BRANDING VS MARKETING
19 April, 2023 / Lucy McGhie
Branding and marketing are two concepts that are often used interchangeably, but they are actually two distinct elements of a company’s overall strategy. While marketing is all about promoting a product or service, branding is the way a company portrays its values, personality, and purpose. In this blog post, we will explore the differences between branding and marketing and how they can help businesses achieve their goals.
Branding refers to the process of creating a unique name, logo, design, or symbol that distinguishes a business from its competitors. It is a long-term strategy that focuses on building a strong and consistent identity for the business. The purpose of branding is to create an emotional connection with customers, build trust, and establish a reputation for quality and reliability.
Branding is important because it helps you connect with your target audience on a deeper level. When people feel like they know and trust your brand, they are more likely to become loyal customers. They will recommend your products or services to others and even defend your brand if someone speaks ill of it.
Take, for example, Nike. Nike’s brand is all about inspiration and motivation. Their iconic “Just Do It” slogan is more than just a tagline; it’s a call to action. When people buy Nike products, they aren’t just buying shoes or clothes; they are buying into a lifestyle and a mindset. Nike’s branding has helped them create loyal fans who will go to great lengths to defend the brand.
Branding does not only affect customers, but it also makes or breaks how your employees approach their work. If you can successfully relay to them your branding strategy, they can better operate in line with these goals and know how to better help you achieve your bottom line.
It’s one way to empower employees to share the same goals and values and take pride in the same branding direction that can make everyone be on the same page. And this kind of cohesion can be a powerful driver of growth and productivity within a company.
Marketing, on the other hand, is the way Nike would promote and sell their products or services.
It is like your megaphone that gets customers’ attention and introduces your brand to the world. Marketing is everything that you do to put your brand in front of people. It could be through targeted ads, traditional billboards and brochures, TV commercials, influencer marketing, and so on.
Another way to look at it. Think of branding as the foundation of your house, and marketing as the paint and decorations. You can have a beautiful exterior, but without a solid foundation, your house will crumble. Similarly, you can have great marketing campaigns, but without a strong brand identity, your efforts will fall flat.
While branding and marketing are different, they are in fact complementary. A strong brand can make marketing efforts more effective, while effective marketing can help build brand awareness and loyalty. In other words, branding sets the foundation for marketing, and marketing helps to reinforce the brand.
One of the key differences between branding and marketing is their focus. Branding is all about building a strong identity for the business that resonates with customers. Marketing, on the other hand, is focused on selling products or services to customers.
THE RIGHT MIX offers a full suite of custom branding and marketing solutions for our clients’ needs. Contact us for a chat on how we could help you increase your exposure to your target market.