Brand Building
What is Brand Building?
Brand Building refers to the initial creation, design, and establishment of a brand in the market. According to brand expert Alexander Biesalski, essentially “everything a company does or does not do” contributes to building a brand. This includes the visual appearance (Corporate Design), the development of a clear brand identity, the strategic positioning in a competitive environment, and the consistent anchoring of the brand in the minds of the target group through communication and marketing activities.
At its core, Brand Building addresses two fundamental questions: What associations should be linked to the brand? And what emotions should it evoke in its audience?
How does Brand Building work?
The following elements are relevant to building a brand and, in some cases, form part of the Brand Strategy.
- Identity
The identity of a brand encompasses its core values, mission, and vision. It also includes the brand’s appearance and naming structure.
- Naming
Brand names are essential to commercial success and hold great strategic importance. What specific functions must a brand name fulfill? It should convey the identity of the company, its products, or the brand itself over the long term and be easily recognizable. Memorable brand names convey a distinctive image to customers.
The product message is conveyed in a lasting way despite changing target
groups, new trends, or shifts in the zeitgeist. Ultimately, the name must be
adaptable internationally to successfully tap into new markets and regions.
- Brand Positioning
Successful brand positioning is necessary to clearly differentiate a brand from its competitors. The unique and relevant benefit needs of consumers are anchored in the brand’s positioning and, in the ideal case, create a unique and distinctive brand profile. However, probably the most important success factor is the focus on a few key factors for which the brand stands. At its core, Tesla stands for the electrification of an entire industry, while Bosch stands for being an innovation-driven company for more than a century.
- Target Group Definition
Not every product or service is relevant to everyone. Therefore, a clear definition and description of the target group is crucial and of great strategic importance for a brand and its offerings.
Using personas, the focus should not be on sociodemographic data, but rather on consumers’ needs, attitudes, and behaviors. Targeting these personas, individual customer journeys can then be identified and chosen content and communication strategies can be developed from them.
- Visual Appearance
The perception of a brand is strongly influenced by its visual identity, particularly its Corporate Design, including logo design, typography, color schemes and visual language. A consistent visual appearance enhances brand recognition and strengthens awareness within the target audience. Well-known examples include IKEA with its distinctive color code or Mercedes Benz with its unique typographic style.
With the proliferation of new communication channels in recent years, the challenges facing brand managers have multiplied. Today, modern brand identities must be designed in such a way that they can be used across all media while remaining instantly recognizable.
- Marketing Strategy
To effectively reach defined audiences, companies need a clear and long-term Marketing approach. This strategy defines business objectives and translates them into actionable measures.
Key questions include:
1. Which product and market segments does the brand address?
2. In which regions or countries is the brand relevant?
3. What market share should be achieved?
4. Which pricing levels are appropriate? (Price Optimisation)
5. What level of brand awareness is targeted in each region?
6. How is the brand perceived among the target group?
7. How satisfied are customers? (Customer Experience Management)
8. Which communication channels and content reach the target group?
Contact
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this topic further, please feel free to schedule a non-binding consultation call.
You can also find further information about the services offered by Biesalski & Company in the ‘Strategy’ section.
Sources & reading tips
Miller, B. (2014, 30. März). Brand Design: 7 Tricks, wie Sie den richtigen Markennamen schafffen
Burmann, C. Identitätsbasiertes Markenmanagement
Förster, B. Corporate Design Blog
