Branding has become a popular term. For generations, however, the process of branding has been a basic element of product marketing. A brand identifies the seller or the producer of a product. A brand can be a name, a term, a trademark, a logo, a symbol, a design, or a combination of all. The objective of a brand is to identify the products of one provider in a way that differentiates them from their competitors. Branding is especially important with products that are considered a “commodity” like toothpaste, gasoline or computer disks.
Successful brands are easily identifiable. This is measured by their level of brand awareness, and is most notable when a single symbol or logo is highly recognizable on its own. Consistent advertising with a targeted and clear theme can be one of the most dramatic testimonies to successful advertising. Once brands are established and recognized, they communicate various levels of meaning. Brands seek to describe a product’s attributes, benefits, values, and personality in a way that connects with the targeted user.
Multiple aspects of a product, the organization, and its customers can be “understood” by a brand. Brand identity can be developed through sheer exposure rather than via an intuitive connection. For example, the association of a double-tailed mermaid with specialty coffee drinks is a highly recognizable symbol for a market leader like Starbucks, largely resulting through repeated and successful exposure. Part of the branding strategy involves how to assign brands. So, a producer must decide whether to assign brand names to: all of the offerings; each line of offerings; or individual names to each offering.