Branding is a broad term that is often associated with visual identity. Indeed, visual identity is one of the things that come under branding but there is more to it. Branding refers to the strategy that is in place in order to create a visual and emotional image that stakeholders establish when they look or think of a brand. 

When we talk about stakeholders, we do not refer only to customers but also to employees, shareholders, business partners, potential customers, the community at large. These are people who will associate certain characteristics to a brand based on branding.

Branding

Why Is Branding Important?

Branding is important for any business because it helps to create a unique identity about a product, whether it is tangible or intangible, a company or any organization. Branding helps to distinguish a business from its competition.

This is important especially if there are many businesses operating in the same sector. By creating a unique identity, one can influence the perception that stakeholders have about a brand and also make it memorable to them. Branding also helps to build the reputation of a company.

In order to brand a business, we must look at both the visual and emotional aspects. This is done by developing strategies that will cover the following (include but not limited to):

• Name of the brand
• The product
• Logo
• Design
• Packaging
• Advertising
• Customer service
• Human relations
• Marketing
• Social Media

How Do Trends Influence Branding?

Branding has to be continuous in order to be effective. This is because trends are constantly changing and markets, people and businesses are evolving all the time. 

Example: The Cosmetics Industry

Let’s look at the cosmetics industry as an example. Many cosmetics manufacturers have changed the formulation of their products and are shifting towards vegan and eco-friendly alternatives. Many cosmetics companies have also stopped animal testing on their products.

Veganism has emerged as a new lifestyle over the years and more and more people are becoming vegan. Furthermore, people are also conscious about the environment. These have influenced consumption patterns.

As a result, many well-established brands such as Dove no longer test their products on animals in order to keep up with consumption patterns. Moreover, newer brands such as The Ordinary and Elf Cosmetics are known for offering solely vegan cosmetics. 

By keeping up with the current trends, brands are able to stay relevant. From the above example, it can also be seen that the actions of a company can influence the reputation and change the perception of a brand by stakeholders. 

The Impact of Branding

Branding adds value to a business by creating a positive impression in stakeholders’ minds. As a result, customers develop a sense of trust and familiarity towards that brand and through word of mouth, they can promote the brand to their peers.

Employees develop pride for the company they work for and will in turn be more involved and provide better services to customers. They will act as the brand’s ambassador in that way. Overall, many people will develop a sense of loyalty towards a brand. 

Developing a strategy is a complex task that involves a lot of research and understanding of the market. At Pro.Duce, we reunite multiple talents from marketers, illustrators, designers, strategists and more. We are involved in branding and have worked with different businesses across the world, developing their brand identity and branding strategies. 

If you are looking for branding services such as logo creation and design, branding strategies, marketing packaging, etc. Give us a call on 5251 0811 or 268 1880.