Invariably when I discuss the concept of "brand" with a client, they immediately start talking about their "logos", "slogans", "creative elements" etc.
In the right hands, these corporate identity elements provide a visual and textual summary to assist a range of stakeholders to make sense of "what the organisation is on about". But they are shorthand - they are not the brand itself.
My favourite definition of brand I attribute to Leslie de Chernatony in the excellent book From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation, Second Edition: The strategic process of growing and strengthening brands.
The definition - "Brand is promise".
This is really powerful - if an organisation can create and enact a unique promise, that is valued by its target markets, then it will achieve significant competitive advantage.
Try this exercise within your organisation - send an email to all employees, asking them to reply with what they think is the promise that your organisation makes to its customers. You'll be surprised (horrified!?) by the results.
I recently came across the following online slideshow, provided by Marty Neumeir, author of the book Brand Gap. Marty captures well the link between brand and the intent of the organisation - although I think his definition of brand is a little too "receptor sided" (ie it would be useful to differentiate between "intended brand" and "perceived brand").
The presentation and material, however, are excellent - enjoy!
