What is a brand?
A brand is a set of concepts and perceptions people have about a company or product. A brand is not the company or product itself, but rather the identity or entity that is perceived by the people, consider this vein of communication the corporate narrative.
A brand is made of:
- A visual identity: color palette, logo, stamp, label
- A verbal identity: name, slogan
- Tone of voice
- A set of values or a philosophy
Branding definition in the digital age: keeping up with the new media
60 years after the Mad Men laid the foundations of branding, building a brand has become a process that combines the science of market research, the insights of psychology, the emotional power of art and the endless possibilities of expression through the new digital technologies.
We see brands blooming everywhere, thriving on Social Media campaigns and digital influencers endorsement. This is the digital era of branding and things are just starting to warm up.
The most famous example: Google
I’d like to start off by talking about one of the 21st-century-star brands: Google.
America’s most loved brand, Google, (and I believe I wouldn’t be wrong to say Google is the world’s most loved brand) started as a search engine in 1998 and has now become the biggest advertising “agency” (AdWords) on Earth. Actually, Google is so much part of our lives today that we wouldn’t be talking about a digital age at all without Google.
How to build a strong brand online:
Know your audience
The first step in building a brand identity is knowing your target audience. Really taking the time to research and identify that group of people that will be interested in your product/service. Then, list down their most important characteristics like age, gender, location, income, education, behavior related to your product and interests. For example, an adult dating app for mature women such as a free local milf hookup app, will want to target mature females in different locations that are interested in casual dating. After understanding your target audience it is time to do some testing. Finally, organize a focus group and extract these people’s core beliefs and feelings related to the needs you intend to meet through your product.
Define your brand values
Everything starts with an idea, or with a belief. We all have our sets of values and that’s what guides us through life. That’s what makes us different and the world such a wonderfully colorful place. It’s the same with brands. Before releasing a product, a company must first write down its core values and state their mission in the world. Though it may seem rather old-school or idealistic, if we look carefully at the world’s top brands, we realize they all have a clear mission. They all want to contribute to making the world a better place, behind the profit gains.
Therefore, creating a brand is not possible without a philosophy and a mission.
Brand positioning – Find a unique positioning
Positioning a brand on a market basically refers to finding a unique idea and smoothly and successfully fitting a brand in an already established market.
The process involves identifying the opportunities, those gaps of needs that haven’t been met by other brands, and niches of people that might be interested in your product.
User experience
And now, ladies and gents, the less talked about, but the vitally important element of branding: the user’s experience of the brand.
Most marketers and agencies overlook this final step and jump to launching the branded packed product out in stores. But unless we take the time to contemplate the experience we’re offering to our customers, we risk leaving our brand’s fate to chance.
Just think about it. Why do you choose a hair shampoo and not another? What made you buy your car and not another brand or model? How did you decide you want to eat at Pizza Hut and not at McDonald’s? And why iPhone and not Samsung?