Digital Lab

What is a Brand?

Branding isn’t what you think it is…

It’s not a font.

It’s not a logo.

It’s not a color.

Branding is a feeling. An intangible that attracts a specific type of person to your business.

Branding is about associations

If you think of any major brand, you can instantly think of labels for them.

McDonalds = Fast/Cheap

Nike = Sports

Apple = Innovation

For the largest brands in the world, these are universal. That’s why everyone agrees on these traits.

But it wasn’t always this way for these companies, they’ve engineered this image through years of consistent effort.

McDonalds monopolized the entire supply chain around their business to make their service as fast and affordable as possible. Nike sponsored 100s of athletes and sporting events so that sports fans couldn’t get away from them. Every athlete & fan knew Nike.

Apple spent millions developing the best tech they possibly could. And when they launch something, they make sure that it’s a spectacle. Like crossing the border into the future of technology.

And the thing about all of these monolithic companies… it had nothing to do with the logo, colors, or design philosophies.

If you want to build something meaningful with your company, you need to stand for something.

Maybe more importantly you need to stand for someone.

This will push some people away from you.

But it will pull some so close that they become raving fans.

But what about the logo?

Sure, the logo is important.

It’s a brand asset. Not the brand itself.

Your logo is just a tool for prospects to identify you in the wild.

The origin of “brand” literally refers to branding cattle. When you own something you put your physical brand on it. This made it so if anyone else found your property they would treat it differently than if it were nameless.

What it’s turned into is a fascination with having the coolest-looking icons for your business.

Yet they rarely have any significant functional input on whether or not someone buys your products/services. If anything your logo means nothing without a great business & marketing behind it.

Your brand is your actions

Ultimately, the way someone thinks about your business is a manifestation of their experience with you.

How have you treated them in the past?
What do their friends say about you?
Did your solution work for them?
Did you make them happy?

All of these memories & experiences fuel your brand. The people who already know about you are the same ones who will share your brand with others. They’ll tell people why you’re great (or not). The only way you can influence what they say is through action.

Act like the type of business that you want to be known as.

The market only knows what you tell them.

If you don’t:

Say it in your sales process
Say it on your website
Say it in your content
Say it in your ads
Say it in your emails
Say it in your support
Say it in your proposals
Say it on your packaging

Then it doesn’t exist.

Act accordingly

Are you building your brand?

Click the button to start a conversation with our team, we’ll help you build something that matters.