How does your brand feel?
A recognizable brand is more important than ever. A beautiful and sleek appearance is not enough in this regard. A successful brand evokes emotions. Those emotions cause a positive - or negative - reaction to a brand, and that determines your customer's brand experience and brand loyalty. If you do it right, your customers will fall a little bit in love with your brand. But how do you actually ensure that, and how does brand management contribute to that?
A brand is more than a logo
When talking about brand management or brand management, it is good to first take a good look at what a brand actually is. Many people think that a brand is the same as a logo. A logo is just one part of a brand's identity - visual. A brand is much more than that. A brand is the feeling, idea or image that people get when they think about specific products, services and activities of an organization, both in a practical and emotional way. That feeling is influenced by elements such as the brand name, the logo and the rest of the visual identity, the products themselves, the communications around them, as well as the staff. In short, a brand is what others think about an organization and all the associations people - not just customers - have with it.
Marketing is more than brand management
When we then move to brand management, we also see a common misconception. Many people think that brand management is the same as marketing. That too is incorrect: brand management is a part of marketing. Marketing is much more than that. According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is the activity, set of institutions and processes for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging value propositions (products, services, services and benefits) that have value for customers, partners and society as a whole. Brand management is part of this. It is an active process by which you develop, direct and manage the appearance of your brand - both externally and within your organization.
A good brand requires maintenance
That brand you have developed must also be maintained. In this sense, the term "brand management" is somewhat misleading. It's not just about management, it's also about maintenance. The brand experience has to stand like a house, so you have to regularly ask yourself if it still evokes the right association, if it is still of this day and age. If that is not the case, you have to make adjustments. Of course, you also have to think about the future of your brand. Where do you want to be in five, ten or fifteen years? And above all: what do you have to do now to get there?
Brand perception varies by person and over time
Of course, brand perception also depends on who faces your brand and what their purpose is with it. For some, Coca-Cola is the only Coke that makes it to the refrigerator; others may prefer Pepsi-Cola or one of the other nearly one hundred brands of Coke out there. But also, a consumer will have a different brand experience with a cola brand than a bartender who mixes cocktails night after night. Certain mixes call for a different type of cola than Coca-Cola. Time also plays a role. Just a few years ago, gin was a - excuse my French - stale drink. Today, gin is more popular than ever.
Brand management increasingly complex
Brand management goes beyond product branding alone. Your service branding - the service surrounding your brand, including things like return policies - is just as important. And above all, don't forget employer branding. Your employees must also radiate what you want your brand to radiate. That can be a challenge with more remote work, but challenges are there to be overcome. Finally, you still have to deal with personal branding. After all, you also have an image as a person and as an entrepreneur. So brand management involves a lot of aspects, and managing them is becoming increasingly complex. Fortunately, today there are technologies to help you do that. This keeps your brand super recognizable and your brand experience consistent.
Curious?
Do you want to get started with our Brand Management solutions? Wondering how Comrads can support your organization to more efficiently manage, communicate and share all your digital assets, brand files, content and media? Download our DAM guide about the advantages of Digital Asset Management or request a no-obligation demo right away. We like to think along with you. Now and in the future.