A brand or corporate identity, serves to create associations and expectations among products made by a producer. A brand often includes an explicit logo design, font and typography structure, color schemes and symbols which can be used across all marketing materials. This corporate identity system shows the difference between the conceptual and technical borders of a sign as the identity, and an organized system of signs and visual structures. The creation of an identity program is beyond the design of simple signs. Corporate identity involves a company’s logo and design strategy, and is merely a component of an overall brand strategy. When all of these components come together, a memorable brand is created. If you have ever purchased something after seeing a commercial for it on television or after seeing a print ad for the product, than you already know just how effective this strategy can be.

Brand identity is a basic requirement for any company, product or service to launch itself into the branding roadmap. Every company should have a basic but well-researched brand portfolio that describes what the brand is and what it stands for. This model is based on the idea that brand identity is managed. Positive brand image that ensures a competitive advantage is build up when conveying brand identity to consumers efficiently and employing particular strategies of positioning. This identity is the most outward expression of the brand. It serves to distinguish your brand from its rivals while affirming market position.

Who do you want to be as a corporation. What values do you want your corporation to adopt and promote. When people think of your corporation, what would you like their first thoughts to be. When you are developing your corporate identity, these are some of the initial things that you should be thinking about. Your competition is working hard to develop their own unique branding and marketing strategy, which is why it only makes sense to work twice as hard to develop yours.

Agencies begin with a product, defined as something that is produced to function and exists in reality, or simply the idea for a product, and brainstorm to come up with brand qualities. These are the feelings, expectations, thoughts, and associations generated by a product. For example, a kitchen cleaning product creates very different thoughts, feelings, and expectations than a bag of dog food. The kitchen cleaner makes one visualize a clean kitchen, while the dog food creates images of healthy, happy dogs.

Brands speak to the needs of the consumer or audience. If you have dry, damaged hair, you will probably search for a shampoo that is specially formulated for your hair type. But which one will you purchase? This is where the concept of brand recognition comes into play. If a product has been properly branded and marketed, then you will associate it with clean, hydrated, healthy hair. You may remember the commercial that you saw for the product, or the packaging may be aesthetically pleasing to you, or maybe the jingle for the product is still stuck in your head. Either way, you choose one product over all of the others on the shelf and put it in your cart, usually without even realizing why you have decided to do so.

Brand identity marketing strategies are geared towards the concept of the brand as a valuable asset. A brand, unlike a product, does not have physical attributes. This means that the physical attributes of the brand must be shaped in the mind of the consumer, sometimes even before they see the actual, tangible product. You may have a clear picture of what XYZ shampoo is, based on the commercial that you saw, before you actually see a bottle of it in person. Maybe you remember the images of the models in the commercial with healthy, bouncy hair, or maybe it was the image of the poor woman with frizzy, fried hair who had hair just like the models by the end of the commercial spot. Either way, XYZ shampoo is on its way home with you, thanks to the power of brand identity marketing.

To avoid, or minimize, that risk, it is essential for your company to create a broad and lasting awareness in the minds of your target audience. How do you do this? By maintaining a strong brand presence that is constantly being exposed to your audience, and in a consistent format.

Branding is the act of exposing prospects to your name, logo, tagline, etc. By exposing new and current customers to your brand on a frequent basis, you are maximizing the potential that you are top of mind for these customers when they are ready to purchase the product or service that you offer. With the right ad campaign, not only will your customers know who you are, but they will actively seek out your brand to purchase.

For best results a business needs to expose each prospect to the same ad impression three times within a week. By running a very strong campaign over the course of a month you can easily create a very lasting effect on the people you would like to have as your customers. Studies show that a prospect needs to be exposed to the same ad impression three times within a week to make an impact. This does not mean they need to see the same medium, but it does mean the exposure needs to be consistent. It is important to maintain continuity through use of the same logo, business name and/or tagline in all of your promotions.

Once the brand has been created, the next step is to develop an ad campaign that will have the highest reach to your target audience. This could consist of anything from television, radio, or print to websites, online marketing, and so on. To reach the results you are looking for, contact Dailey Marketing Group today.

So what impact does this have on customers wanting to conduct business with your company? How does this affect your company’s brand identity? How do you bridge the gap between your brand image and your brand identity? Why is this a good time to relook at your company’s brand?

It is more important now than ever to do so. Customers and prospective customers looking to use your services or buy your products need to know if your business is going to be around for the long haul. In order to remain top of mind and create a high level of awareness, your company needs to communicate to all of your target audiences. But before you get started, you need to relook at your company’s brand. The first thing you need to do is understand your brand identity and brand image.

Brand identity is everything the company wants the brand to be seen as. It is the total promise a company makes to its customers. It may consist of features and attributes, benefits, performance, quality, service support and the values that the brand possesses. The brand can be viewed as a product, a personality, a set of values, and can influence the position it occupies in people’s minds.

Brand image, on the other hand, is the totality of consumer perceptions about your company and its brand, basically how they see it, which may not coincide with your company’s brand identity. Companies have to work hard on the consumer experience to make sure what customers see and think is what is intended by the company. Remember, branding is all about giving a relevant face to your business, no matter if you are a small “mom-and-pop” business or a Fortune 500 company. If you do not create a face to your business, the target market will soon develop one for you and it may not be the one you want. Once an impression is created, it is very difficult, and can be expensive, to change it.

How to get started improving your company’s brand.

Understand your brand image

This is the time to do a little research. First, get to know your customers–find out why your customers do business with you and continue to do so. Next, find out why previous customers are no longer working with you. Sometimes this is the most eye opening feedback a company can get.

Improve your brand identity

Many business owners might say that improving your brand identity means spending money on advertising, which requires a huge investment. This is not necessarily the case. Advertising costs depend on the size of your target market and the best medium to reach them. You do not necessarily need to invest in expensive billboards or in a full-page newspaper advertisement to reach the target market. But you do need to create a positive impact on your company’s brand by hitting the target market repeatedly. You must make sure that they remember your company when they need you the most.

Article provided to the La Quinta Chamber of Commerce – GEM Publication February 2009 page 21

http://www.lqchamber.com/pdf/gem-feb09.pdf