In the older days of the Nevada wild west, branding involved a Rancher searing his ranch logo into his livestock. This was a way for a rancher to mark his product and distinguish himself from other ranchers. The firebrand became his logo and often his identity. The brand was usually incorporated into the ranch theme and some even used it as an identifier in all business and social dealings. After time, these brands became a symbol of the rancher’s reputation and image.
In current day terms using a brand name for a product or service stems directly from this marking technique. Today, branding is all about how a company sears its experience into our minds. We are left with an impression: an emotional and psychological relationship.
When most people hear of the term “brand” they immediately think of a company name or logo. Names and logos themselves are not a brand, rather they are simply the visual manifestation of a brand. The brand as a whole is present in every point of contact with the customer and is comprised of the accumulation of these experiences. The brand becomes a promise to the customer and the foundation for all marketing activities.
So if branding isn’t just a name, what is involved in the branding identity? I’ll discuss that tomorrow.
