Your Brand is not your company name, logo, website, or advertisements. A Brand is what your customers, suppliers, investors, employees, business members and the public think, say, believe and champion about your company. It is your 'corporate reputation'. And because it is reputation, there are things that you can and cannot control.

What is Branding?
Branding is the direct and indirect activities undertaken by a company to imprint and influence a 'desired reputation' upon its audience. These specific activities shape the hearts and minds of a company's targeted and non-targeted audience. A company's LEADERSHIP becomes responsible for the management of these activities to guide and grow the Brand and its value.

A direct Branding activity is one that a company intentionally designs. A company designs and controls its message and how it is delivered. Examples of direct Branding includes developing BRANDING COLLATERAL such as company name, logo, business philosophy, ad campaigns, website, publicity, events, sponsorships and charity involvement.

An indirect Branding activity is one where a company has little to no control over its message and how it will be delivered, received or shared. It is how an audience experiences a company. Indirect activities range from the company's daily business to handling of crisis issues, and how these OPERATIONS are perceived and received by customers, staff and the marketplace. How it communicates, compensates, relates to employees and customer service and supplier relations all affect this perception. Everything a company does forms and alters the company's Brand. Thus, a Brand is constantly changing.

It is therefore critical to have a consistent, clear and concise MESSAGE. This is an efficient way for a Brand to remain consistent over time, expressed by all staff and implemented in all operations. This message is the "Big Idea" or Business Philosophy Statement. By developing the ‘Big Idea' a company's actions become congruent with its promotions, operations and values.