10 Most Common Branding Strategies

Branding is the core of any prominent company. It does not only mean a logo or a colour palette, but how people see your company and what it is that they relate to your products or services. A powerful branding message establishes trust, increases awareness and makes your company or business stand out amidst a crowded marketplace.

The following 10 are the most popular branding strategies used by companies in any industry to create powerful brands.

Individual branding is on centering reputation on a person rather than on a business.

It is an effective tactic among businesses, persuaders or professionals wishing to be identified in an industry of experts.

Why it works: The reason why it works is that people trust people rather than faceless businesses.

Example:

• Elon Musk develops a personal brand of an innovative visionary, which is helping companies such as Tesla and SpaceX.
• One of the best examples is Oprah Winfrey, who managed to associate her name with quality and trust in different spheres.

Product branding singles out a certain product that has its own name, design, and explanation that distinguishes it from other competing products. This is effective in cases where a business has one product in which they want to establish strong associations.

Why it works: It works because it provides customers with an identity that they can recall and will trust.

Examples:

• Coca-Cola has become a household name because of its brand features, such as the red and white colour scheme that has become associated with this product.
• The second example is Maggi noodles India, where the brand image is actually the product.

Corporate branding has to do with establishing a similar brand throughout the whole company. It is a mirror of the values of the organisation, its mission and reputation.

Why it works: It is effective because it strengthens credibility and a sense of trust in everything provided by the company.

Examples:

• Apple is a symbol of innovativeness, high quality and ease of use.
• It is Google that is associated with reliability, simplicity, and continuous innovations of all its services.

Service branding is the most important feature of businesses that sell services rather than physical goods. This is an approach to customers on the level of experience, quality, and reliability.

Why it works: The reason why it is successful is that a good reputation is going around about the company, leading to word-of-mouth marketing.

Examples:

• Zappos is well-known as a company providing excellent customer support and favours the customers above all.
• FedEx insists on reliability and speed as its features, and thus, it is one of the leaders in logistics services.

The idea behind co-branding is to have two brands combine and create a positive outcome, such as a product or campaign or experience. This is a strategy that assists brands in targeting new audiences and building more presence in the market.

Why it works: The reason it works is that it is a win-win situation, combining the strengths of two trusted brands.

Examples:

• Nike and Apple collaborated to release Nike+ functions to fitness enthusiasts.
• Together, Starbucks and Spotify made an augmented reality application that will help customers have better experiences in Starbucks stores.

Digital branding is becoming an important part of most businesses, as they all operate online. It entails the establishment of a powerful presence on websites, social media, search engines, and online advertisements.

Why it works: It is effective because it enables businesses to target a global audience and have the ability to access customers seven days a week.

Examples:

• Airbnb has an easy-to-use web interface and active social media that allow it to link travellers with hosts all over the world.
• Amazon is the champion of online branding because it creates the same high-quality experience on its pages every time.

In this approach, there is more focus on the location or origin of a product or a business entity with the intention of attracting customers. It is common in the fields of tourism, agriculture and food and beverages.

Why it works: It appeals to the customers in the context of being authentic and heritage.

Examples:

• Swiss watches are a representation of excellence and accuracy.
• Darjeeling tea has a recognisable name and specific taste around the world.

Cultural branding relates a brand to social values on movements, or beliefs that are associated with its audience. It transforms brands into an identity or changes symbols.

Why it works: The reason why it works: It creates an emotional bond, loyalty among customers who have the same values.

Examples:

• Ben & Jerry’s is different because it espouses social fairness and environmental health.
• The Nike slogan, Just Do It campaigns include a lot of equality and empowerment themes.

Luxury branding is a strategy that focuses on exclusivity, high quality and high prices. These brands position themselves as a status symbol

Why it works: It creates aspiration and perceived value, and customers will feel special.

Examples:

• Rolex, Gucci and Louis Vuitton are symbols of riches, classiness and exclusivity.
• Tesla markets itself as an upper-end electric car company.

Successful brands today do so by doing exactly the opposite of original branding, that is, being simple and working on value and functionality.

Why it works: It works because it responds to clientele that would rather have something simple and more genuine than have fancy marketing.

Examples:

• Muji does not use logos or luxurious packaging, but it is the quality of the products.
• Brandless (all based in the United States) sells inexpensive items of everyday use, without profuse branding.

• Branding does not always mean just following one strategy, as different companies personalise combinations of various strategies to get improved results.
• The correct approach will vary according to what business you have, who your audience is, and what your objectives are.
• Any good branding strategy is anchored on the principles of consistency, authenticity, and value.