What is Branding?

Usually, when people think of branding, they think about the company’s logo, but branding is not just a logo.

If I had to simplify the definition of branding, then I would say that it is the message or the voice that the company conveys using their logo, company colors, fonts, and images.

Just looking at a company logo alone, you would never know what the company stands for.

Why is branding important?

Branding is important because that is what the company is known for. Let’s use McDonald’s as an example.

When we see those golden arches, we know it’s McDonald’s. We know that their signature colors are red and yellow which are fun and bold. They use a clown, Ronald McDonald, as their main mascot. One of their slogans is “I’m lovin’ it”, which shows they don’t care about grammar and spelling.

From the colors to the slogan, you can tell that McDonald’s is a casual fast food restaurant. When you walk into McDonald’s, you don’t expect to order an expensive steak or organic food from the menu. You expect to see children playing in the play pen and to order a cheap burger and fries.

Consistency is KEY

As I said before, your brand is how your audience views you.  It’s important to be consistent or you will lose your customers.

One of my favorite hair care lines was Ojon. I don’t know if anyone was familiar with this brand, but their Damage Reverse Restorative Hair Treatment was very popular.

Their branding was perfect. They used brown and beige hues for their company colors. They had a lot of images of nature and shiny long hair because the main ingredient was Ojon which was harvested from the Ojon tree nut from the rainforest.

When you went on the Ojon site, you knew from the beautiful hair that it was a site for hair care. You also knew from the colors that the product was natural and the ingredients were plant based. The site oozed ‘buy us if you want healthy hair’.

Heartbreak and Betrayal

Unfortunately, the owner of Ojon sold the company to Estee Lauder. In order to make more of a profit, Estee Lauder decided to use synthetic ingredients to cut costs.

Because they changed the ingredients, customers got angry and started complaining. We were betrayed because we used the products because they were natural, but now the product isn’t natural anymore.

They went against their branding and lost a lot of loyal customers. Estee Lauder tried to fix it, but now Ojon is basically extinct.

It’s been years, but I still feel betrayed, and that is why consistent branding is important. You want to convey a certain image for your company and be consistent so that you don’t betray your customers.

Has anyone ever experienced being disappointed in a company because they decided to change their products? Let me know in the comments below!

-Paigon | Natasha Lane Design Co.