People, markets, and businesses are constantly changing and the brand must evolve in order to keep pace. Here is a rough breakdown:īranding is a perpetual process because it never stops. Our definition of branding, even if seemingly more ambiguous than the other, gives much more sense to the concept when diving deeper into its meaning. In truth, basing your learning about branding on a definition that reduces it to only one element (visual identity) makes every other branding-related concept fall short when trying to connect the dots. This might be one of the reasons why most people think that definition is correct and choose it as the foundation of their knowledge-building on the subject.

If you compare this definition to the official Cambridge definition, you can clearly see that the latter (Cambridge) offers more surface-level information, giving a false sense of understanding to the reader. But, for the sake of lowering the propagation of obsolete, incorrect, and incomplete information about branding, we offer a more complete definition:īranding is the perpetual process of identifying, creating, and managing the cumulative assets and actions that shape the perception of a brand in stakeholders’ minds. Branding is such a vast concept that a correct definition that truly encompasses everything that it represents would not bring too much clarity to the subject just by itself.

Still, for the most part, a strong understanding of branding requires a decent grasp of business, marketing, and even (human) relational basics. If the explanation of branding was simple, there would not be so much ambiguity and dissonance regarding the concept. All of these elements (and many more) work together to create one unique and (hopefully) attention-grabbing profile. There are many areas that are used to develop a brand including advertising, customer service, social responsibility, reputation, and visuals. Your brand is built to be a true representation of who you are as a business, and how you wish to be perceived. It is a way of distinguishing yourself from the competitors and clarifying what it is you offer that makes you the better choice. “Brands are essentially patterns of familiarity, meaning, fondness, and reassurance that exist in the minds of people.”- Tom Goodwinīranding is important because not only is it what makes a memorable impression on consumers but it allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your company. Even more so, while the concept of branding and its understanding have evolved enormously over the years, the same old vision of branding is being preached, even by high-level marketers. For many, whether specialists or not, branding is still just about the visual identity – name, logo, design, packaging, etc.

Cambridge Dictionary defines branding as “the act of giving a company a particular design or symbol in order to advertise its products and services.” Not so long ago, this was a pretty accurate description of branding – at least, what the general consensus was at the time.īranding was (and still is) misunderstood by being reduced to its aesthetic component: visual identity.

Brand element definition