Grunge Brand

My background combo of advertising, design, and marketing often puts me in a somewhat unique position when it comes to any of points of intersection in these three areas (which should happen all the time). It’s no wonder that I’ve been led into the world of branding. I’ve found a great passion in branding, because it is the ultimate convergence of these three areas + the consumer.

With that said, I’d like to start writing more on the subject of a branding, and what a better way to start than by taking a look at how some of the industry’s gurus define brand.

A brand reflects the special relationship and bond we forge with our customers. It is a constellation of values that goes beyond physical attributes to include intangibles (that have tangible value) and, importantly, customer perceptions. It is what distinguishes Starbucks from the commodity coffee, Gillette Sensor from razor blades, and American Express Platinum Card from credit cards.

    – Richard D. Czerniawski & Michael W. Maloney, Creating Brand Loyalty

 

A brand exists in your mind. It’s a collection of associations or feelings people have about a particular product, service, or an organization. It’s what makes Evian pure even before you read the label. It’s why a FedEx envelope gets opened before anything with a postage stamp.

    – Allen P. Adamson, BrandSimple

 

A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or organization. That’s my short definition. The brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what they say it is.

    – Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap

 

A brand is an expectation of someone or something delivering a certain feeling by way of an experience.

    – Tom Asacker, A Clear Eye for Branding

 

My definition of brand is pretty short: A brand is a short-cut that connects the consumer-mind to a product, service or company. 

It’s that first, quick, burst of emotion that’s stirred up when a person thinks about a product, service or company.

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What’s your definition of brand?