Branding can be defined as a name, sign, symbols, term, design, or a combination of those items that identifies a certain good or service from a particular seller.  It makes perfect sense that branding is about getting the target market to choose a certain item over a competitor’s item.  It is also about getting the buyer to understand that the particular brand offers a solution to a problem they have.

Good brands should achieve the following objectives:
-Delivers a clear message
-Confirms the credibility of the company
-Connects the buyers emotionally to the product
-Motivates the buyer to make the purchase
-Cements loyalty of the user to the item

To succeed in creating a product brand correctly, the company needs to know how to meet the wants and needs of its customers as well as potential and prospective customers.  Companies can do this by integrating branding strategies with the public at every opportunity possible.

The brand, in essence, should reside within the mind and heart of the customers, clients, company, and prospective buyers.  The branding of an item is the experience of the product as well as the perception of the item.  Some of those things a company can influence through marketing.  Other things cannot be changed no matter what the company does.

Strong brands are invaluable and the battle for the top name within the minds of customers is one that intensifies on a daily basis.  Companies need to spend a significant amount of time researching, defining, and then building their brands.  Once the brand is everything it promises to be, it can be presented to the customer.  Branding is a foundational piece of any marketing communication and it is something no company should be without.

Brand Packaging

Since branding is the overall identity of the company in the marketplace, the packaging of any items underneath the brand is very important.  The packaging is the image the company is putting out into the market place.  The company will need to package the brand in an integral way that is both strong and consistent.  Packaging should always be represented on the following items:
-stationery
-business cards
-answering system
-email address
-website
-blog
-other social media outlets

The packaging on the brand is what the company is putting across to the public through business tools on an everyday basis.  These messages can speak volumes to clients, customers, potential buyers, and anyone else who sees or hear them.  If the packaging is confusing or inconsistent, potential customers may be driven away.  The packaging can go a long way in strengthening a brand, but it can also weaken the brand.  The image of the company resides in the packaging.  While companies may not be aware, maybe clients and customers judge their products or services based on their brand packaging, whether those judgments are conscious or not.