The concept of branding has been in existence for hundreds of years. The
origin of brands comes from the times when early cattle-rearing men stamped
their ownership on their livestock by burning a mark of their name or identity
on the cattle, to distinguish one cattle-farmer’s stock from another’s. Through
this means of differentiation, the good quality cattle could be easily identi-
fied. This crude method has translated into the trademarks and logos of today,
which forms a crucial part of the brand.
The current definition of a brand has however evolved from marks, names,
logos and shapes to elaborate marketing development and strategies. The
result is the creation of something powerful and consistent, which has the
ability to produce emotional and psychological attachment with consumers
and financial value for the brand owner.
A brand symbolizes a guarantee and credibility that assures the consumer
that what they are about to purchase will deliver its promise. The instant
recognition and definition of certain products is mainly as a result of the
brand. However, a product is not a brand and neither is a service a brand nor
a company a brand. If we were to go by the book definition of branding from
the experts, we might summarize branding as the following:
A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, design or a combination of these that is
intended to identify the product of a seller and to differentiate it from those of
competitors. It is an identifiable entity of a company’s total offerings that makes
specific and consistent promises of value, which results in an overall experience
for the consumer or anyone who comes in contact with the brand.A product is a commodity that is made in a factory, which possesses attrib-
utes and features, making it tangible. A brand is the sum of all experiences
and communications received by the consumer resulting in a distinctive
image in their mind-set based on perceived functional and emotional benefits,
which makes it intangible. This means that branding and all its associations
reside in the mind of the consumer, therefore you and I (the consumers) are
important players in the branding scenario. Products can be easily copied and
become outdated, but brands are unique and timeless.
Branding has become very prominent in the last fifty years as a core
aspect of marketing and business strategy. The concept has been stretched
beyond the product or service application level to become one of the most
important business categories. As a modern concept, branding can be applied
to anything from products and services, to companies, countries and even
individuals.
Every brand possesses the characteristics of identity, promise, value and
differentiation. These are the features that create the relationship between the
consumer and the brand. The fundamental benefit of a brand is value-creation
both for the brand owner and the consumer. From the consumer perspective
it is ‘the promise and delivery of an experience’, while from a business
chapter 1 9a question of luxury