Brand and trademark: what is it

Reading advertising articles about different brands is easy to get confused. How is a brand different from a brand?

The brand is always based on the product - it is its core. Therefore, we can say that the brand depends on what kind of product you offer. When a buyer buys a product, often he buys with the product a promise made by the manufacturer, a certain image that has developed. We can say that the brand is based on three pillars:

· The product itself, its functional values, those characteristics of the product that are important to the client.

· The emotions that the product brings to the buyer. For example, often a cup of coffee is not just a cup of coffee, it is an anticipation of a good rest, and a glossy magazine is a way to relax after a hard working day. Such emotions are very clearly visible in television advertising of cars: you rarely see ads where the emphasis is on the car itself, more often we see a certain image, emotions that this car can give us.

· The experience that we are promised. Your child will become smarter if he takes our vitamins. With our printer, your documents will be in perfect order. Use our services - and we will save you from a problem that bothers you. All these are examples of the positive experience that the manufacturers of goods promise us - and which are part of the brand.

How is a brand different from a brand?

A trademark is a sign by which a consumer determines a product (product or service) of one seller and distinguishes this product from competitors' product. Such a sign may be the name or title of the product, a picture, logo, some sign or symbol. A brand is an image that develops in the consumer’s head. This image consists of everything that is familiar to the consumer and associated with the product, which is significant for him. So, any brand is a trademark, but not any brand is a brand. We can say that the brand differs from the brand by the presence of meaning, which is formed in the consumer’s head. If at the sight of your trademark positive associations appear in the consumer’s head, the brand is formed.

Clients expect more from the manufacturer than the simple properties of the product; they expect the product to solve their problems. They are also waiting for more global ideas that are behind buying a bun or lipstick. All this gives them a brand - if it is formed.

How is the brand formation:

1. First, the manufacturer forms a trademark: develops a logo, a melody for advertising, draws posters or removes commercials, prepares to promote the product on the market and begins the promotion process.

2. Then, consumer recognition of goods is gradually formed. This is a debt process, for which it is necessary that the product is where it can be bought, and also that the manufacturer is faced with advertising of this product.

3. After the product began to be recognized, marketers create an associative relationship in the head of the consumer. It is important to connect the image of the product with something really positive.

4. If everything worked out, consumers will prefer our product. There are several ways to achieve this: modifying and improving the product, advertising it, motivating sellers in stores where our goods will be sold. Finally, if customers really prefer our product, we can raise the price a bit. This is called a price premium. It's no secret that a product with similar characteristics can cost a thousand rubles - and maybe several times more, and often this is a brand fee.

Finally, you can see that the brand can not only be a product. You can make a brand from anything: from a freelance specialist who offers their services, from a place (remember the “bridges of lovers, ” which probably exist in every city), from a city (“Paris is a city of dreams, ” although there are the city is no worse), from an event, from the city

As you can see, everything is very simple - and now you will not confuse the words “brand” and “trademark”.