Basics: What is a brand?
A “brand” may be the most misunderstood, understood concept in business and marketing.
What do I mean by that? Well, all of us know that a brand, by its most simple definition, is a way to identify one business from another. Because of this, most people believe that the brand itself is just the logo and move on.
That’s where the “misunderstood” part comes into play. A brand, and your brand identity overall, is so much more than your logo (if you’ve been my follower for a while you’re probably sick of reading that sentence).
“Your brand is how people perceive, interact, and feel about your business while experiencing it.”
Your brand is how people perceive, interact, and feel about your business while experiencing it. This experience is crafted by the summation of your brand’s identity - how they visually perceive you and how they interpret your communications with them. It also helps people understand what you are not.
Think about the last brand you’ve interacted with. How would you describe that experience to your friend?
For instance, I just drank a stip of Coke Zero. I was able to easily identify this brand at the store by it’s specific red and black packaging that i’ve seen so many times before. I continue to purchase this drink because I know it will always be the same satisfying cola, and it’s distinctive packaging helps me easily locate it on crowded grocery aisles.
My objective experience with Coke Zero, a product of the brand Coca-Cola, could be described as refreshing, pleasing, and consistent.
TL;DR: In it’s purest form your brand is what people experience when interacting with a business.
Why Branding Is About Experience
As I mentioned above, a brand is what people experience when interacting with your products or services. If I’ve still got you, let’s break that down into a couple of different parts to help you further understand.
Perception - how do people think, feel, see and recognize your brand?
I asked my followers what a brand is to them, and a couple of folks quoted a well-known bit about branding from Jeff Bezos, our one and only CEO space cowboy. He once remarked during an interview that “your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” This quote helps illustrate how important your brand perception is with one concise question.
If you’re looking to build your brand, ask yourself: how do you want people talk about your brand when you’re not around? I did this above with my coke example, but I’ll give a more specific example from a recent conversation I had.
While talking about Chewy with a friend that recently got a new cat, (do I talk about my pets whenever possible? Yes.), I quickly mentioned how great my experiences with buying from them have been. As a freelancer with two super cute fur babes, sometimes buying more treats for my dog or litter for my cat in between automatic shipments (another reason to love them) can slip my mind. However, knowing I can fire up Chrome, tap some buttons, and have those items effortlessly at my doorstep in a few days makes me love Chewy.
This experience with them, and how I spoke about it with my friend, is how I perceive the brand: quick, reliable, and easy. One could also assume that these attributes are part of their brand values.
Interaction - How do you speak to your audience?
How do you speak to people that approach your brand? Are you happy and upbeat? Deadpan and sarcastic? Educational and matter-of-fact? There’s no real “right or wrong” answer to this question, as long as you’re following your brand’s established voice.
Interaction could also be included in the “Perception” bucket, as the way you interact with your audience helps determine how they perceive you. Your brand voice is one of the most important ways to help establish credibility and consistency, key factors (whether you realize it or not) in creating an experience that will earn your brand the title of being someone else’s favorite.
TL;DR: If you want to be someone’s favorite brand, working on your brand experience through perception and interaction is key.
How to Build your Brand’s Experience
There are several key pieces to focus on in order to create a reliable relationship between your audience and your brand. Below, we’ve summarized the most important tangible and intangible aspects for all brands:
Brand Principles: mission statement, vision statement, brand story, brand values, brand attributes
Vocal Identity: brand’s personality and tone
Visual Identity: Logo (symbol and wordmark), Color Palette, brand fonts, brand imagery, brand illustrations, brand patterns
Brand Reputation
While it’s important to have a grasp on all aspects of your brand if growth is your goal (which it likely is), it’s important to note that not all businesses are able to dedicate resources to every aspect when starting up. Smaller, more agile brands may only choose to focus on a couple of these aspects at a time with respect to their budgets and manpower. If possible, it’s always important to work with a Brand Consultant to help make recommendations on what to focus on within your budget.
TL;DR: f’real? This section was short and mostly bullet points. Go back and read them. Now.
Conclusion
If you’re ever asked in the future what a brand is, we hope you’re able to excitedly shout “it’s about the experience!” You don’t have to shout, obviously, but hopefully, you’re excited about it nonetheless.
If you need help identifying what your brand needs, or if you want to build your brand’s visual identity with me, I’d love to be your new branding go-to! Check out my brand strategy and brand consultation services here or book a call to discuss what we can achieve together here!