What is a brand anyway?

It amazes me when I speak with heads of companies how much they misinterpret the term brand, when it relates to their corporate brand. They basically believe it to be strictly the logo and perhaps the marketing material.

This is where the education starts. I essentially tell them that brand is their reputation. It is everything that your company stands for. The logo simply represents the brand graphically. The three stakeholders who affect your brand are your customers, employees and suppliers. A strong focused brand establishes a compelling relationship with customers. Your brand when managed strategically can add to the bottom line.

Successful companies sometimes feel given their strong histories that the brand takes care of itself, when in reality their
brands have actually taken a beating over the years and could stand an effective review. Ask yourself the question, "how much money am I leaving on the table because of an unfocused brand?" "How much better can we be?"

My guess is that you are comfortably following the leader. They are defining your brand for you.

Your thoughts on this...