incorrectly use the term brand when comparing two or more products from different businesses.
- Product: can be defined as a finished good typically exchanged for money or, in some cases, traded for another good.
Promotional Products
Some promotional and printing businesses will use the term branding as the action of promoting a brand by distributing novelty items to prospects or potential customers. This concept is far away from the true meaning of branding.
- Promotional products: are novelty items used for logo placement and promotion used to increases awareness. The most common items are pens, mugs, shirts, calendars, and USB drives.
Advertisement & Commercials
The impressions of Ads or commercials or the amount of engagement can be incorrectly identified as branding by advertising agencies.
- Ad’s: are promotional campaigns via radio, TV, or the internet.
Promise
Some business owners will use the concept of promise or commitment to their customers as branding. The idea is miles apart.
- Promise: is a commitment to deliver the best product or service to customers. A promise can be a bullet point on a business mission statement, a business motto, or even part of the business ethics.
Brand Identity
It is a term that, in the past few years, has been used interchangeably among new marketers, creative agencies, and individuals involved in a marketing role. Brand identity is inaccurately expressed as a set of elements that make up the branding of the business. Some creative agencies or freelancers will view branding as a to-do list of creative features that, once created, are presented to a client.
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Brand identity: in a nutshell is the external expression of a brand, which is composed of:
- Brand name: the brand name is an identifier element of the business
- The tone of communication: Is the type of intention used to interact and engage with audiences.
- Brand Visual Identity: Graphic elements of the brand, such as the logo, images, vectors, and colors.
Branding's True Definition
Branding is correctly defined as the perception that an individual has towards a business. In other words, it is the feeling that is framed in someone’s mind based on a set of experiences or encounters with different elements of a brand. The sum of these elements, such as the logo, tone of communication, graphics, the brands’ name, and additional unique identifiers, make up the raw components of the brand, which is decoded and formulated as an impression on our brains.
