Brand And “Branding Are Not The Same

Brand And Branding, Nike, Dove, Starbucks, Marcedes, Apple, McDonald’s, Google. They are so strangely fascinating to us. We’ve known them for a long time, and we don’t remember when we first met them. When we hear Nike, a characteristic pipe in the logo, the slogan “Just do it” immediately appears in our minds, and we imagine sports shoes with guaranteed quality. How did they get the same thing in our heads? 

Many companies produce sports shoes. Many companies have even tried to enter the same market as Nike but have failed. At the same time, each of these companies has the same conditions at its disposal. There is the same workforce on the market, the same technologies, the same customers. So what is Nike’s success? Many of these companies certainly had a brand, but they lacked branding or sufficient brand strength.

The Brand Is Something That Can Not Be Copied

A brand is simply what is left to a company when its factory burns down. The brand represents the mental associations that emerge when we think or hear about a particular car or camera, watch, bank, beverage, television station, organization, celebrity, or even country. The brand exists in our minds – it is something that is settled in our heads. 

Under the brand, we can imagine a name, sign, symbol, any term, design, or even a combination thereof to identify the products or services of one company and distinguish them from other competing products and services. We can say that a product is branded when its features differ from competing products. And they can satisfy the same need. These differences can be functional, rational, emotional, or immaterial. 

Competition can easily mimic manufacturing processes and copy product design. However, they cannot copy its impressions in the people’s minds associated with the product and its brand.

“Save As”

If we use an analogy, we can imagine the inside of the head as a computer desktop. Once we know enough about the brand, we assign it a mental “filename” and save it to the desktop. When a brand name appears in a conversation or comes in contact with that brand, we mentally “click” on the brand file name. Once opened, the associations associated with the brand will be released. They evoke a certain feeling in us, and we will react in some way – positively or negatively – depending on the emotions these associations evoke in us. The mental name of a brand file is complicated to create, and if it is not worth the consumer to “save it as,” it will delete it quickly.  

Brand And Branding Are Not The Same

There is a difference between the terms brand and branding. The brand is the answer to the question, ” Who? What?”  and branding is a processing activity that brings brand strength. And so the answer to the question, ” What is he doing?”. The brand uses all the possibilities (its identity system, sponsorship, content, CSR…) to build its strength. We mean “save as” in our minds.

Branding is about rooting the distinctive meaning in people’s minds. It is based on signals created by associations, through which people find out what the brand symbolizes. To sum it up, by branding, we mean endowing a product or service with the power of a brand. 

When you enter the supermarket, we are not looking for a carbonated drink – we are looking for the famous red and white can or a bottle of Coca-Cola. We are not looking at a pharmacy to stop an easily swallowed headache, and it is not prescription, relieves pain, and does not contain aspirin. We are looking for Panadol.

The effects of branding are noticeable. One research study that sparked a heated debate about the impact of marketing on children found that preschoolers liked anything packed in McDonald’s packaging — including carrots, milk, or apple juice — better than they received the same thing in unmarked packaging.

Let’s Learn From The Best

Successful brands are not just about their name and logo. They hide something much more profound. The brand is built on certain foundations –  its characteristics, values, benefits, DNA, personality, and brand story. Even Apple would not be one of the most expensive brands today if it did not have specific values, features, and relationships with its customers. Today, it is all the more potent because it offers people a strong story and emotion. 

The strongest brands are characterized by:

• they are different from competitors, so they are unique
• are relevant to the target group
• they have respect and are recognized in the market
• consumers know and understand them

What Makes Apple Such A Successful Brand?

Everyone imagines a simple design, guaranteed quality, a sleek laptop, or a user-friendly interface when Apple says it. However, it is no coincidence that the same thing will happen to us. This is due to a well-thought-out strategy (including a brand strategy) and a vision. Apple knew exactly what it wanted us to think about them and took steps to achieve that.

Apple’s success is based on several essential pillars. The beginning of success dates back to the time when Apple was founded. Steve Jobs wanted to leave a mark that would change society. “He challenged the status quo, and he saw things differently. ” He had his WHY, which drove him. Apple’s brand idea is:

 “To make technology so simple that everyone can be part of the future.”

Ultimately, people don’t buy what you make, but why you do it. Apple’s DNA brand comprises its three basic principles – simplicity, creativity, and humanity. It is something that sets them apart from their competitors. This is also reflected in their motto – Think different. Apple’s personality is about the consumer’s lifestyle – imagination, freedom, innovation, passion, hope, and dreams. It is also about simplicity and removing complexity from people’s lives, designing people-led products, and being a genuinely humanistic company with strong connections to its customers. Thanks to these features, Apple is highly beneficial for people (and businesses) in achieving their goals.

The strategy of their brand is that they focus on emotions. The starting point is how people feel when using an Apple product. These facts are not materially embodied but are rooted in our minds. However, people do not buy products but buy the stories that these products represent. They don’t even buy brands, but they purchase myths and archetypes that symbolize these brands.

Apple products have become so prestigious that customers are willing to pay a higher price. They consider Apple a form of status and a synonym for quality.

Five Likes In The End

• Before we start building a brand, we need to know it. Most brands do not know who they are, where they are and where they are going and who their customer is.
• The brand should by no means be complicated, confusing, or mysterious. Understanding what a brand represents should be easy.
• If we want to succeed in building a brand, we must first create a different meaning for the brand compared to competitors.
• Let’s not forget that the company’s brand is not just about the logo and name.
• Ultimately, the brand will only be as good as the consumer experience with the brand itself.

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