One of the most common misconceptions about branding, and something that I and my colleagues run into time and time again, is the notion that “the brand is the logo.” While the logo of a company, product, or service is certainly an important element, it is still only a part of a varied and complex whole of a brand.

One of my favorite quotes on the subject of branding is from Robert Friedman, President of Classic Media, who held a variety of key executive positions at AOL from 1991 to 2003:

“. . . in the truest sense, the synonym for brand is ‘reputation.’ It’s the power of a blend of ideas, a sense of identity, and it helps consumers make decisions in a crowded marketplace.”

When you look at your brand as your reputation, it’s easy to see that your brand involves more than your logo — it involves every touch point your product or company has with your audiences. And every touch point can positively or negatively affect how your customers make the decision of whether to buy, respond, or be influenced.

These touch points can include:

• the brand logo and identity
• the brand name
• the brand message
• the product packaging
• the information in communications materials
• the tone of communications
• the performance of the product or service
• the quality of customer service
• the courtesy of delivery personnel
• the physical environment of stores or offices
• the public statements made by the CEO
• the receptionist’s tone of voice when she answers the phone
• the comments overheard in headquarters hallways by visitors
• the relationship the company has with employees

and everything else the company does, internally and externally, that is witnessed by the world audience.

A reputation is a valuable commodity. Dictionary.com includes the following as definitions for “reputation”:

• the estimation in which a person or thing is held, esp. by the community or the public generally
• good name
• a favorable and publicly recognized name or standing for merit, achievement, reliability, etc.

Try substituting the word “reputation” for the word “brand” the next time you’re considering the importance of your brand. You may need more vigilance in the brand management area than you thought.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, March 11th, 2007 at 12:32 pm and is filed under Brand Basics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.