What does the word 'brand' mean?
What does the word ‘brand’ mean?
Brand refers to a business and marketing concept that helps people identify a particular company, product, or individual. Brands are intangible, which means you can't actually touch or see them. They help shape people's perceptions of companies, their products, or individuals.
Branding in its earliest form dates back to around 2000BC and was purely used to depict ownership. Farmers would brand their cattle to make them stand out from other livestock, and craftsmen would imprint symbols onto their goods to signify their origins. However, as time has progressed, branding has become a way for companies to market themselves and establish a bond of trust with potential customers.
Consumers love brands that act in more human and personal ways as they want an emotional connection; a relationship consisting of loyalty, honesty, and reliability. Brands have become one of the ways that people define themselves because they are buying into an emotional feeling.
So if a brand is defined as a set of emotions conveyed through visuals and messaging, how can you as a company connect and convey this message?
Define your core values. How do you want to be perceived? How do you want your customers to feel when they buy your product or services? Categorize values into related groups, identify the central theme and choose your top core values.
Create your messaging and visuals for your brand. What’s your brand story? What headlines and copy will you use on your website? What tone of voice do you use when posting on social media?
Consider the image you want to portray using your brand identity, photography, graphics, and any other visual component that your company needs. Colours and typography evoke feelings of emotion so use them wisely, and if you don’t know how to then hire an expert.Consistently weave your message and visuals through every touch point of your company. You’ve heard me talking about how a consistent brand creates trust and loyalty. There is no point in defining your core values, writing the perfect copy and designing a stunning brand identity if you don’t use them correctly and consistently.
When I design your brand identity I will give you a brand style guide containing the specifications on everything that plays a role in the look and feel of your brand–everything from typography and colour to logos and imagery. This will enable you to communicate your brand message and stay consistent.
I can help you to weave your core values, messaging, and visuals throughout your company and online presence. I use a collaborative creative process to clarify your vision and bring it to life. The result is a captivating visual identity that reflects your brand’s personality, telling one cohesive story across all your touchpoints.
You can schedule a call with me, ask me questions and I will explain how I can help you to elevate your business. For more information on our brand identity and website design packages click HERE.
