Branding

Branding is the process of establishing a brand name for a company or product and then setting up advertising campaigns so that consumers will easily recognize the brand. Companies try to align the experience of the product with the brand to create the impression that the product has special characteristics or features that make it better than similar products. Having a brand associated with a product is essential in advertising because it demonstrates what the product can offer to potential customers.

There are several facets of the branding process. First, the company has to develop a brand name. This refers to the written or spoken elements of the brand and is the company’s trademark, which identifies the company as the exclusive owner of a certain type of product. Establishing the brand identity is the next part of this process. This refers to how the owner wants to portray the brand to the public. It could be the appearance of the brand in its font and color, but it has to be something that consumers will remember and easily recognize as soon as they see it.

The brand can take on a personality through the packaging or the graphics and appeal to the emotions or sensitivities of consumers. Brand value is how much the establishment of the brand translates into profit for the owner. The more widely recognizable the brand is, the better the sales will be.

A brand helps to establish a monopoly. In order for a brand to become well-known the owner has to use several mediums for advertising – radio, television, newspapers, direct mailing or offers and promotions, roadside signs and advertising online. Sometimes the branding refers to the company name and can include several different products, such as Nike, which has its brand on clothing, footwear and sunglasses for example. Nike is an example of attitude branding in which the advertising comes across to the consumer as being the best choice for those who want to look well dressed.