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Glossary of Terms - Brand & Branding

A brand is a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the use of the product or service and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to the product and serves to create associations and expectations around it. Branding often includes a logo, fonts, colour schemes, symbols, and sound, which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality.

Brands, "branding" and brand equity have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".

A good brand name should:

• be legally protectable
• be easy to pronounce
• be easy to remember
• be easy to recognize
• attract attention
• suggest product benefits (e.g.: Easy-Off) or suggest usage
• suggest the company or product image
• distinguish the product's positioning relative to the competition.

A recurring challenge for a brand is to build a consistency while keeping its message fresh and relevant. An older brand identity may be misaligned to a redefined target market, a restated corporate vision statement, revisited mission statement or values of a company. Brand identities may also lose resonance with their target market through demographic evolution. Repositioning a brand (sometimes called rebranding), may cost some past brand equity, and can confuse the target market, but ideally, a brand can be repositioned while retaining existing brand equity for leverage.

A vibrant brand helps the customer understand better what your firm is all about. A stellar brand will increase visibility and presence while differentiating your business from the competition.

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