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Amadeo Tusell - 06th september 2022
Surely you have noticed that several brands attract more attention than others, and take care of their brand image and the way they communicate it. How do they do it?
Once a company communicates its image, it communicates the perception that customers will have of it. To build and maintain its image, a brand should create the right image.
This will allow you to examine the needs of the customers and the means that have to be used to influence their behavior.
In this way, the brand will be able to produce the cost perceived by the buyer and adapt its commercial offer and its products to the wishes of the customers.
Let's get to know a lot more about the value of brand image and the value it has to stand out in the market.
What is the brand image?
The brand image is an impression, a perspective or a vision that consumers are formed about a specific brand in their mind.
It is carried out during a defined period of time through the experience with the product and the brand identity engendered by the organizations.
Your brand image is the way recent or potential consumers view and associate with your brand. It is something that ends up forming in the mind of the buyer and could be the same as the brand identity or completely opposite.
The ideal scenario is that the image is positive and what the organization or manufacturer wants it to be.
Every company wants to position its brand in a defined way that it believes is the best to be seen by consumers, which is known as brand identity.
Brand identity is what the company wants, and image is what the buyer makes of it.
The opinions, beliefs and perceptions of the target consumers form an image in their minds that defines how they imagine or identify the respective brand.
It takes place all the time and is affected by the experience of the consumer or society from each of the sources, as well as by mass advertising.
The image can be formed by real data or by imaginary assumptions.
The main identifier of an image could be a logo or a unique tagline, reminding consumers of the brand name.
Consumers also remember the brand in terms of their experiences with it, whether before, during or after the purchase.
Brand identity aims to make sure that all brand resources like logo, tagline, etc. are in line with the brand tactic.
Also, with what the company wants the buyer to perceive and understand, however, ultimately, the image is something quite holistic and has several components in mind.
If the brand image is positive, the product will rise, which will translate into more sales. A negative image will lead to opposite results.
Every company should try to be realistic when detecting the brand identity of the product.
This identity should be practical, objective and intelligent. If it is ambitious enough, it can cause consumers to not form the same perception in their minds.
A positive brand image is built once consumers are able to remember the brand and its uniqueness in terms of the cost initiative offered, related to the way the organization operates and its key values.
Hence, the perception is fundamental, since it is formed entirely alone in the mind of the buyer and cannot be measured quantitatively.
It can be influenced by a good brand identity that the organization can maintain.
There are several components that can lead to the formation of a positive or negative image. Example:
1. Quality of the product or service
The quality of the product is necessary to conceptualize an image.
If the quality is good and the shopper has had a good experience interacting with the brand, the brand identity will be clear to the shopper or customer.
This will lead to the formation of a positive image and lead to repeat business and word of mouth. In the opposite scenario situation, a negative image will lead to unwanted results.
2. Use of the product/service
Quality is one aspect; however, usable cost and utilization is another.
If the product or service is difficult enough or does not meet the needs of the buyer, the image of the brand will suffer.
Therefore, the use, together with the quality, should be at the heart of the offer.
3. Perceived cost
Since the brand image is based on how the buyer sees it, the perceived cost becomes a very fundamental element to conceptualize the image.
The quality and durability can be excellent; however, if the perceived cost is not what the buyer expects, then this is certainly going to have an effect.
4. Society
Strong associations with the brand, exemplifying, with a celebrity, a team, a cause, etc., can lead to the formation of a deep image.
Sometimes it could also be counterproductive, because the grouping between the two has been formed and can continue to harm the two pieces, which leads to a rise and fall of the image.
5. Durability
Durability is equivalent to quality and ease of use once we talk about brand image. Durability also indirectly shows the quality of a product.
If something is expected to work for a long time, if it stops working previously it will give rise to a bad image.
Organizations are constantly looking for ways to distinguish their image from that of their participants.
A deep image can help you stand out in a crowded market. Perceived quality can be used to differentiate yourself from the competition.