When it comes to branding, you need to split your brain into two and think about your overall brand identity as well as the brand identities of your individual products. An overarching brand identity isn’t enough to help sell your products.
Product branding is a crucial aspect of a company’s marketing efforts and has a profound impact on a product’s success and the company’s overall reputation. Here’s a look at what product branding entails, how to go about it, and three real-life examples to serve as design inspiration.
What Is Product Branding?
Product branding is the process of creating a unique, new identity and value proposition for a single product. This way, the product can stand out from other products in the brand’s range as well as similar products offered by competitors. It typically focuses on three key areas: distinctive design, messaging, and strategy.
Effective product branding not only sparks product recognition, but also builds customer loyalty. It encapsulates the product’s benefits, quality, and the ethos of the company behind it. It’s the embodiment of the product’s personality.
It also serves as a promise to consumers that they can expect a consistent experience with each interaction. Before customers have had first-hand experience using the product, product branding creates a certain expectation. This helps them to connect on an emotional level with the product. This is key.
Zhecho Dobrev, author of The Big Miss: How Organizations Overlook the Value of Emotions and principal consultant at Beyond Philosophy, interviewed thousands of customers in the United Kingdom and the United States and found that emotional connection was the main driver of value. It accounts for more than 40% of business value.
Why Product Branding Matters
- Distinctive Design: A unique design helps your product stand out on the shelves or in the online marketplace. This includes the logo, packaging, color schemes, and overall aesthetic that make the product instantly recognizable.
- Compelling Messaging: The way you communicate about your product matters. This involves crafting a value proposition that resonates with your target audience, highlighting the product’s unique features, and telling a compelling story about what makes your product special.
- Strategic Positioning: Product branding involves positioning the product within the market in a way that appeals to your target customers. This includes setting the right price point, choosing the appropriate distribution channels, and aligning with market trends.
Real-Life Examples
- Apple iPhone: Apple’s iPhone branding focuses on innovation, premium quality, and sleek design. The iPhone’s branding is distinct from Apple’s other products like the MacBook or iPad, yet it maintains a consistent feel that ties back to Apple’s overall brand ethos of innovation and premium quality.
- Coca-Cola’s Diet Coke: While Coca-Cola is a household name, Diet Coke has its own identity. It’s marketed as a healthier alternative with a lighter, modern design. The messaging around Diet Coke emphasizes a lifestyle choice that differentiates it from regular Coca-Cola.
- Nike Air Jordan: The Air Jordan brand is a perfect example of a product that has transcended its initial offering to become a cultural icon. The branding of Air Jordans focuses on performance, style, and the legacy of Michael Jordan, creating a distinct identity that has a loyal following.
Conclusion
Product branding is essential for creating a distinct identity for your products and ensuring they stand out in a crowded marketplace. By focusing on distinctive design, compelling messaging, and strategic positioning, you can build strong product brands that resonate with customers on an emotional level and drive business success.
Remember, effective product branding creates an emotional connection with customers, setting expectations and building loyalty long before the first purchase is made. As Zhecho Dobrev’s research indicates, this emotional connection can drive significant business value, making product branding a critical component of your overall marketing strategy.
