What is a Brand?

If you ask seven different brand "experts" you will elicit seven different answers. However, I am sure that all will agree on three things.

First, let's clear up what a brand is NOT. A brand is not a logo. In fact, all brands do not even use a logo (more on that later).

So what is a brand? In short, a brand is in the mind of the beholder. Really. I'm not just pitching some brand jargon, I really mean that.

Here is an example:
  1. Name a laundry detergent... go ahead and say it out loud.
  2. Name a soft drink... I can almost see you smiling now.
  3. Name as many famous people as you can who are known by just one name (they can be alive, dead, real, fictional or mythical).
For ranchers, branding is the process of burning their mark of ownership into the hide of cattle. In business, branding is the process of burning your "service mark" into the mind of customers.
Your brand is the sum total of your customer's experience with you and your company. This includes every touchpoint - phone, email, website, tech support, customer service, etc.

By the way, if you were thinking about Tide for laundry detergent and Coca Cola for soft drink then you are in the "branded" majority.

Famous people known by just one name are usually a brand in themselves and do not use logos. If you thought of Cher, Madonna, Sting, Zeus, or Bono, then you are in the majority. People often list Tiger and Prince, but both have added a logo element to their personal brand.

Before considering logo development, fonts selection or colors schemes, make sure that your customers experience your brand as you intended.

Thank you for reading my blog. Please contact me with your questions or comments.