The Intimate Relationship between Branding and UX
And the subtlety of human perception about those disciplines
I noticed from social networks, groups, and other media that some people were questioning the relationship between Branding and UX. Some said they complement each other and others claimed them to be distant disciplines, one does not interfere with the other. So how does it work? Let’s see.
UX is a newer term that has an aligned definition among experts — although many people still consider that UX is only digital or usability.
Branding is an old term, but apparently it recycles its meaning with every new book that comes out. Each tries to explain in the best way, but if we synthesize all the information, we can also reach a consensus.
UX is about user perception when using your product or service.
Branding is about people’s perception of your brand, whether they are customers, users or just spectator.
It’s a lot about perception, right? And perception is very subjective because hardly anyone will have the same experience about your product or opinion about your brand. It is particular to each one.
The origin of the word “Branding” — or etymology
Brand — is self-explanatory.
Ing — can also be identified as a gerund. And what is a gerund? Well, according to this website, a gerund can be defined as a verb that can be considered a noun. […] its purpose in a sentence is to describe an action or express a state of being.
So, a simple gerund in active form is an action happen-ing at the moment. As in “you are read-ing this article”.
Therefore if we mix them together, brand + ing, i.e. branding. If we do a thorough analysis, that is indeed the purpose of any company’s brand. Become memorable to consumers, continuously stamp their lives through their actions, messages, images, values and every communication point surrounding the brand.
Ok, I’m kidding and I know I abused your goodwill. The origin of the word has nothing to do with this explanation or grammar! Or does it?
Branding is usually explained as brand management. There are people who summarize branding as “the compatibility between your brand values and consumer values”. That is one feature, but one of many. There are several elements that merge into branding and these are usually consolidated into a brand book. Check out Skype’s brand book for reference.
I like Jeff Bezos’s definition of branding:
“Branding is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Branding in relation to UX
If I were to draw two circles, one about Branding, the other about UX, and relate each other, I wouldn’t even know how to do it! UX inside Branding? Branding within UX? Branding and UX together against CX?
Clearly both disciplines are important and yes, they can be the difference between success and bankruptcy of your company. But more interesting than discussing which one is more important or has more board space, is discussing how one can help the other serve its audience well.
As stated earlier, the greatest similarity between UX and Branding is that both depend on the user’s perception of their artifacts. UX, in relation to its products and services. Branding, in relation to the brand.
So, just like UX, you can’t DESIGN the experience but you can design FOR the experience. Branding is the same. You can’t CREATE the perception of your audience but FOR the perception.
Let’s do some examples because with example everything gets more fun and didactic!
Ex: If someone uses your digital bank and thinks “damn, this bank is goooood. No bureaucracy, fast, simple and practical” he automatically relates the benefits of the product to your brand. Therefore, the perception of your company, the branding of this bank will be something like “an easy to use bank without bureaucracy” in the eyes of this consumer/user. It’s your product UX creating a perception around your branding.
But what is good? Good is relative. Good for me may not be good for you. Just like something bad for you can’t be bad for me. It only reinforces the subjectivity of perception. That’s why we can’t DO/DESIGN/CREATE/MAKE those things mentioned earlier.
UX in Relation to Branding
Alright, I’m going to add some marketing in the equation.
Picture this: you have decided to start a medieval restaurant. Typical food, decoration, and waiters dressed according to the time of knights — and dragons and bastards!
First, another quote from Jeff Bezos to frame what you’ll read next:
“Your brand is formed primarily, not by what your company says about itself, but what the company does."
Marketing makes the promise: “Come find out what a medieval banquet tastes like.”
Branding delivers on the promise. If the person decides to go to your restaurant and really feel like it’s inside a castle feasting like royalty, you are on the right track!
Betting heavy on the role play, they give mini swords like knives and mini spears like fork (yes, this example is a stretch and I know they didn’t eat like that, but it will help in the explanation!). Most people have difficulties to eat, after all, those are cutlery that escapes common sense and have no practicality.
Some people like it! They admire the commitment of the restaurant, even though they have serious trouble eating with swords and spears. Meanwhile, some, no matter how much they enjoyed the decor and costumes, can’t eat the food properly and get frustrated. Different experiences for different people.
Will the UX, be it good or bad, influence the branding? Will it influence the image, the perception that users will have of this restaurant? No! It can influence the number of customers and the revenue, but no one will say “that restaurant was nothing medieval, it’s fake news”. The values, the identification, the dramatization that this restaurant wanted to give to the public was spot-on. It stimulated their consumers to think alike, to form a tribe and then, a branding.
Another example, we may have companies that rely exclusively on products or services and in their customer experience to generate a user perception of their brand. Let’s go back to the example of digital banking. Do you know any company that provides an amazing product, a great customer service whenever there’s an issue, an incredible experience, and you spread the word about it like an evangelist? There’s that special company in our heart that we talk about like it’s a close friend of ours. And we do it not because of the brand itself, but because of a product or service, they provide that we simply like.
For me? Crunchyroll.
It’s the UX of this product that makes a good impression of the brand for you, and you get that gut feeling, as says Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap. Emotional Design from Donald Norman also talks about the visceral level of design.
Anyway, the subject is long and I may have got lost at some point in the text, but I hope you can understand that regardless of the relationship between the two, whether or not there is a hierarchy, what matters is the common goal: deliver to your customers/users a good product or service.
And you, what do you think about the relationship between Branding and UX?
