WHAT EXACTLY IS A BRAND – AND WHAT IS IT NOT?
Many equate the brand with the visual identity: logo, design, colors. These are certainly important and part of the brand, but they are just the surface. A brand is actually the sum of the thoughts and feelings that arise in your target audience’s mind when they think of you. Your brand’s style, tone, behavior, values, promise, visuals, conveyed emotions, and the experience of engaging with it – all these together form the essence of your brand.
The good news: this impression is shapeable. And consciously so – this is the essence of brand building.
Building on Kotler’s official definition and refining it with my own experience, I define brand building as: The PROCESS of consciously shaping the image, impressions, emotions, and memories formed about us – through shared values, messages, style and tone, visual appearance, and behavior – in order to establish an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION with our target audience, while also DIFFERENTIATING ourselves from competitors in the market.
BRAND BUILDING – REPLACING MYTHS WITH REALITY
“Brand building is only for big companies – because it’s expensive and only pays off in the long term.”
In reality, a strong brand and great brand experience can compensate for (business, size, resource) limitations. What matters is what, where, and how much you invest.
Emotional connection enables you to compete not only on price or product features, but on impression, and to build strong customer loyalty. You may even see ‘bad’ examples: less professional competitors thrive because, as people say, their “branding” or “marketing” is spot-on.
“Brand building is only needed after a few years – until then my business profile is still evolving.”
Like it or not, from the moment you enter the market, you will be perceived as a brand. Why? Because you have a name, and people will have an impression or memory of you. And that’s what a brand is about. Isn’t it?
So it’s worth shaping your brand image consciously from day zero. As I’ve already mentioned: what matters is where you place your focus.
“Brand building is only about increasing awareness.”
The real goal is much more: to build an emotional connection, foster loyalty, clearly differentiate yourself from competitors and maintain a lasting presence in the market.
WHAT IS BRAND-CENTRIC MARKETING?
A marketing practice where every decision is based on the brand’s values, personality, and promise.
This means that everytime everywhere:
- Your communication is consistent and authentic.
- Your visual presence reflects what your brand stands for.
- Every customer interaction is aligned with your brand’s promise and messages.
Think of Nike, for example: the core message is not the product but the identity it represents.
WHAT IS NOT BRAND-CENTRIC MARKETING?
Some symptoms:
- “Everything for everyone” type communication
- Performance-only focus (conversions without brand)
- Inconsistent messaging across channels
Some consequences:
- Lack of trust
- Brand erosion
- Stalled long-term growth
BRAND-CENTRIC MARKETING FOR SMEs – WHY IS IT ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT?
Today’s markets are saturated: increasing competition, more noise, shrinking differences in products and prices. So, the deciding factor becomes the brand experience – if it isn’t already.
At the same time, consumers and buyers are increasingly conscious in their decision-making. A good brand experience makes a huge difference in this context as well.
A STRONG BRAND:
Short term:
- Differentiates you from competitors
- Enhances professional credibility
- Builds extra trust
- Boosts visibility and generates referrals
Mid term:
- Attracts leads and potential buyers
- Cultivates commitment
- Deepens customer loyalty
Long term:
- Increases sales
- Ensures strong market presence
- Enhances business resilience
THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD BRAND BUILDING – BUT WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD NOT TO DO IT.
Key takeaway: Brand-centric marketing is not a campaign – it’s a mindset. Conscious brand building is not an extra task – it is (should be) the foundation everything else is built on.
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