Branding, Marketing, and Advertising

You've heard them all and may think they are interchangeable. Branding, marketing, advertising. These concepts are typically lumped together in the minds of most. But there are subtle differences in the definitions of each, and to carry a successful campaign, it helps to recognize these differences.

Branding is creating an identity for your product. More than a logo, it is a common, consistent thread that applies to every produced piece, or every message delivered about the product or service, rendering it unmistakably identifiable among competitors. Your "brand" is what represents you, gives your customers a feeling of knowing you or your products. It bears a familiarity.

Marketing is the ongoing presence that your brand has in the market. Marketing includes tactics and strategies to bring the brand to the top of people's minds among its target consumers. A good marketing plan often includes various media, like television, radio, newspaper, and print, as well as online campaigns. A complete marketing campaign will include multiple advertisements, which brings us to the final step in the process.

Advertising is the message itself. Usually attached to a particular promotion or event, advertising delivers the brand's message via the marketing campaign. Confusing? Yes. But a strong grasp of the differences between these three terms will set you and your business off in the right direction.

So before you develop a marketing campaign and start advertising, go back to the earlier step... branding. Because if you don't have a brand, you don't have anything to advertise, do you?

Rachel Landry is a bold and inspired writer, helping clients bring clarity and shape to their challenging writing projects. She's written on hundreds of topics, and specializes in personal non-fiction pieces that captivate and compel readers. Bios, letters, personal statements, and memorials are but a few examples of the services Rachel provides.

Rachel is a proud member of the Professional Writers' Association of Canada.

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