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Why has branding become such a big deal? We live in a world that is super saturated with products, services, and experiences. A lot of it — perhaps most of it — is of pretty good quality. And it is also quite similar. We are surrounded today with an abundance of high-quality, similar products and services where differentiation is increasingly difficult for consumers to spot and for companies to create. To be known and remembered is critical, of course, but it is getting harder and harder to rise above the crowd of similar brands and be genuinely distinct. Confronted with myriad choices, consumers look for shortcuts and quick reassurances which "guarantee" that the choices they make will be the correct ones for them. And this is where brands come in. Brands differentiate Increasingly, consumers make their final purchasing decisions based on belief or emotion rather than completely judging a product on its qualitative features only. Consumers, in other words, choose brands. A strong brand enables a company to communicate their difference, express their value, and essentially tell their unique story in a clear, concise manner. This is not easy to do. In fact it is quite difficult and does not happen by accident. Firms invest heavily in the development and management of their brands (or brand). The well developed and maintained brand serves as the foundation for the firm's PR and integrated communications. Without a strong, differentiated brand, all the communications, PR, and marketing will be of little use. Brands help companies create a strong visual and memorable presence in the market and can serve as the foundation for long-term consumer loyalty. Branding is long-term Branding is not tactical, it is strategic. And good strategy, obviously, must be formed with a long-term view. Attributes of a good brand may sometimes change a bit over time. For example, in the late '90s, Apple did away with the multicolored, striped Apple logo which had become dated. But the Apple brand itself did not change. A hallmark of a good brand is consistency over time, over a very long time. Therefore, a brand is not something that is developed over night or even within a few weeks or months. It can take quite a long time and careful thought to identify your core strengths and just what you're are all about and how what you have to offer the world is different and better than anyone else. So, do not confuse branding with marketing campaigns, promotions, or selling. Selling, for example, often has very short-sighted goals (per quarter or per year). Branding inside If you're going to develop a great brand like an Apple, Body Shop, or Harley Davidson, etc., you've got to be committed to branding inside your company. The brand is what a company stands for, it is their reason for existence. Every aspect of the firm is "the brand" so it is critical that the people (employees) within the company be the biggest evangelist of the brand. Employees — especially frontline employees — must believe deep down in the brand's promise. This is not achieved easily. Great companies invest in their people and communicate clearly what the brand is all about and how they fit in. All the advertising in the world will not be effective if customers have to deal with employees who "don't get" the brand promise or who undermine the brand promise due to unhappiness on the job or a feeling of lack of appreciation on the part of management. A brand is a promise, and that promise starts inside with the employees.
A brand is a promise In the spring of 2004, I attended a small dinner party and presentation held in the presidential suite of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Before dinner, the General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton gave a wonderful presentation on what makes the Ritz-Carlton brand so special. The GM was asked "what is a brand?" The GM's response? "A brand is a promise," he said. I agree. This was not the first time I had heard this, but I think it is the simplest way to define what a brand is at its very core. In the case of the Ritz-Carlton, the brand is to me a promise of professional, friendly (yet dignified) attention by the hotel staff to my needs. The Ritz-Carlton is famous for its anticipation of customer needs, which is something that makes guests feel special. Recently, I had an appointment to meet a friend in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton. After the appointment, I was set to travel to Tokyo for a few days, so I was pulling a small suitcase behind me at the time I approached the hotel. About 50 meters from the entrance of the hotel, one of the Ritz-Carlton staff spotted me approaching (suitcase in tow) and jogged out to greet me with a warm smile and a "welcome to the Ritz-Carlton, sir...may I take your bag?" I told him I was not a guest but was just meeting a friend here. No matter. He took my bag and suggested I leave my bag with them while I have my meeting. He gave me the claim check and said, "have a good meeting, sir, your bag will be here waiting for you anytime." Wow! I was not even a guest in the hotel and they treated me like a big shot, making me feel special and respected. Brands are personal The greatest brands of all — that is, the greatest brands to you — are much like a trusted friend. In a sense, we judge brands by asking ourselves the same kind of questions we would ask about people we know or are thinking of doing business with. For example, we might ask: Is he authentic? Is he reliable? Is he honest? Can I trust him? Does he make me feel better about myself? The bonds we have with our most trusted friends, are bonds based on a promise. Our relationships with brands are not (usually) as strong as those with people, of course, but if a brand breaks a promise, you can bet that customers will feel betrayed, anger, and take their business elsewhere. Great brands have distinct personalities and people choose brands, more or less, that match their own unique personalities. Brand identity A fundamental mistake people often make when talking about branding is confusing the brand identity with the brand. What's the difference? In a nut shell, the brand is intangible, has a more visceral appeal, and targets our emotions. The brand is who you are and what you stand for, remember. A brand is a promise, that is perhaps the clearest definition of brand. But a promise is not something you can touch or see really is it? Brand identity is that external part of the brand that we can see, touch, hear, smell, etc. Examples of items that make up one's brand identity portfolio are business cards, the website, your slide presentations, brochures, TV commercials, print advertising, your store interior design, and of course, your logo. A brand is not a logo, but a brand's logo may indeed be the single most important identifying marker there is. A logo is the brand's mark of distinction which distinguishes them and identifies them instantly. TOP
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