Identification: The First Level Of Brand Development

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The answer to the question, what is a brand, depends on who you ask. That's because experience, understanding and even providence can change its significance to a business leader over time. A brand takes time to develop. So does the meaning and value of what a brand is and can do.

Let's explore this process by simplifying the many degrees of brand integration within business today into three distinct levels of brand development for easier, clearer discussion. And for this post, we'll look at Level 1: Brand as Identification.

Many leaders begin by defining a brand as basic visual identification. A name, logo and color scheme. Applied to business cards, signs, vehicles, uniforms and sales literature, it helps separate one company from another. At this level, their marketing and sales message often centers around specific features, capabilities and performance measurements in an attempt to emphasize their strengths to create a temporary competitive advantage. Temporary because their competitors are engaged in the same process, always trying to stay one step ahead. The results often vary dramatically depending on who has the upper hand at the moment. But even if industry leadership isn't always maintained, consistent use of brand identification, a competitive sales message and reasonable performance can, in time, produce a positive expectation in the minds of the company's prospects and customers.

Depending on competitor aggressiveness, company growth objectives and good fortune, some companies never develop their brand beyond basic visual identification.

Read about the other two levels of brand development now.

If you want to talk to someone about taking your brand to the next level, contact us today by e-mail or phone, 903-534-5220.