When you think of your favorite brand, what comes to mind? Probably a logo, words, colors, a feeling, a price point, and so on.
A brand is really a promise. You know what you’re going to get with a well-branded product. Brands with well-established promises include:
Nordstrom: Great customer service
McDonald’s: Fast, inexpensive and good food (especially the fries)
Volvo: Safe and comfortable
Apple: Creative and cool. “Think Different”
Hallmark Cards “… you … send the very best”.
A brand is more than its logo or colors. It’s about how your customers feel about your company, what they think about when they see your name.
We’ve had several companies ask us to help them create a brand. When we ask questions about unique selling proposition (USP) or why people like their business over their competitors’, they look at us with blank stares, wondering, “What does that have to do with my brand?”.
In their minds a brand is their color scheme and all the aesthetics of the brand. That’s only a part of it.
For more details on how to create a great brand take a look my recent Forbes article, “Why A Brand Matters”.
About Lois GellerLois Geller is President and Owner of Lois Geller Marketing Group and headed agencies in New York and Toronto. Lois taught Direct Marketing at NYU. She’s the author of five marketing books, including Response: The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing. Follow @loisgeller on Twitter.
Excellent article, Lois. A brand is definitely a ‘promise’ but that ‘promise’ captures the essence of everything about the company or product… colors, logo, font, marketing pieces, corporate environment and culture… anything that represents the company and it’s brand.
Terri Maurer
Maurer Consulting Group
http://www.maurerconsultinggroup.com
What makes a brand is its promise. The promise should be kept. But the logo matters a lot, people recognise a product fast than any other aspects of it.
Well said by the American business magnate, Warren Buffett: “Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it’s not going to get the business.”
Customer satisfaction is the most important part in marketing. I agree your point that brand is not about logo, words and color.
Yes.. a brand must make sure that its customers are satisfied. Always it is not possible to satisfy each and every customer, but as a brand one must always strive for it!
Hi Lois .. I agree to your opinion about ‘the brand’ which is more than its logo or colors. I also agree to your point A brand is how your customers feel about your company. Without a logo a customer will not recognise one company. At the same time a brand must make sure that they are 100% sincere to the offer and the services they make to the customers.
Logo has a big influence to get the trust of customer to keep using your product.Creating logo is very crucial for start up business.
Your brand is a promise you make to your customers and it’s important you live up to that promise. Failing to deliver can destroy a business in the end, starting with your customer’s trust.