Defining a Brand
A brand consists of any name, term, design, style, words, symbols or any other feature that distinguishes the goods and services of one seller from another. A brand also distinguishes one product from another in the eyes of the customer. All of its elements (i.e., logo, color, shape, letters, images) work as a psychological trigger or stimulus that causes an association to all other thoughts we have about this brand. Tunes, celebrities, and catchphrases are also oftentimes considered brands.
Coca-Cola Brand Logo
The Coca-Cola logo is an example of a widely-recognized trademark and global brand.
History
The word "brand" is derived from the Old Norse 'brand' meaning "to burn," which refers to the practice of producers burning their mark (or brand) onto their products. Italians are considered among the first to use brands in the form of watermarks on paper in the 1200s. However, in mass-marketing, this concept originated in the 19th century with the introduction of packaged goods.
During the Industrial Revolution, the production of many household items, such as soap, was moved from local communities to centralized factories to be mass-produced and sold to the wider market. Illiteracy was still prevalent and packing crates were handled by stevedores who couldn't read. Factories branded their logo or insignia on the barrels used and the logo of the companies to which the cargo was being shipped. This allowed the products to be delivered to the proper location. The meaning of "brand" extended to that of the trademark symbol, and communicated to retailers and their customers that mass produced products should be trusted as much as local competitors. Campbell Soup, Coca-Cola , Juicy Fruit gum, Aunt Jemima, and Quaker Oats were among the first U.S. products to be "branded. "
Connotations
A successful brand can create and sustain a strong, positive, and lasting impression in the mind of a consumer. Brands provide external cues to taste, design, performance, quality, value and prestige if they are developed and managed properly. Brands convey positive or negative messages about a product, along with indicating the company or service to the consumer, which is a direct result of past advertising, promotion, and product reputation.
A brand can convey up to six levels of meaning:
- Attributes: The Mercedes-Benz brand, for example, suggests expensive, well-built, well-engineered, durable, high-prestige automobiles.
- Benefits: attributes must be translated into functional and emotional benefits.
- Values: Mercedes stands for high performance, safety, and prestige.
- Culture: Mercedes represents German culture, organized, efficient, high quality.
- Personality: the brand projects a certain personality.
- User: the brand suggests the kind of consumer who buys and uses the product.