What’s the difference between Marketing and Branding?
We get asked all the time for a branding and marketing definition. Aren’t they the same? No. They are linked but they are different, and here’s why.
Firstly, what is Marketing and what is Branding?
BRANDING
Branding is what your company looks like - it’s a visual representation of the company's products & services, ideals and perception of quality to the customer. It also helps to distinguish you from competitors.
There are specific elements that make up a brand - your logo, typography, brand colours, website, packaging, etc. You need to consistently use the same fonts, design elements, colours and imagery in order for your brand to solidify and strengthen in people’s minds.
The ideal scenario is when someone sees your ad or product and knows it is you without looking at the logo or name. Then, you have a strong brand.
But there are other aspects of a brand too - ones you might not be able to put your finger on. It’s your excellent customer care services, or the fact that you put 5% of profit towards charity, and it could be the fact that every time you see the logo you start to get hungry, or you make people feel trusting, like this is good quality, even though you don’t exactly know why.
Brand’s can be intangible and that’s why it’s so hard - but completely essential - to get right.
MARKETING
Marketing is the strategy and execution of a marketing plan and the point of a marketing plan is to get sales. Whatever you are selling - whether in units, services or cups of metres; your marketing is there to make sure you sell . It’s not all profit and loss; it is what makes the company grow. Companies could not survive without sales, and they cannot survive without marketing.
Marketing is best at its simplest - the advertising message needs to speak clearly and concisely to your audience to get the right message across.
When you think about marketing, you have so many roads to choose from: email campaigns, social media ads, out-of-home ads and more Choosing the correct channel is one of the most important parts of your marketing strategy.
You have a wealth of choice in marketing, which is what makes it so exciting and a challenge at the same time!
How are Marketing and Branding linked?
Without a company name, logo, or imagery you can’t create any ads, therefore you will not be able to execute any marketing plan.Your brand defines how your company is viewed/perceived. Without this crucial element/component you will not be able to implement an effective marketing plan.
Without marketing however, who will see your brand? If you don’t put your brand out there using a defined and watertight marketing strategy, no one will know and trust your brand and no one will buy from it.
They are totally linked, one can’t exist without the other.
So, what should you focus on?
Your branding comes first.
First you need to define who the company is, and what the company does. Branding is a journey but making a strong start puts you on the right footing.
Secondly you’ll need a great marketing plan. Who is your target market and where are they? Define this and then you have a strong idea for how to move forward with your marketing.
We’re a boutique creative media company, offering branding and marketing strategies that play out on a global stage. Got a question about the topics we’ve covered here? Want to know more about us? Leave a comment below or email us directly, and we’ll get back to you!
