8 types of branding you can use in your business
Did you know there are 8 types of branding that you can use across your business? By understanding the different types and which ones are applicable to your business you will have more tools and tactics in your armour draw upon.
It’s important to know and understand that there are different types of branding to use in different situations and can also use multiple strategies alongside each other.
#1 Personal Branding is about nurturing your reputation as a professional and how you position your name within your chosen industry. Appreciating that you, yourself are a type of brand for your business and therefore need to consider how you present yourself and what you want people to think and feel about you.
#2 Corporate or business branding. This is all about developing the name of a business, its reputation, and the awareness of that business in the market. It’s all about what the overall business stands for. Sports brands or fast-food restaurants often use this type of branding such as Nike or McDonald’s. You often see ads that don’t mention anything to do with the product, in these examples’ trainers and burgers, it’s all about the name and strapline and how they want you to feel about the company, in Nike’s case their famous “just do it” or McDonald’s “I’m loving it”
#3 Product branding. This is where a business focusses on the branding of their individual products. Unilever is an example of this. They focus on their product brands such as PG Tips, Dove and Pot Noodle, to name but a few. You may not even realise these products are owned by Unilever.
#4 Service branding. Where a business focuses on branding their individual services. A good technique to use if you have a mix of services because unlike product branding there is no physical product to help distinguish between the differences, so branding your services can help your audience understand the different between your different offerings.
#5 Co-branding. This is where two brands work together partnership, both of whom are looking to target the same audience but are not competing with each other and can leverage each other’s reputation. Examples of this are Intel and Dell. Or Go Pro and Red Bull.
#6 Parent branding. This can also be called umbrella branding. This is where there is main brand that sits on top with the products, services, or sub-brands below, all of which use the parent brand to leverage the overall awareness and reputation. A great example of this is Apple. Apple being the parent brand with the Apple Watch, Apple iPhone and Apple iPad all sitting underneath.
#7 Purpose led branding. Over the last couple of years, we have seen an influx of purpose lead brands. This is in part down to consumer behaviours changing to wanting to be more ethic and sustainable. This is where brand seeks out a cause they can contribute to or help. Typically, this cause will align to the values and beliefs of their target audience but ultimately their main goal is to support a particular cause. Toms is a good example, as they give a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair that is sold.
#8 Employer branding. This is where a business focuses on branding internally to show the market their culture and what a great place it is to work, to be able to attract the best talent to their team. Google are known for doing this well.
With multiple brand tactics in your toolkit, all coming together to form your overarching brand strategy, your business will be even more compelling to your target audience and a force to be reckoned with.
