Process - What is a Brand

Since the beginning of time, the need to communicate has emerged from a set of universal questions: Who am I? Who needs to know? Why do they need to know? How will they find out? How do I want them to respond? Individuals, communities, and organizations express their individuality through their identity. Mankind has always used symbols to express fierce individuality, pride, loyalty, and ownership. The power of symbols remains elusive and mysterious – a simple form can instantaneously trigger, recall and arouse emotion, whether it is emblazoned on a flag, etched in stone, or embedded in an e-mail. Brand is the promise, the big idea, and the expectations that reside in each customer’s mind about a product, service or company. Branding is about making an emotional connection. People fall in love with brands – they trust them, develop strong loyalties, buy them, and believe in their superiority. The brand is shorthand: it stands for something and demonstrates it. Why have brands become so important? Bottom line: good brands build companies. Ineffective brands undermine success. As products and services become indistinguishable, as competition creates infinite choices, as companies merge into faceless monoliths, differentiation is imperative. While being remembered is essential, it’s becoming harder every day. A strong brand stands out in a densely crowded marketplace. Translating the brand into action has become a mantra. There is substantial evidence that organizations who understand and embrace importance of the brand are more successful.