Branding and Marketing
Branding and marketing are two essential aspects of business strategy, but they differ in focus and
approach. Here's how they relate to each other:
Branding: Branding is about creating a unique identity for a business or product. It involves developing
a distinctive name, design, symbol, or other elements that distinguish the company or product in the
minds of customers. Branding is about building a perception or image that resonates with customers,
and it’s a long-term strategy. It includes elements like the company's mission, values, and personality.
Marketing: Marketing, on the other hand, is the process of promoting and selling products or services.
This includes market research and advertising. Marketing strategies are often shorter-term compared
to branding and are focused on specific goals like increasing sales, launching new products, or
entering new markets.
How They Relate to Each Other:
Branding and marketing are deeply interconnected. Branding lays the foundation upon which
marketing strategies are built. The brand identity influences how marketing campaigns are designed
and executed. Marketing efforts, in turn, communicate the brand's message to the audience and help
in building brand recognition and loyalty.
Example:
Consider a company like Apple. Apple's branding revolves around innovation, simplicity, and elegance.
Their logo, the minimalist design of their products, and their sleek retail stores all reflect these brand
values. When Apple markets a new product, like an iPhone, their marketing campaigns focus on these
brand elements. The advertisements showcase the innovative features of the iPhone, its elegant
design, and the user experience. Here, Apple’s marketing strategies are reinforcing its brand identity
of innovation and quality.
In summary, branding is about who you are and what you stand for, while marketing is about how you
communicate that message to your audience. Successful businesses use marketing strategies to
reinforce their brand identity, thus creating a consistent and compelling image in the market.
Brand strategy
Brand strategy is a long-term plan focused on developing and maintaining a successful brand to
achieve specific business objectives. Its purposes include:
Defining Brand Identity: Establishing what the brand represents, its values, and personality.
Differentiation: Setting the brand apart from competitors in the market.
Target Audience: Identifying and understanding the specific group of customers the brand aims to
attract.
Consistency: Ensuring uniformity in messaging, visuals, and customer experiences across all platforms.
Emotional Connection: Creating a bond with customers, leading to loyalty and advocacy.
Brand Awareness and Equity: Increasing recognition and value of the brand in the marketplace.
Aligning with Business Goals: Supporting overall business objectives like market expansion, customer
retention, or profitability.
In short, brand strategy is about defining a brand's unique position in the market, consistently
communicating its identity to the target audience, and aligning these efforts with the company's
overarching goals.
Brand purpose
(Why do we do, What we do?)
Brand purpose is the reason for a brand's existence beyond just making a profit. It's a brand's
commitment to a broader mission that aligns with its values and resonates with its customers. Here
are key aspects of brand purpose:
Mission-Driven: It reflects a company's mission and the impact it aims to have on its customers,
community, and the world.
Values and Identity: Brand purpose is deeply connected to the company's core values and identity,
guiding its actions and decisions.
Customer Connection: It helps in building a deeper emotional connection with customers, as they
often prefer brands that stand for something meaningful.
Social and Environmental Impact: Many brands incorporate social responsibility or environmental
sustainability into their purpose, showing a commitment to making a positive impact.
Guiding Business Decisions: A clear brand purpose guides business strategies and decisions, ensuring
alignment with the brand's core values.
Differentiation: In a competitive market, a strong brand purpose can differentiate a brand from its
competitors, making it more attractive to consumers who share similar values.
In essence, brand purpose is about why a brand exists beyond making money, encompassing its
efforts to contribute positively to society and connect more meaningfully with its customers.
If people like any brand purpose and they buy high premium for service and also have show they have
advocacy towards the brand by talking about it. This helps in mouth to mouth marketing. How are
they making world a better place or are they making some kind of difference to someone life.Brand or
brand purpose shout be the voice of its custoer.
Start with Why.
Starting with "why" is crucial for companies because it:
Motivates and Inspires: Articulating the purpose behind a business motivates employees and
resonates with customers.
Differentiates: A clear 'why' distinguishes a company in a competitive market.
Builds Customer Loyalty: Customers are more likely to connect with brands that share their values
and beliefs.
Guides Decisions: A company’s 'why' provides a consistent framework for decision-making.
Supports Long-term Success: Focusing on a purpose beyond profits drives sustainable growth and
innovation.
Attracts Talent: People are drawn to work for companies with a compelling mission and purpose.
For example, Apple’s 'why' is often seen as their commitment to designing products that are both
innovative and intuitive. This core purpose drives their approach to product design, marketing, and
customer experience, helping them to build a loyal customer base and stand out in the technology
sector.
In summary, starting with 'why' helps companies to connect on a more emotional level with their
customers and employees, creating a strong foundation for lasting success and impact in their
industry.
How to develop your brand purpose?
1. Are you helping people?
2. Who are you helping?
3. What are you helping them with?
4. Does it have knock on effects on their lives?
5. Is there something in your industry , community, town or county that require support?
6. Do your audience fell the same?
7. What are the common denominators?
8. Decide the cause ?
9. How will you take action?
a) What are you going to do ?
b) How are you going to do?
c) Using Fund, time, resources, skill.
d) Educating the audience about the cause or how?
e) Will the action be online or offline?
Brand mission and Brand vision.
Brand mission and brand vision are two foundational elements in a company's branding strategy, but
they serve different purposes:
Brand Mission:
Definition: A brand mission statement focuses on the present and outlines the purpose of the
company. It's a declaration of what the company does, whom it serves, and how it does it.
Purpose: It guides the daily operations, decision-making, and strategies of the company. It's about the
company's role in the market and its impact on customers.
Example: Google's mission is "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible
and useful." This statement guides its current operations and services.
Brand Vision:
Definition: A brand vision statement is future-oriented. It describes what the company aspires to
become or achieve in the long-term. It's an inspirational and aspirational statement.
Purpose: The vision sets a direction for the company's growth and evolution. It's meant to inspire and
motivate employees and stakeholders about the future.
Example: Microsoft's vision statement is "to empower every person and every organization on the
planet to achieve more." This reflects its aspiration for future impact and influence.