What is branding?

Most people think branding is a modern concept, but its origins date back thousands of years. Folks have been branding their cattle for centuries. Craftsmen would print symbols on their goods to indicate their origins. Since the beginning, a brand differentiates and adds prestige of reputation. Businesses run correctly need this to fully flourish.

THE OLDEST BRAND: The origins of Stella Artois can be traced to 1366 when the Den Hoorn brewery was established in Leuven, Belgium. Local brewer Sebastian Artois bought the brewery in 1708 and renamed it after himself. The word Stella, meaning “star” in Latin, was not added to the name until the company released its first seasonal beer, the Christmas Star, in 1926. However, despite numerous shifts in management over hundreds of years, the original horn logo has not changed. The same horn that once beckoned travelers in Belgium is still prominently featured in the current Stella Artois brand. Your brand is the set of emotions and perceptions that you intentionally cultivate around your business, which you constantly communicate to your customers through visual and verbal cues.

In short, branding is a way to identify your products or services from other businesses.

Why is Branding Important?

Branding is like the first domino in front of a line of all the other pieces you have lined up in your business. Time spent working on your branding efforts is going to positively affect everything else in your business.

There was a study done that says that 95% of human decisions are made on a subconscious level. That’s why being intentional about branding is so important.

Branding speaks to the subconscious both visually and verbally. Your logo, color palette, unique brand language, mission, values, etc., reach the subconscious and ultimately makes people decide if they like you or not.

Brand awareness is how easy it is for people to recall your brand name and products or services. It’s like saying you need a Kleenex when what you actually are referring to is a tissue. But, brand awareness is also more than just knowing a brand exists. It’s also the character traits people associate with your brand.

Your branding is the basic framework of your company's culture and structure. Build it well and the rest will follow.