BRANDING
But what is it, the
“branding” exactly?
The concept of branding has been around since 350 BC. The term comes from the word Brandr which means "to burn" in Old Norse. By the 16th century, the word was already widely used by farmers who branded their cows with a hot iron. Simple and easily identifiable, these membership symbols are very reminiscent of our modern logos.
But nowadays, branding is much more than just a logo, or even a visual identity. What is called "branding" refers to the emotion that a particular company will arouse in consumers. In the age of the Internet, "branding" has now become the essential weapon to stand out from competitors.
The best example of all time is surely the "Apple" brand. “People talk about technology, but Apple was really a marketing company,” former Apple CEO John Sculley said in 1997. Above all, Steve Jobs understood that the success of a good marketing strategy depended on its consistency and simplicity.
The art of storytelling will allow you to establish an emotional connection with your customers. Innovative campaigns and strategic product placement with celebrities, for example, have allowed Apple to enter people's imaginations and ultimately make them dream.
Once the values and mission have been defined, the logo will define your visual identity. The choice of name, letters, typeface, symbols will become the first visual reference with the outside world and will make you recognizable among others, but it is your marketing strategy that will raise enthusiasm for your business.
In short, branding serves to:
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Differentiate yourself from the competition in a world where the abundance of choice can stun the consumer.
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Bring value to your products and services when it comes time to make a service offer. As a selling point, the price is no longer enough: consumers also buy the brand, its values, its quality.
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Create and solidify ties with customers: talk about yourself, tell your story, generate a feeling of identification, allowing you to connect emotionally with customers.
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Ensuring a standard that will be homogeneous and coherent makes it possible to support and structure an evolving brand.