What’s in a brand?
What is a brand? A brand is the sum of all expressions by which an entity intends to be recognised. It is the value of the perception and associations a particular product or entity has in the minds of its users and stakeholders. For example, Toyota, as a car company, has a brand value of being a family-centric, reliable automobile company, whereas a Ferrari is synonymous with speed. Sometimes, certain brand perceptions are so strong in the minds of the consumer that the brand names are used interchangeably with the product itself. For instance, Xerox is a brand of a copy machine and in the Indian context, Fevicol for adhesives.
Branding is the act through which brands are created and curated. Branding facilitates entities to retain loyal customers and stakeholders, invite new opportunities, and help align entities with the company’s vision while staying relevant to the times. There are various tools used by companies to build a brand. They are as follows;
- Brand essence – aligning with the company’s vision
- Brand positioning and promise – finding the right audience for the brand
- Brand identity – involves the logo, communication style, name, visual identity, etc..
Some active steps taken by the brand include
- Developing an online presence through web design
- Advertising and opt writing
- Products and packaging
- In-store experiences
- Sponsors and collaborations
- Workspace management and experience
- customer service
Yet these steps cannot be applied universally like a rule book. They need to be customised and curated on a case-to-case basis. Each entity, depending on its core value, requires a different strategy to build its brand. As designers, understanding how brand strategies help convert visual assets into sales becomes important.
Brand Strategy
A good brand strategy helps a brand stand out, builds trust, encourages loyalty, and communicates the product’s value while also passively marketing the brand itself. Nike is a good example. This predominantly shoe-designing and manufacturing brand has become strongly associated with Basketball, with a strong tagline, ‘just do it,’ and a logo, ‘swoosh,’ embodying a sportsperson’s agility, speed, and movement.
The elements of a brand strategy are Purpose, Brand values, Voice and tone
Design and visual identity, and Brand story.
Purpose determines the future plans for the brand, where the brand aims to grow and create an impact
Brand values chalk out the non-negotiable traits of a brand. For example, Hermes would never source leather from America as its value comes from the use of Italian leather
Voice and Tone determine the audience the brand would like to cater to. Makeup brands like Glossier use Gen-Z terminologies to appeal to a younger audience, whereas a brand like Ordinary uses scientific terminologies to communicate that their brand is transparent with its ingredient list
Visual Identity provides a brand association for its stakeholders, like how red and yellow are associated with McDonald’s or how a certain shade of red is undeniably Coca-Cola.
Brand Story connects the journey and milestones of the brand, reminding the stakeholders of the milestones of the brand itself, creating a sense of assurance, loyalty and trust.
In order to build a brand strategy, one must do the following
- Identify target audience
When communicating the purpose of a brand or its story, it is important to understand who the brand is communicating to. One cannot adopt one message that serves all ideologies to branding, as the concerns of different groups in society vary vastly. A family might choose to invest in a Toyota whereas a young, independent person might tend to favour a sports car. If Toyota focused on trying to convince the latter, they would be unsuccessful. By identifying the right audience, brands communicate effectively with optimum return on investment.
2. Establish a unique market position
In today’s consumerist market, there are a lot of options for any one type of product. Hence a brand must find ways to stand apart. This is often done by establishing a unique market position. Dove and Lux are both soaps, essentially both perform the same function, yet Lux is perceived as a soap of the luxuries, rich and illustrious and Dove is positioned to be for people who do not measure beauty by industry standards.
3. Craft an impressionable message
Customers want to buy brands that resonate with them. An impressionable message creates a sense of trust and belonging among its target audience. It reassures the end user of the capabilities of the brand. KitKat, for instance, wafer chocolate characteristically in the form of bars connected together is advertised with a tagline like ‘have a break, have a KitKat’ indicating a method of eating the chocolate while marketing it as a chocolate that will help one relax
4. Develop an engaging visual identity
Visuals are stronger than words. In order to create an audience, visuals play a key role in uniting groups of people. Design elements consistent with the brand values are crucial in establishing the brand. Apple‘s carefully and geometrically drawn logo stands as a testament to their commitment to well designed, aesthetically pleasing products. And Citi bank’s logo with an abstract umbrella reassures its customers that the bank stands with them on their ‘rainy’ day. Both these examples create a subtext that forms strong associative memories with its end consumer
5. Using relevant marketing tools
With changing modes of information exchange it is important brands use the right platforms to engage with their audience. In today’s scenario social media and social media influencers play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion on various brands. It is important for brands to realise the best platforms depending on the product being marketed. Brands that have a mature and loyal audience, like banks, insurance companies and wellness professionals, tend to market on YouTube, where long-format content is prevalent, and the audience that uses the app belongs to an older demographic. Brands that deal with physical products tend to rely on Instagram and TikTok, where users are of a younger demographic and are more susceptible to making impulsive purchases.
Some premium brands only rely on word of mouth as their marketing tool. Or build their brands solely through collaborations and sponsorships.
It is important that Brands are able to chart their own branding strategy and not follow the footsteps of any other brand in the same market space. Each brand is unique and must aim to create a unique connection with its target audience. As designers it is important to realise the value we provide with our skills to brands and help position them in the right market space. Understanding a brand strategy helps designers to provide better customer services as a more holistic approach that serves the client for decades to come.
References:
Christensen, J. and Hertioga, C. (2023) What is a brand?: brand definition, Interbrand. Available at: https://interbrand.com/london/thinking/what-is-a-brand/ (Accessed: 02 February 2025).
Futur (2019) What is Branding? A deep dive with Marty Neumeier, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpZfNNYUZEc&t=1282s (Accessed: 03 February 2025).
Futur (2024) Brand Strategy For Designers: How to Get Started, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgDjT6G5VZo (Accessed: 03 February 2025).
The Ultimate Guide to Brand Strategy (2024) The ultimate guide to brand strategy. Available at: https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/brand-strategy (Accessed: 03 February 2025).
