Why It’s Important to Define Brand Values for an Organization?

Cambridge Dictionary defines branding as "The act of providing a company with a particular design or symbol for the promotion of its products and services". Not so long ago, the branding was pretty precise – at least the overall consensus at that time.

Branding is (and is still) misunderstood by being reduced to its aesthetic component: visual identity. For many – the name, the logo, design, packaging, etc., is still about visual identity. Moreover, while branding has evolved enormously over many years, even high-level marketers are preaching the same old vision of branding.

The branding of a business is more important than you could think. Your brand may appear on the outside to consist only of items such as logos and colors, but in fact your brand is your entire business identity. It’s the personality of your brand!

Branding has always been a key part of business, but now more than ever. Consumers are exposed to new brands every day with social media. For consumers with plenty of choices and research capable of finding the best, this may be great, but it does make it harder for companies.

The concept is made much more sense when we dive deeper into its meaning. Here is a rough breakdown:

1. The continuous process

Because it never stops, branding is an ongoing process. People, markets and enterprises are changing constantly and the brand needs to evolve to stay fast.

2. Identifying, creating, managing

There is a structured process to branding, firstly, you need to identify who/what you want your stakeholders to be, develop your brand strategy and manage everything that will affect your positioning.

3. Cumulative assets and measures

The position of your stakeholders has to be translated into assets (e.g. visual identities, content, products, advertising) and measures (e.g., service, customer support, human relationships, experience).

4. Brand awareness

Also referred to as reputation. This is the association with your brand that an individual (customer or not) thinks of. This is the result of the process of branding (or lack thereof).

5. Stakeholders

Customers are not the only people who create an insight into your brand. Possible clients, existing clients, employees, shareholders and business partners are part of the stakeholders involved. Each creates its own perception and interacts accordingly with the brand.

Let's make something straight: it builds up reputation whether the enterprise does or doesn't. The result can be a good or bad reputation. Understanding and using branding only means taking the reins and trying to control the reputation. That's why branding from the start of your business should be considered…read more