What A Brand Is Not?
Throughout your career, you will come across plenty of people who position themselves as a brand expert. By good fortune, some of them will know what they are talking about. You will notice, however, that the others are confused about the very fundamentals of branding. More specifically, they will refer to a bunch of different things as “the brand.”
There are probably as many descriptions of the brand is as there are brand consultants. The truth is no one can make their definition universally-accepted.
Sometimes we explain complicated things as what they are not. For instance, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, peace is: “Freedom from, or cessation of, war or hostilities; a state of a nation or community in which it is not at war with another.” The same logic applies to darkness: “the partial or total absence of light.”
Sooner or later, one of your clients or colleagues will incorrectly refer to something as a brand. If you cannot convince them to accept your definition, at least you can show them that theirs is wrong. Here are six things that a brand is not.
1. A brand is NOT a logo
A logo is simply graphic treatment. It is a visual identifier of your company, product or service. That swoosh allows Nike to be immediately identifiable and uniquely own-able.
2. A brand is NOT a tagline
A tagline -or a strapline in the UK- is a short text that captures a brand’s guiding principle. It distinguishes your company from its competitors. Like the logo, it is a fixture of a brand’s signature. “Just do it” conveys the heroic essence of Nike.
3. A brand is NOT a slogan
A slogan is a short and memorable phrase used in advertising. It is a call-to-action, aiming the customer do something. Unlike a tagline, a slogan is often temporary and particular to a specific marketing effort. “Dream Crazy,” “Find Your Greatness,” and “I Believe” are some of the many slogans Nike has used.
4. A brand is NOT what you sell
Companies sell products, services or experiences. Those things can be bought by a customer in exchange for money. A brand, however, can be purchased -only by another company as an intangible asset. As the saying goes, products are made in factories, brands are built through perceptions, expectations, and experiences. Nike’s product is sneakers and sports goods.
5. A brand is NOT what you say it is
Some elements of your brand fall within your sphere of influence. Others don’t. While you can manage your brand identity (logo, a slogan, packaging, visuals, design), you cannot control your brand image — the perception of the brand that exists in the public’s mind. Ultimately, your brand is not what you say it is; it is what they say it is.
6. A brand is NOT a promise
We admit it, this one is a bit tricky. There are two components of a promise: a promise made and a promise kept. If you focus only on the former, you will end up disappointing your customers. That also explains why your brand is not your advertising. Only by keeping your promise, you can create loyalty and value. And that requires deeds — not just words.
So what is a brand then?
Here at Go, we define a brand as a kept promise of relationship and guarantee of quality. Others describe it differently, and that’s fine. As a branding professional, you should appreciate different points of view. Just be ready to correct others when they wrongly refer to things by brand.
