What is Brand and Branding ?

Branding

I have sacrificed a promising career in IT to get into Advertising and Marketing and lack of any formal training keeps my hunger for any knowledge in these areas burning. It keeps me on a constant learning path. 

Brand and Branding are the most talked about and discussed topic in the field of marketing but yet the Making of a Brand has always been a big mystery. It begins with the understanding that a brand is far more than just a name or a logo. Instead, it’s comprised of a complete set of attributes and tools, or “identity elements,” that give the brand a unique identity.

Brand elements

Name
At the core of a brand identity is the name, outliving ad campaigns, taglines, and even logo treatments. Descriptive names such as Intel and QuickBooks work because they immediately suggest positive attributes, while key associations for coined names such as Kodak and Exxon have been crafted over time.

Logo
 Almost all of the world’s strongest brands have distinctive, memorable logos. For Chevrolet and Nike, the symbol has become so synonymous with the brand that the name does not have to appear for the correct identity to be communicated. These logos have gained value through constant and consistent usage over time.

Graphics
 Some brands adopt specific graphic elements and/or styles, like Scotch Tape, which is easily identified by its distinctive plaid pattern. Graphics also are effective as a field for the application of colour, enhancing impact and helping to visually organize complicated offerings.

Positioning copy
 Many brands have a tagline that creates positive associations. “Just do it” and “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands” are well-known slogans that communicate a basic strength or intended market position. These statements are the single best opportunity organizations and brands have to explicitly tell their audiences exactly what they stand for and why they should be preferred.

Imagery
 Some brands choose to adopt particular image subjects and/or styles (either photographic or illustrative) to help create additional impact and meaning in their communications. Tommy Hilfiger and United Colors of Benetton are some examples. Tommy Hilfiger uses a red and UCB uses a multicoloured approach in their creatives and visuals.

Type conventions
 Type/font is an excellent means for establishing a personality for a brand, and the selection of an appropriate font can help create an image that is formal, technically savvy, or fun and light-hearted. Such type conventions can quickly convey recognizable traits that often take time to build and are difficult to articulate any other way.

Colours
 Colour is one of the most immediate means to signal a brand's presence. Vodafone is red. Kodak is yellow. Apple is white. A brand should have a standard colour palette to make its identity more consistent and recognizable, while also offering the flexibility to organize and sort various offerings and communications.

Structure
 Some firms have developed physical structures that have become symbolic of their brands. The Coca-Cola bottle serves as the most famous example. More recently, Apple’s iPad physically expressed a company that “thinks different.” Structure also presents opportunities to differentiate packaging and collateral from the flood of materials audiences see every day.

Collectively, these elements create a brand's personality, voice, and heart. They help build a strong brand, one that has a strong recognition and uniqueness.

@WatsHotWatsNot

What is the difference between Brand Identity & Marketing? Read here