How do you differentiate a common product from your favorite product? What is that makes your buying decision easier?
These questions were answered as early as 1300 B.C. Artisans used to put a mark on their products which made it different from others. In return the customers found it a reliable method to evaluate the products and thus giving birth to the concept of brand loyalty. This branding was passed on to many ancient products like watermarks on paper, bread marks and other crafted goods. Branding of products instilled a sense of security among the buyers and lead to flourishing of the best producer.
Let us conceptualize it:
1. Make your product identifiable if you believe in your product
2. Promote the identification mark to inform your customers
3. Reap the benefits of increasing revenues!
The evolution of traditional branding:
Branding evolved steadily along with the evolution of industries. Tobacco manufacturers used different bags in 1800s with differentiable labels. This was because the flavor of tobacco varied significantly with the change of climate in which it is cultivated. To ensure that the customers got their favorite flavor, the companies branded the products based on the country produced in. Branding got a boost when countries initiated changes in trademark laws in favor of manufacturers. The modern branding started with the introduction of a star on candles produced by Procter & Gamble. Customers almost always asked for this star mark before buying candles. This forced the company to put this mark consistently on all their candles produced. Thus, a brand was born. Further, National biscuits, Heinz and Coca-Cola lead the branding game to astronomical levels. Today Coca-Cola’s brand value is more than $64 billion!
Which products can be branded?
The answer lies in the fact that any thing can be branded and is being branded and will be branded. Chinese silk, Indian Spices, German technology, Arabian horses and other regional products are associated with the country of origin. The bottled water industry is a classical example of branding. Bottles are branded based on the source of water like spring water, mountain water, glacier water, with each relating to different level of perceived purity of water. The air you breathe can also be differentiated like air of Beijing and air of Amazon. By the name people can evaluate the quality of air. Even the services provided by companies like Infosys, Taj Hotels and HSBC bank are used to distinguish certain products. Guess why do companies use brand ambassadors for branding?
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