number of consumer products and services. While that’s true, it also relates to your band.
Like it or not, and whether or not you choose to develop it, you have a brand. How well
it’s defined in the minds of your fans and other audiences is up to you.
The big question is, “What the heck is this branding stuff?” Ask ten people and,chances are, you’ll get ten different answers. The American Marketing Association, via
Wikipedia, offers us this explanation:
“The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design,
symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's goods or services as distinct from
those of other sellers.
A brand’s assets can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, color combi-
nation or slogan. For example, Coca Cola® is the name of a brand made by a particular
company.”
Back in the early days, the word branding began, by means of a red-hot iron stamp, as
a way to tell one person's cattle from another. The word brand has continued to evolve to
encompass identity—it affects the personality of a product, company or service. It is de-
fined by a perception, good or bad, that your customers or prospects have about you.”
That last line is important. Being “defined by a perception,” means that even thoughit’s your act or band and you own the brand assets such as your logo, you don’t really
own your brand. It’s really owned by your audience and lives in their minds. It’s their
perception of your band or solo act.
Your brand is significantly more than your logo. It’s the audience’s expectation of
your music, sound, stage presence and more. In fact, your brand encompasses every