What Does "Branding" Even Mean?
Branding. Is it your logo, your aesthetic, your social media accounts?
Yes. Branding is all of these things – and then some. It goes far deeper than just the aspects you see.
Obviously, there is the visual aspect of your brand. The part of things that I make a living crafting. But that visual component is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Yes, the term “branding” is most often used to refer to the combination of elements that make up the visual identity of an organization. However, without the intangible supporting elements, your branding will fall flat on its face.
Strong brands, much like memorable people, interact with you in such a way that you know exactly who they are and what they stand for. So how exactly do we define “branding”?
Branding is a form of self-expression. A brand is a reflection of an internal identity. Brands create impressions in exactly the same way that our clothing, accents, opinions, careers, and decisions combine to paint a picture of who we are as individuals. The logo, color palette, type treatments, tone of voice, and various other elements of your branding combine to create an overall experience or impression of the meaning behind your brand.
The single most important part of building a brand is identifying its core values.
Let’s go back to our self-expression metaphor. There are certain ideals you stand for as a person - and normally three or so that rise about the rest as being of upmost importance. I believe that branding your business involves a parallel process. You must identify three core values that drive what it is you do. These should then be used as the standard by which you brand your business. In order to create a strong and recognizable brand, everything you do must tie back to those core values. You visual identity, every customer touch point, even your target audience should reflect those three ideals. Once you master that art, you’ve earned the right to consider yourself a branding expert.
“Branding” is, at its core, an experiential reflection of an organization’s core values.
There you have it, the definition of branding. It’s relatively easy to explain and far more difficult to practice. What are your organization’s core values and what steps have you taken to ensure your brand reflects them?