There are so many misconceptions of branding even though there are so many definitions and branding quotes. A brand is NOT just a logo and a tagline. It is a more abstract concept that is evolving over time. What a brand was in the 90s is completely different from what it is today and future shifts in technology or culture will also lead to new ways to build a brand and definitions of branding. Below I have listed my top 5 branding quotes to help you understand it better as well as how it creates value for both businesses and consumers.
1.) “A brand is a persons gut feeling about a product, service, or organization.”
~ Marty Neumier, Brand Gap
This definition by Marty Neumier is number one on my list because of how he captures the emotional aspect of branding. You can’t control how people feel but branding refers to the steps that are taken to influence it over time. That is why empathy is so important to understand how your customers think and feel because your customers buy based on gut emotions and impulse before rationalizing their decisions with logic.
2.) “Brands are powerful assets for creating desire, shaping experience and shifting demand.”
~ Rick Wise, Lippincott
This definition emphasizes the potential that branding has at a macro level. Your brand is your company’s strongest asset and without it you are selling a commodity. This quote outlines 3 goals or benefits of branding:
- Creating Desire: There are many ways to create desire through branding. However, the most important factor that helps brands create desire is customer empathy.
- Shaping Experience: Your brand can be seen as an experience in the customers mind as he/she navigates across different touchpoints both online and offline. Every point of interaction with a brand has the potential to shape the holistic experience positively or negatively. Future innovations in technology will also lead to even more platforms for a brand to connect with customers and make the experience more immersive and seamless.
- Shifting Demand: By understanding your customers motivations and desires a brand can raise demand for a product or service.
1.) “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
~ Jeff Bezos, Amazon
This definition emphasizes the reputation that brands strive to build. If a company is not clear about how they want to be perceived then the customers will form their own false perceptions of the company over time. Your brand becomes what others say about you or your company. It is not based on what you claim but on what you imply or convey.
4.) “Products are made in the factory but brands are created in the mind.”
~ Walter Landor, Landor Associates
This definition shifts the focus of branding from the selling of a tangible product or service to more of a memorable experience in the mind of the customer. It can also be seen as a story unfolding in the customers mind with your brand as the hero.
5.) “Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time.”
~ Elon Musk, Tesla Motors
This definition emphasizes the long-term benefits of brand building. Brands should consider the long term perception they are trying to create as well as the reality and how they intersect. It can also be seen as a form of self-fulfilling prophecy in which reality is shaped in the mind.
What great quotes on branding can you remember? If you enjoyed this article on brand building then click here to learn about how you can position a brand for success.
