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What is Branding – Part 2

Tags: blog en branding

El logo no tiene por qué comunicar, pero sí identificar

In the first part of this series, we explored what branding is and identified a key factor for measuring the effectiveness of a strategy: creating a charismatic brand that facilitates purchase decisions.

However, charisma is a challenging quality to control. To generate and measure it effectively, Marty Neumeier—a guru in brand design and corporate identity—proposes mastering the five disciplines of branding. In this article, we’ll dive into the first: Differentiation.

How can we differentiate ourselves?

Differentiation is essential for any business. This discipline can be measured directly and precisely by answering three key questions:

Who are you?, What do you do?, Why does it matter?. Let’s take an example:

The first question is easy to answer: “We are Forta Ferreteros, a hardware store in southeastern US.”.

The second is a bit more complex: “We sell tools and supplies for DIY projects, construction, and household needs”.

The third is the most difficult: “Because everyone needs tools for work and home improvement.” (Okay, but every hardware store sells tools.) “We offer better service.” (Sure, but every business claims that.) “We have a wide catalog of tools.” (Alright, but I only need one specific tool.) “We are experts and know more than other hardware stores.” (Interesting, but prove it.)

If you can’t provide a compelling and convincing answer to why your business matters, one that makes your audience see you as irresistible, then you don’t yet have a fully realized brand.

Keep It Simple

After answering these questions and identifying potential weaknesses, it’s tempting to try adding more products or services to your catalog to appear more competitive. However, this often complicates operations and distracts from addressing a specific niche in the market.

The solution? Specialize. Differentiation works because our brains operate in a similar way—they filter out irrelevant information. When the brain identifies something valuable and specific to its needs, it categorizes and remembers it.

El logo no tiene por qué comunicar, pero sí identificar

This characteristic, along with the rise of a mass personalization economy, has forced marketing to shift its focus—from highlighting features to emphasizing benefits, experiences, and a sense of belonging to a social group or tribe. Selling has evolved from saying “what it has” to “what it does,” to “how it feels,” and ultimately, “who you are.”

While the benefits and features of a product or service remain important to consumers, personal identity has become paramount.

The importance of tribalism

The term Globalization has been in use since the 1960s, representing the idea of a world without borders or divisions, where everyone, regardless of geographic location, is part of an interconnected economic framework. However, this vision never fully materialized, and it’s unlikely to happen in the future.

Instead, what exists is a global communication network through which we can learn about life in other regions and stay informed, without significantly altering or impacting our local reality.

Contrary to the first version of globalization, divisions are essential. They provide a sense of security, a defined space where people feel they belong, creating a sense of community—a tribe.

A brand, therefore, seeks to recreate this feeling: the sensation that you are part of something larger than yourself.

El logo no tiene por qué comunicar, pero sí identificar

Focus Is the Key to Differentiation

Focus is the most important quality in branding. A brand that fails to focus on something specific and recognizable is destined to be forgotten and unrecognizable.

Focusing can be difficult. As mentioned earlier, keeping things simple often goes against our instincts when trying to appeal to a broader range of potential customers.

However, it’s crucial to remember that it’s better to be number one in a small niche than number four in a large market.

As the fourth option, you may have to lower the price of your product or service to remain competitive. In contrast, being the top choice in a smaller sector allows you to set prices that give you a greater profit margin. As number one, it’s far less likely that anyone will question your value or pricing.

Now that you know how to differentiate yourself, we’ll discuss the second discipline of branding in our third article. See you then!

In the meantime, if you’re looking to develop a branding strategy for your business, contact us—we specialize in branding and brand management.

Entra en contacto con nosotrosGet in touch with us

Autor:Author:

Miguel Espinosa

Fecha de publicación:Publication date:

19 de enero de 2022

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