What is a brand? Understand Brand correctly to avoid common confusion

In modern marketing, branding is one of the most important concepts, it can completely change the business perception of a business. However, not everyone clearly understands its nature and often confuses branding with trademarks.

So what exactly is a brand? Elements and aspects of a brand? Misconceptions about branding. All will be clarified in the article below.

1. What exactly is a Brand?

A brand is the way a business is perceived by those who have experienced it. More than just a name, term, symbol or design, a brand is the recognizable feeling that a product or business evokes. Or simply put, a brand is a perception.

However, to give everyone the most in-depth insight into what a Brand is, Adsmo will provide a few definitions from famous marketers and reputable organizations.

First, let’s go to the history of brand formation.

1.1 History of Branding

The term “Branding” has appeared since ancient times as a way for ranchers to identify their cattle. In the 1880s, packaged goods such as Coca-Cola began to develop. Branding was used to differentiate them from competitors. Thus, branding was born to serve the need to differentiate products of manufacturers.

But as branding has grown, marketers have realized that a brand is more than just a name.

1.2 What is a brand?

Currently, the term Brand is still not clearly defined. Each person has a different way of understanding it. Let’s come to the most typical Brand definitions.

• Definition of the American Marketing Association

“A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. The legal term for brand is trademark.”

Temporary translation:

A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. The legal term for brand is trademark.

• Definition by David Ogilvy – The Father of Advertising

“[Brand] the intangible sum of a product’s attributes: its name, packaging, and price, its history, its reputation, and the way it’s advertised.”

Temporary translation:

A brand is the sum of the qualitative elements of a product: its name, packaging, price, its history, its reputation, and the way it’s advertised.

• Definition by Seth Godin – The Marketing teacher

“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”

Translation:

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose a product or service over another.”

• Definition by the World Intellectual Property Organization Wipo

“Although the term “brand” is sometimes used as a synonym for a “trademark”, in commercial circles the term “brand” is frequently used in a much wider sense to refer to a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as a trademark, design, logo and trade dress, and the concept, image and reputation which those elements transmit with respect to specified products and/or services. Some experts consider the goods or services themselves as a component of the brand.”

Temporary translation:

Although the term “brand” is sometimes used as a synonym for …span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Although the term “brand” is “brand” is often used in a broader sense to refer to the combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as trademarks, designs, logos, and the overall commercial image, concept, image, and reputation that such elements convey in connection with designated products/services. Some experts consider the goods or services themselves to be part of the brand.

• See more: What is branding? The power of branding for businesses

2. 5 Common Branding Misconceptions

2.1 A brand is not a name

A name is what identifies your business, product or service, but it is not your brand.

2.2 A brand is not a name

must be a logo

A logo is considered to be the foundation for a business’s identity and the graphic standards that will represent your business. It is not a brand but a part of the brand identity system. The brand will help the logo or your company to be easily recognized by consumers when they see it.

2.3 Business cards, signatures, brochures

These are tools to expand the reputation of the business and are designed to support marketing activities. Creating a logo and putting it on a business card is not branding.

2.4 Website

A business website is not branding. A website also serves as an extension of a business’s reputation. It is the hub for a business to promote its marketing and advertising. Marketing and advertising campaigns that point to the website will attract visitors and extend the business’s reputation through product/service descriptions, product guides, and blog posts.

2.5 Branding is not what you say

Branding is not what you say about your company, it is everything you do and the impact it has on the community. Just because you have some catchy messages doesn’t mean those messages represent your brand. Quite the opposite, your brand is how people feel about your business. It’s the cognitive and emotional connection consumers have with your business.

3. Aspects of a brand

A brand is the sum of the aspects of how customers perceive a business. Key aspects of a brand include:

• Awareness: Are consumers aware of the brand?
• Emotional Attributes: How the brand makes them feel?
• Positioning: How they perceive the brand to be different from its competitors?
• Propensity: Why they buy brand’s products/services
• Loyalty: Do they intend to continue using the brand’s products/services?

Thus, a perfect brand needs to:

• Give a clear message
• Develop the business’s reputation in the market
• Connect target customers emotionally with the business’s products/services
• Motivate potential customers to buy
• Build customer loyalty

Therefore, the role of branding is to raise awareness, connect emotionally and position the brand to increase purchase decisions and loyalty.

4. Distinguishing between brand and trademark

Brand and trademark are two concepts that are most often confused. So what is the real difference between them?

First, let’s find out what a Trademark is?

A Trademark (Trademark) according to Clause 16, Article 4 of the 2009 amended Law on Intellectual Property has been defined as a sign used to distinguish goods and services of different organizations and individuals.

Thus, the 3 main criteria to distinguish between a brand and a trademark are

4.1 Legal aspects

A trademark has not been recognized by the Law on Intellectual Property Vietnamese intellectual property clearly defines. Meanwhile, trademarks already exist. This means that only trademarks are protected by intellectual property rights in Vietnam.

Trademarks are objects of intellectual property rights, recognized and protected by the State. Ownership of trademarks is established through registration procedures.

Trademarks are not protected by law, they are the result of the efforts of enterprises and are recognized through customers.

Not only that, after completing the registration procedure, the trademark will become an asset and can be valued. But brands cannot be easily valued because they are the result of a process.

4.2 Tangible aspect

A brand is not tangible, it talks about the reputation, about the image of the business in the minds of customers, when referring to the products/services of the business, what do consumers feel.

Meanwhile, a trademark is simply an external sign that can be perceived visually such as words, drawings, symbols, three-dimensional images,… on the outside to help customers identify the business’s products.

People can easily “copy” famous brands but certainly cannot “copy” a brand, “copy” the feeling of consumers.

4.3 Time aspect

A brand has a longer lifespan than a trademark.

A brand can last even when the product bearing the brand no longer exists.

Meanwhile, a trademark can change according to external factors, such as consumer tastes and the will of the business. The existence of a brand depends on the existence of the branded product.

In general, a brand is the body, a brand is the soul. A business can have many brands but only one brand.

5. Brand Elements

In terms of perception, a brand consists of a myriad of different elements. The fundamental elements of a brand include:

5.1 Brand Compass

The Brand Compass is a summary of the fundamentals of your brand. It is the result of the brand strategy phase, which includes research and positioning. The brand compass reflects the direction the brand wants to go and why.

The brand compass consists of 5 components: Purpose, Vision, Mission, Values and Strategic Objectives.

5.2 Corporate Culture

Corporate culture carries spiritual values, serves collective goals and is a source of inspiration to promote your brand. A strong corporate culture is built on the core values of the brand. A brand with a corporate culture will contribute to sustainable internal cohesion, each employee will be motivated to contribute and become a brand ambassador.

5.3 Brand Personality

Brand personality is the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a “person” assigned to the brand. It is the essence of the brand, the unique personality of a brand. This personality has helped businesses connect and build strong relationships with loyal customers.

5.4 Brand Architecture

Brand architecture is a system of small elements and components within a larger brand, and how they are linked together to form a unified block. It is highly intentional and intuitive, based on customer experience research. Brand architecture includes 3 popular models: Monolithic, Endorsed and Pluralistic.

5.5 Name and tagline

Brand name and tagline are the most direct “representations”. They must be full of meaning. To create a brand name and tagline, it must go through a complex process including: In-depth market research, thinking, screening and testing. A strong name will convey the unique values of the brand, create a difference from competitors and leave a deep impression on customers who have experienced it.

5.6 Brand Identity

Brand identity is more than just a logo. It includes visual, vivid, attractive images that convey the brand’s message in strategy and positioning. Effective brand identity will demonstrate all the characteristics of the brand such as: personality, promise and purpose.

5.7 Brand voice and messaging

Voice and messaging play an important role in the brand’s interaction with the world. Brand voice and messaging humanize your brand, making it identifiable to customers. They can differentiate your brand from competitors through your brand purpose, promise and personality.

5.8 Website

Your website is the most complete representation of your brand, bringing it to life through attractive design and engaging content. Today, websites are not limited to desktop experiences, but are also optimized for mobile devices. This is also one of the effective ways for businesses to provide the most comprehensive brand experiences to their target customers.

To be successful, businesses must create sustainable values, which is the process of building, developing and protecting the brand. If you are having difficulty finding a unit to help you do the above, do not hesitate, contact Adsmo to find the fastest and most sustainable solution to develop your business’s brand.

See more:

• What is brand protection??
• What is brand representation??