Brand vs Branding vs Brand Identity
The term “Brand” is widely used in marketing, business and beyond, but not everyone shares the same level of understanding or definition… To create a powerhouse Brand that drives long-term growth, you need to create meaning and connection through Branding and authentically broadcast it to the world through its Brand Identity.
To cultivate your greatest asset – your brand – it’s critical to understand the interrelation of Brand, Branding, and Brand Identity.
BRAND
A Brand is the consumer’s perception of your product/service, so it’s defined by the beholder. It’s the emotional connection you make with your audience through a culmination of feelings that come from recognizable brand assets like logo, brand name, web copy, color palate, etc.
While Brands are consumer perceptions, the act of shaping how your product/service or company is perceived is called Branding.
– Jeff Bezos, Ex CEO Amazon
BRANDING
Branding is the ‘purposeful’ way to create meaning – the intent behind the brand to shape how consumers perceive your brand.
Branding identifies why your brand exists, what your brand does, who it serves and how it delivers unique value. Branding helps people – consumers, employees, external partners – quickly identify, connect, and experience your brand… shaping perceptions.
A strong Brand drives growth because it’s more than just an exercise of expressing your authenticity, it’s also a strategic way to approach the competitive landscape so the brand can thrive.
Branding comes to life through Brand Identity.
BRAND IDENTITY (Visual +Verbal)
Brand Identity is the way your brand presents itself to the world, it’s a tangible expression. It’s the collection of all visual and verbal brand elements that portray a desired image and tell a meaningful consumer story. It’s what makes you instantly recognizable to your customers. Your audience associates your brand identity with your product or service, and that identity is what forges the connection between you and your customers, builds loyalty and determines how your customers perceive your brand.
Brand Identity (Visual + Verbal) is the collection of all visual and verbal brand assets that portray a desired image and tell a meaningful consumer story. It’s what forges the connection between you and your customers.
Visual Identity is about bringing the brand personality to life through symbols. Visual identity is the system of elements a brand uses to express itself – the unique features and values your audience can relate to. Elements include logo, color palettes, typography, iconography, patterns, textures, photography, etc.
Verbal Identity is about bringing the brand personality to life through words. Verbal identity is system of elements a brand uses to express itself – both how it speaks and what it says. Elements include brand voice, tone, consumer messaging, headlines, taglines, etc.
A thoughtfully expressed Visual and Verbal identity amplifies your brand and attracts target consumers, while a weak one confuses consumers. And if you confuse consumers, you lose them.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
To cultivate your greatest asset – your brand – it’s critical to understand the interrelation amongst Brand, Branding, and Brand Identity.
Your Brand is how others perceive your business. It’s the emotional connection that you make with your audience through recognizable brand assets.
Branding is the ‘purposeful’ way to create meaning when building the brand. It’s a strategic process to shape how consumers perceive your brand.
Brand Identity (Visual + Verbal) portrays a desired image and tells a meaningful consumer story, it forges the connection between you and your customers.
The role of Branding is to translate your company's mission, vision and values into a compelling Brand Identity that authentically resonates with your customers, creating a powerful Brand that builds a long-term relationship and provides revenue for years to come.
I hope you found this article insightful and now have a stronger understanding of how Brand, Branding and Brand Identity work together to create a powerhouse brand that connects with consumers.
Hi, I’m Kim.
