Mar 7, 2022
Branding jargon explained
Branding is a really important part of your business. Are you standing out from the crowd? Does it reflect your business values and reach the right audience?
Whether you’re re-branding or branding from scratch, it’s crucial to get it right. A branding agency can help you do this.
Remember, branding is not only about your name and logo, it’s linked to other parts of your business including your print marketing, how you communicate to your audience and even your online strategy.
We’ve explained some branding jargon so you’re familiar with the terms:
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Brand ambassador
This is the face of the brand. Back in the day, it would be the owner of the business or an endorsed celebrity humanising the brand. Nowadays, a brand ambassador could be your employees, loyal customers or anyone who is passionate about the brand.
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Brand assets
Elements including fonts, colours or any graphics that help you identify a brand. Each individual element should spark recognition but putting them all together will create the brand identity.
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Brand audit
A thorough examination of a brand to understand its strengths and weaknesses. An audit will help you identify any opportunities or anything that needs to be improved or changed.
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Brand awareness
The extent to which customers are familiar with a particular brand. Increasing brand awareness is often a goal for new brands, targeting new target markets or introducing new products or services.
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Brand guidelines
A document or instruction manual detailing the principles of the brand and how it should be used. It will provide guidance and understanding of its story, mission and vision. Brand guidelines can be for internal or external use.
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Brand identity
The visual elements and components that distinguish the brand to its intended audience. This could be the logo, tagline or colours and shapes.
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Brand positioning
Where a brand stands against others in the market. A strong brand position requires all marketing efforts to successfully make an impression on its customers.
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Brand values
The brand’s beliefs and promises that underline its purpose and guide towards its behaviour. What does your business stand for?
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Graphic style
The theme, look and feel of graphic elements that are part of the brand’s appearance.
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Icon
A small, graphic representation of a brand or if there is the use of multiple, it can be a brand’s stylistic extensions. Icons can help convey a message visually.
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Logo
A visual signifier for a brand, this could be a shape, image or text. A logo helps the customer to identify a brand, for example, Nike’s swish.
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Parent brand
The main brand that supports its subsidiary products or services by sharing its identity. The parent brand is usually well established which its sub-brand would benefit from.
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Rebranding
Revisiting a brand and changing it. This could be because of an acquisition or change in target audience or other business changes.
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Repositioning
