| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
Understand Brand
Branding has been defined, explained and examined extensively. There are books, articles, publications, seminars, and groups all dedicated to exploring the meaning and use of brand today. Interestingly, with all this wealth of information, some of it developed by the greatest minds in the industry, I still hear "but what is branding?" Considering the multitude of sentences that begin "branding is..." it's an understandable question. What I believe people are looking for is not another definition, but rather understanding, and an idea of how and why this tool fits into their business. The Brand Equation Visual + Verbal + Experiential = Brand Perception What you show, what you say and what you do adds up to what people know about you and what they think of your service, product or company. Imagine a person you know. When asked to do that, the first thing that pops into your head is an image of that person. If that person walked up to you, you would recognize her, and if known well, recall her name. If you were describing that person to another you would list her features, offer her name and describe what she is like with both factual and subjective information. "You remember my friend Tracy from college, the one with the dark hair and the big smile? Now she's married and lives in Maine. She's an amazing photographer and so much fun, I really miss having her around. You'd love her." The image you recognize, the words you recall and the references that make up your experience all add up to an impression. That person you thought of -- in addition to her face, name and your mutual experiences -- you also recalled how you felt about her, your impression. That's brand. A visual image, a verbal message and experience with something leads you to form an opinion. So, in reality, brand exists whether we address it or not. Every interaction brings about an impression. In a business, however, crafting and controlling that impression mean the difference between reaching your goals and missing the mark. It is sometimes thought that a great logo like the Nike "Swoosh," a catchy tagline like "Got Milk" or a well-known product like Coke is the brand. However, each of these major brands has carefully planned all three areas of their impression to guide their audience toward their ultimate goal -- loyalty. You recognize them, you can recall what they do and what they say and you know how you feel about them. If they have done their job well you will refer them "You have to try Coke, it's the best," affiliating your preference to their company "I only wear Nike's." This is the power of "Brand." Brand Value What's the value of "impression?" Huge international brands are used as examples because of their recognition, however brand is valuable to companies large and small, product and service, for profit and charitable. What's in it for you:
Who's Using Brand? It's not just industry giants with multi-million dollar ad budgets. The power of brand is being harnessed everywhere. Our local school district launched a brand initiative a few years ago. Their mantra "Above and Beyond" is woven into assemblies, included in all written communication and demonstrated in curriculum changes. The latest email announced a 22% improvement in the standardized test scores of disadvantaged students. Whether your aim is greater sales or better reading skills, brand provides a focus, streamlining your effort to achieve your goals. Getting There You can't prepare an effective image, message or experience until you decide what unique quality you're selling and to whom. Getting the right people to recognize, recall and refer your company is a process. About The Author Beth Brodovsky is the president and principal of Iris Creative Group, LLC. Brodovsky earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from Pratt Institute, New York. Before launching her own firm in 1996, she spent eight years as a corporate Art Director and Graphic Designer, providing a sound foundation in management and organizational standards and structure. Iris Creative specializes in providing marketing and strategic communication services to clients in service industries and small businesses. For more information contact Beth at bsb@iriscreative.com or 610-567-2799.
MORE RESOURCES:
Joint Venture Pays Dividends For Steel Advertising & Interactive ... - Business Wire (press release)
Branding - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Logo Design - Branding - Brand Identity Guru Do you have any idea how important your company logo is? Well you should. It appears on everything from your corporate identity system, brochures to your website, reaching customers, prospects, vendors and the press. The Trust Issue In Marketing One of the prime motivating factors in the purchase decision making process is "trust". A consumer will at some point for however long or short of a time, ask the question, "Can I trust this company/person/product?"In today's ever-changing world of marketing, electronic media, email, and advertising innovations and intrusions, companies, and businesses are marketing to an ever increasingly suspicious consumer, who is conflicted between their desire not to be "sold" to and their desire to consume. My First Year In Cyber Space My first year as a Cyberpreneur was a steeplearning-curve. I was an academic beforestarting an online business, so I had a lot to learn. What the Heck is Branding and Why Should I Care? There's been a lot of buzz lately about branding. But what exactly is it, and who needs to do it? Simply put, a brand is what makes your business uniquely YOU! It's the way you present your business and how the world perceives it. Adventures in Advertising and the Affect on the Brand Name Studying various target-marketing techniques and here is a thought. We have been reviewing companies who cross over into many sectors to identify with their potential customers. What About Me? What You Need To Know About Me-Marketing What about me? Are you asking yourself this question? If not you should be. Don't wait until you are in crisis mode when you are losing your job or your business before you think "what about me?"Here are a few points to consider. 10 Secrets for Free Media Placement Why pay a high priced PR agent when you can get free media placement to promote your product, service, or book?Follow these top ten tips for 2005 and it will be your most profitable year yet!1. Write an attention grabbing headline. Branding Your Business To Make More Money Branding your comapny should be the first thing a company does. You have to convince potential customers to buy from you. Trade Journals in Franchising As many people know Industry Trade Journals in America have gone through a tough time in recent years due to slowing of advertising dollars. In franchising there is no difference. How Do You Define a Good Logo Design? Everyone wants his company logo to be the best but how good is good? How do we define a good logo? Is it necessary to be colorful or an exquisite piece of art? Can a simple design work as a good logo? We are often in a dilemma.Now to define a good logo design we first need to understand the purpose of having a logo. Brand Value - Brand Identity Guru Successful Guru marketers have a secret weapon that they use every single time they communicate about their businesses. It's one of those intangibles that are easily misunderstood. Branding - Brand Identity Guru Brands are important aspects of any business, but unlike money or bricks, mortar and paperclips, a brand is an intangible aspect of business. It lives in people's heads and is defined by all of that person's contacts with a company. The Very Basics of Design Design is a very subjective thing, therefore, if you ask me how to come up with a first class design for your marketing collateral or publishing mediums, it would be very unfair for me or anyone else to tell you what is a good design and what is a bad design. But there are certain elements and principles that we should look for in a design to determine whether the design and layout of the material will be able to carry the message across effectively to the readers and your potential market. Good Logos Make Great Sales Tools Every day, the average person is exposed to millions of visual stimuli including hundreds of company logos.A logo is a unique visual image that represents a company or its products. Company Vehicles Have Advertising on Them; Tips on Driving in Parking Lots Try to avoid backing up whenever possible. Occasionally some one in a small car will park directly behind you at a gas station or stop sign. Brand Your Consulting Brilliance Today's competitive marketplace for consulting services is no longer responsive to the marketing strategies that worked in the past. The services you provide should speak volumes about your consulting business. Whats In A Name? When It Comes To Your Business, Plenty! Q: How important is the name of a business? Should the name of a business reflect what the business does or is it better to come up with something catchy and easy to remember? -- Randy P.A: What's in a name? When it comes to your business, Randy, a lot more than you might think. Articles: The Perfect Branding Tool If you own a web-based business, you're probably aware of the need for things like link exchanges, lead-purchasing, SEO copy, banner ads and all of the "traditional" ways to get exposure on the World Wide Web.But did you know that article marketing is by far the best way to build your brand while at the same time increasing your exposure?Web articles. FTC Reviews The Franchise Rule After more than a decade since the last attempt to update the 1970's Franchise Rule The Federal Trade Commission is at it again. May I ask why we are looking at reviewing these rules for franchising, where no problems exist? Why we are looking to tighten up ambiguities, which over time have occurred in this sector, when we should be dismantling the over regulations choking the industry? Why we are trying make rules upon rules, where no rules are needed since no problem really exits? Why can't we use the red magic marker approach and start drawing lines thru massive amount meaningless dribble required in these disclosure documents?Let me explain this philosophical thought for a moment. A Lesson in Branding from Paris Hilton I have never been a fan of Paris Hilton.I see her parading around in her odd-looking clothing choices, leading her loyal following of giddy anorexic schoolgirls around by their noses, and I think, "Skank.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
