Branding is vital in the success or failure of business. We hear this question constantly, what is your Brand?
So, how do we define a Brand? There are many long, complex, and comprehensive definitions of Brand. However, very simply, your brand is what people think of you when they think of you. Branding is the way your customer perceives you, your image, mission, vision, and values.
Take a look at some very well-known and successful brands. When you see the “Golden Arches,” the big yellow “M,” what comes to your mind? Most everyone would say, McDonald’s, Hamburgers, French Fries, Fast Food, easily accessible, and reasonably priced. This brand is very distinctive, well defined and unquestionable. The reaction to the McDonald’s Brand is immediate and top of mind to consumers.
Here is a good example of the power in a Brand. Many of us start the day with a cup of coffee. What is coffee? Very simply, coffee is a bean that has been roasted, ground, and brewed to create a brown liquid that is enjoyed as is, with sugar and/or with cream. Starbucks created a market for its coffee by promoting drinking their coffee in a living room atmosphere. The coffee was good but the environment to drink it was even better. Starbucks became a symbol for coffee drinking.
Is their coffee very different from others? This Brand is so strong and distinctive that more often than not, it is let’s have Starbucks and not let’s have coffee. Starbucks was a style and way of drinking coffee. In some countries, a cup with the Starbucks logo is a status symbol and it is no longer just drinking coffee but drinking a Starbucks. How powerful is this Brand?
In its prime, XEROX was a company known for its photocopy machine. They invented a box that could reproduce an exact image onto a piece of paper, at the push of a button. It was revolutionary and there was no further need for carbon or carbonless paper. It was so successful that copying a document was ultimately referred to as Xerox a document. How powerful is this Brand?
These are three good examples of the importance of a Brand. It is what we all thrive to achieve, a Brand that is well understood, and totally represents our product. It is what people think of you when they think of you. There is never a question as to the product, the company, what it stands for and the reason for you to buy. You can be sure that these companies spent time, effort, and money to create their Brand and to protect their Brand.
Is your Brand this effective? Does your brand evoke this type of response? Does your Brand stand out? Is it respected or ignored? Review your Brand constantly to ensure that it is as powerful as possible and is a strong representative of your product.
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