Getting to the Brand Beach Part I - Brand Basics

Getting to the Brand Beach Part I – Brand Basics

The concept of ‘brand’ is often misunderstood because it is frequently reduced to a logo, a tagline, or a visual identity, when in reality, it is a much broader concept. This article sets out to define brand basics and distinguish it from several related concepts that it is confused with.

What is a Brand and What Does it Do?

Here is a helpful quote that I think defines brand well.

‘Brands are a promise. They are a bit like religion since they require belief. Nurture your product for long enough and it will eventually acquire the positive associations and pleasing expectations that define ‘brand values’.’

Curiously, it comes not from a Marketing source, but from Car Magazine. By way of contrast, here is a definition from the Wikipedia article on brand that I found much less helpful.

‘A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that distinguishes one seller’s good or service from those of other sellers. It serves to identify the product or service and differentiate it from competitors in the marketplace’.

This second definition, which treats branding solely as an identifier and differentiator rather than as something that shapes perceptions and behaviors, comes from the development of the term brand. Historically, a brand name was simply the label that distinguished one product from another—developed from cattle branded with a mark to indicate ownership. In this sense, a brand name is an identifier, similar to a trademark. Over time, ‘brand name’ has become ‘brand’. This causes confusion.

Brand Name vs Brand

Compare these two perspectives:

Brand Name	Brand
A label or identifier	A reputation, perception, and experience
Functions like a trademark	Encompasses emotions, values, and customer relationships
Distinguishes a product from competitors	Creates loyalty, trust, and differentiation beyond function
Can exist without deep meaning	Gains meaning through marketing, storytelling, and consistency

This distinction is important as today, companies don’t just sell products; they sell perceptions and associations. On this basis here’s my chosen definition of brand:

“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
— Seth Godin

What a Brand Is Not

As a result of shift described above , the concept of brand can be confused with related artefacts, such as logos, trademarks, visual identity, and even products.

A Brand Is Not a Logo or a Trademark

While a logo is a crucial visual marker that triggers recognition, it does not define the emotions, experiences, or values associated with the brand. Similarly, a trademark protects a brand legally, but it doesn’t define its perception or value .

A Brand Is Not a Company’s Visual Identity

A company’s visual identity includes its logo, color pallette, typography, imagery and other design elements. These work together to create a cohesive look and feel, which is important for brand recognition. But visual identity alone doesn’t create loyalty, emotional connection, or differentiation.

A Brand Is Not a Product

A less common confusion is that some companies define their brand as their product. A brand creates an emotional reason for people to choose a product beyond just its functional benefits.

Given we design the logo, select the elements of our visual identity and build our products it seems fitting to conclude this section with a quote from Marty Neumeier in The Brand Gap:

“A brand is not what you say it is. It’s what they say it is.”

What Does a Strong Brand Do for The Business?

There is much less confusion about the impact of strong brand. It is commonly understood that a strong brand drives customer preference, pricing power, and long-term loyalty. The survey below on tech buying behaviour shows brand’s impact on preference.

Source: Gartner 2022 Tech Buying Behavior Survey n = 1,120; all respondents Q: How would you characterize the type of provider you purchased this product/service from?

Brand Awareness, Differentiation, Trust and Equity

However, to conclude this short description of brand basics, it’s worth breaking down what a strong brand does for a business.

High brand awareness ensures that consumers recognize and recall the brand, keeping it top of mind in buying decisions. Brand differentiation sets it apart from competitors. A strong brand also fosters brand trust, giving consumers confidence in the company’s ability to deliver on its promises. These factors contribute to brand equity, the financial and competitive value of the brand, allowing businesses to charge premium prices, attract loyal customers, and maintain a strong market position.