What is Branding??

[Grant Holmes]

This is a great question. Many people lots smarter than I am have asked this.
How do I use branding?
What does that mean to my product?

Famous Brands: Coke, McDonalds, Nike. Three is enough, methinks.

What do you know about them? How do their brands affect you? How do you know it's their brand? What do you remember about them, their colors/designs/etc? (Rhetorical, for thought)

I've seen many attempts in the forums on CD cover art, Avatars and even on web sites to create a "brand" or "look".

Start with what you are trying to convey. What is it you want someone to get about you/your product?

"Brand" is as much about how you feel about something as it is the end product.

I have other thoughts, but wanted to start something and see what kind of responses we get.

[SeptemberDay]

Hi Grant!

Well, with my packaging I try to stimulate every sense. Some people retain info with eyes better than ears, with touch better than taste. So, in my kits, I send out my demo with a fall leaf cover art to make my name stick with them along with a red tulle pouch that has a small notecard with a red ribbon tied around the top. The card says: "September Day Leach: Sexy, fun, sweet". Inside the pouch is a small piece of caramel (hard, in a wrapper), a square of red lace, and a toy (usually a super high bounce ball or toy car).

[Grant Holmes]

Sept, thanks for joining this one. Your Fall Leaf card falls under the "brand" header. However, I think the efforts you describe are marketing.

Fall leaves help the client to remember your name. If this fall a client sees a colorful tree and thinks, "September! that voice-over gal", then your BRAND is great. I think the caramel helps them remember you sent them something.

Maybe a minor point. Some people think there IS no difference between branding and marketing. Some people (Norm Brodski Inc Mag columnist)

Hope we get more action on this!!