Do you know the differences between branding and marketing? These two concepts are fundamental and it is important to be very clear about who is who. I’ll tell you in 5 tips.
Both branding (brand management) and marketing are tools to establish relationships with customers and boost sales. But both concepts involve very different processes and strategies. Understanding the difference is vital to achieve your objectives in the most efficient way possible.
Tip 1. Branding versus marketing in the form of an analogy
Imagine that your brand is a superhero. As such, it has a distinctive appearance, personality, goals and superpowers. By following a path of self-improvement, the superhero becomes more involved, stronger, more famous and more sought after.
In this sense, the superhero draws up plans, chooses his weapons and allies and designs a map of the actions he is going to face according to the objectives. This is marketing.
Tip 2. Why versus how
A brand is an image and a set of specific expectations in the consumer’s mind. Marketing, on the other hand, is a way of telling the world things about the brand. Therefore, branding is the answer to why, while marketing is the answer to how.
Despite their differences, branding and marketing are closely intertwined and correlated. As the company grows, the brand remains focused on its unique goals and values. Marketing, on the other hand, changes along with market trends and audience demands.
Tip 3. The brand always comes first, the rest comes after
Branding creates the company’s image that distinguishes it from its competitors. It establishes the visual identity. This image comprises two crucial elements: the conceptual and the visual. Understanding what comes first and knowing how to prioritize helps to see things in perspective and plan actions efficiently.
There is no marketing without branding. It may seem obvious, however, many companies tend to launch marketing strategies when their brand is still tender, unpolished and not attractive enough. This leads to failures, cost overruns and no-win situations when marketing a product or service with a poor brand.
The brand feeds the marketing, the marketing feeds the brand. It is not possible to build a perfect brand before promoting it. We must do both at the same time. However, being aware of where the brand is in terms of growth at any given time is key. This way, we will be able to identify the most pressing issues, determine the scope of work and choose the right strategy.
Tip 4. Branding cannot survive without marketing
It doesn’t matter how perfect a brand is. No one will know it without a good marketing process. The brand needs to know how to convey its information in a way that attracts the best possible audience.
A good brand always drives marketing. And vice versa, a bad brand can render all marketing efforts useless.
Tip 5. There are differences, but there is also correlation
Knowing how to differentiate between the two concepts is fundamental to evaluate the current state of both areas. Knowing the correlation between branding and marketing actions will help us understand everything.
Evaluating the current state of the brand and the efficiency of the brand helps to elaborate a marketing strategy. The more developed the brand is, the better the strategy design will be.
Few people would say yes to a boring and unknown brand. Therefore, the key is to be an attractive and charming brand first, and then introduce yourself. In turn, starting to be a well-known and recognized brand will bring new ideas and determine points of improvement.
Photo credit: Pinterest
