At first glance, branding can seem like no more than a fancy buzzword in the marketing industry. Ask an average joe about branding, and they might tell you it’s just logos, slogans, and mascots, that sort of thing. It’s an easy to mistake to make, but it’s simply not true.

Brands will always be more than your advertising or marketing — it’s everything your customers think and feel about your company, everything they associate it with. In other words, it’s an intangible. So why does it matter to customers?

Brands make it easier for customers to make decisions. Picture this: you’ve just got home from a long day at work. You’re tired, exhausted, and starving, so you decide to order a pizza. Then you pull out your phone and do a quick Google search to find pizza places nearby — say you’re new to the area — and scroll through a list of five different pizza joints. How do you choose? More often than not, customers are going to choose a brand they’ve enjoyed in the past. They’re choosing a name they recognize and trust. The key is establishing a brand that encourages people to try your food before turning them into loyal customers.

Brands allow customers to build positive associations. Believe it or not, people develop a history with different brands. If they like a product, they’re more likely to buy it again and again, and over time, that can create very strong positive associations. For example, someone might associate Slurpees with warm, carefree summer days more so than any old slushee. To continue the pizza example, someone might associate Green Lantern with family pizza and movie nights. Products that trigger our senses, such as taste and smell, are particularly powerful at building these associations, as these senses have strong connections to memory. A brand allows you to connect these associations with your company and build a repertoire with your customers.

Brands foster trust and security. This one is especially important for products and services that are more expensive. In brief, buying from a brand you recognize is a much easier pill to swallow than from a brand you’ve never heard of before. Imagine buying a car made a company you’d never heard of! By buying from a brand with a trustworthy history and an established reputation, customers can feel more confident they’re getting their money’s worth.

PGN Agency has an extensive track record of bringing our clients returns on their marketing and advertising campaigns. If you would like to learn how PGN can come up with creative marketing solutions to drive YOUR business’s growth, feel free to contact us directly at 248-414-6860. One of our friendly team members will help assess your needs, and put together a game plan for success!