The surprisingly simple truth about ‘branding’ according to experts

Have you ever heard marketeers or advertising agencies use the term ‘branding’? You probably have. But what does this simple, yet oh so vague, term mean? And why is it like a religion to many media specialists?

A mental picture

To find out why branding is so powerful, we need to understand the basic meaning first. Since there’s no official consensus, that’s not an easy job. Let’s gather some definitions from branding experts.

“Branding is defined as a name, term, symbol, design or a combination of these factors to position the identity of a product or service in the minds of the consumers.” — Maryam Khan (Howard University)

“Branding involves attaching a label and meaning to a product, person or concept.” — Kotler and Armstrong

“ Branding is all of the ways you establish an image of your company in your customers’ eyes.” — Shopify

At Dyseno I have defined ‘branding’ as the following.

“The process of (re)building a belief or perception an individual has about a product, service, organization, person, animal or place.”

To put it simple, it’s creating a picture in someone’s mind.

Science finction possibilities

Now that we understand what it means, what can you do with it? Imagine that you could decide how a person thinks about you. Doesn’t that give you a million ideas right now? Well… it’s exactly that, but with your brand.

If you can control beliefs or perceptions in someone’s mind, you may steer it in whatever direction you want. More sales? You got it! More followers? Sure!

Although it almost sounds like science fiction, branding is one of the most widely used concepts in neuromarketing. It may seem impossible to achieve, but it’s surprisingly simple.

The way to the mind

How does one control the mind, you ask? Definition and repetition.

First take a step back and define your brand with tools like the Brand Proposition Canvas, the Brand Identity Prism or our very own Brand IDX Canvas. Create a guide to state your newly set rules and execute your marketing activities according to it.

Always keep looking back to what you defined as your brand in the first place. Consistency is key here; it’s the power of repetition that will make consumers remember your brand and ultimately create that picture in the mind.

What will you do to start building that picture today?

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