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I recently read an interesting discussion thread on LinkedIn (which I recommend you join by the way) in which people were answering the simple question: What is branding?

It was interesting to see the range of answers. They touched on the issues around price, design and availability. Others seemed to think it was generated from the customers rather than the organisation. Some seemed to suggest that it was a much more emotional connection with people’s heart. Some talk about adding value to your product and how it differentiates you from your competitors. Others see it as something that will you will pay you a premium for, while other questioned why you’d ever want to do it with something cheap (I guess Asda, Wall Mart, Tesco et al have also missed the point).

Lots of people seemed to write about what brands do and don’t do, but most people failed to answer the question ‘what is branding?’
Now I’m not saying I’m a master marketer or brander, I’m not the brand evangelist and I am not the last word in defining all things conceptual. What I do know is that I didn’t get a clear understanding of what people thought branding actually was.

Ok the easy part is to pick apart other people’s thoughts and definitions. Time to state my position: Put simply, branding is the identity you give your organisation and the voice you use to communicate with your customers.

From this everything else comes: Price, position, marketing channels, logo, usp you name it, sometime your product. Once you have your identity and your voice then you bring your product into alignment.
In the luxury field, perception is everything and everything is perception.  The brand should stem from the core of who you are (your identity), transcend everything you do (your inner voice) and represent you in the way you want to be seen (your outer voice). Think about your identity (inner and outer) and ask yourself what am I trying to say and what are my customers (inner and outer) hearing.  Somewhere in between the 2 are your brand values. Once you’ve defined them align your products, sales strategy and marketing message to this and you’re on your way to fulfilling your brands potential.

Please let me know where you stand on the subject and post your thoughts.

Having first been inspired to become a goldsmith at the age of 16, Malcolm Betts has pursued his craft ever since. Over eight years of study and training, he refined a distinctive style that has run through his professional work to this day.
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