12 Basic Branding Terms You Should Know

Every business would love to have a cool brand for itself. A brand that is recognised, liked, and valued by people.

But to build or maintain a successful brand, we must understand the basics.

Here are some brand-related buzzwords that everyone should know.

1. Brand

A brand is how people recognise an organisation or business based on their experience with the said organisation.

In other words, it’s the ideas and feelings that people have about a business, which distinguish it from the competition.

2. Branding

Branding refers to the tools and strategies a business uses to influence the way people view and think about its brand. Branding shapes customers’ perceptions of a brand by uncovering and defining the essence of a brand through voice and visuals - from marketing materials to the website and beyond.

3. Brand Assets

Brand assets are elements that help a person identify a specific brand. These would include (but may not always be limited to) the logo, icons, colours, fonts, and packaging.

A brand asset must be recognisable, reinforce the brand identity, and automatically be associated with the brand. Here are Toastmasters International’s brand assets:?

4. Brand Attributes

Brand attributes are words or adjectives that are used to describe an organisation or business.

These serve as a guide for anyone who represents an organisation or communicates on its behalf. Brand attributes are yet another opportunity to accurately represent an organisation and distinguish its brand from the competition.

Here’s what Toastmasters stands for -

5. Brand Awareness

Brand awareness refers to how familiar the public or consumers are with a brand.

Strong branding makes a business known to the public. Brand awareness is significant because consumers can’t consider purchasing from a brand if they’re unaware of it.

6. Brand Identity

Brand identity is the personality of a business or an organisation. It is the promise a business makes to its customers.

Brand identity typically comprises an organisation’s values, how it communicates its products or services, and what it wants people to feel when they interact with that brand.

This is Toastmasters brand personality?-

7. Brand Positioning

It is the foundation of a brand.

The unique position of a brand in the market, and the statement that encompasses this position, support everything a brand does in the market.

The brand positioning statement is very concise and is often referred to as a tagline or a mission statement. It conveys what the company stands for, the values it provides, and the target audience.

Here is what Toastmasters' brand positioning statement says -

8. Brand Management

Strong branding requires consistent upkeep and that is what brand management entails.

It refers to the process of creating and maintaining a brand’s tangible elements - style guide, packaging, colour palette - and the intangible ones - how it's perceived by the target audience and customer base.

9. Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is how well a consumer or target audience recognises and identifies a brand through the brand logo, tagline, jingle, packaging, or advertising. That is why Toastmasters clubs, areas, divisions, or districts cannot have their own logo or tagline. It dilutes the Toastmasters brand, impacts brand recall, and breaks the brand promise.?

10. Brand Valuation

Brand valuation is the commercial valuation of a brand derived from consumer perception, recognition, and trust. This may also be referred to as brand equity.

Strong branding can increase a business’ value and make it invaluable to investors, shareholders, and potential buyers.

11. Brand Strategy

Brand strategy is a long-term plan for the growth of a successful brand so that it achieves its business objectives.

Brand strategy affects all aspects of a business and is connected to consumer needs, emotions, the competitive landscape, and changing market situations.

12. Brand Guidelines

Brand guidelines help maintain the integrity of a brand logo and brand.

They outline the specifications of the brand colours, fonts, logo, and their usage, photography styles, illustration styles, and other unique design elements.

Brand guidelines ensure that all marketing materials and communications align seamlessly with a brand.

Brand guidelines help maintain accuracy in brand representation and consistency, which helps build trust between a business and its target audience.

To know more about the Toastmasters brand guidelines, please refer to the Toastmasters brand manual.

This article first appeared in District 73 Toastmasters' monthly newsletter in May 2022. The link to the newsletter is here -?https://bit.ly/3P2awER.