Let's Discuss Branding

I've been thinking about branding this past few months and i want to get into an open discussion about it. very long ago, i use to think only good graphics guys can build branding companies but that is'nt the case nowadays. But thats not only what i want to discuss about. Things i want to discuss about are stated thus:

what's branding all about?  what must you be into to call your self a branding company? Is branding all about printing and logos? And to those into this field please educate us more about branding.

Hopefully we'll all learn a thing or 2 from one another.

Branding is the combination of imagery and content. Perception is everything in the business world. We call this the “outside perception” in the advertising business. Everything that comes in contact with a customer, such as brochures, direct mail, web sites, advertisements, presentations, e-mails, signs, exhibits, sales people, etc., help to form an opinion (good or bad) of your company. Your brand begins with your logo - also known as your “mark.”

A successful branding program will be multidimensional emphasizing the total customer experience. It must convince your prospects that you are the only clear-cut choice to fulfill their expectations.

@neo,  there is more to that than printing and logo,  you must be a creative person to builds a company's brand and you must understand what brands is at the first place before you can build a brand you must understand the market and what are the strategy to use since you have alot of competitors out there  Branding is Visuals  you yourself is a brand  take for instance  we have alot of bathing soap out there and a company called you please we need to start a product  in the market  we don't know what to call it  this are the feature

Now you given the feature there after you gats to develop a name that will be easly access by the consumers after that you gats to put a business plan,  what else ?you package your product Every customers out there wants to buy a product that could help them fix there product easily  have it at the back of your mind that you are a problem solver  and you must be familiar with some graphics products  thats where the Art Director comes in,  now you model the product with whatever sofware you know you can work with Remember Brandings is Visuals  you have to work with ART directors Creative Directors  and work with Company's colour if they don't have  you create a good combination for them  it must represent their company you must be familiar with Colour meanings  and more when trying to make them use a particular colour the colour must say what the product is all about

Lets say you slogan is all about integrity you must get a colour that talks about Integrity

You can't just dump colours man 

Abeg e plenty jare

Branding is everything about your company that attacts your clients/customers to buy/interested, simple

hmmmmm, i think i'll go with "visually attracting customers ". i think some of us are mixing marketing and branding all together. no doubt branding falls under marketing. but i think branding deals with the "identity" of a company. under smartsoft's senario for example, i dont think branding has to do with forming a business plan. it's kind of confusing though or should i say mixed up.

i think branding also involves putting in place the values which the company will stand for an top of all the other contributions given earlier.i like the comparison of Toyota and Mercedes.For me the line in between their brands is that Toyota stands for reliability and affordability while Mercedes goes for luxury at a cost.When you think ahead in the game of branding, it makes it even much easier because different classes will be convinced in different ways.

branding shouldn't be mostly art though, 

. . . .and are you aware their is negative and positive branding ?

Swagg my man, i tend to disagree with you. Atleast with my little knowledge of branding its always about  bringing to fore, the best innate of a product or service.

, Creativity, originality and innovation.

spot on. and you don't have to be a big name to have a brand. a smaller firm can take advantage of this e.g a skin care products firm can have an identity as "being made on mama's kitchen" which will give the product a home made,fresh ingredients,made to order identity rather than a cold,mass produced skin care product of a bigger company and let's face it who does not like to have attention specifically paid to him/her and will create in the customers mind that you have them specifically in mind when the product was being created.

I thought you wanted to join madam rebranding . . . . ?

GOOD POINT MAN.

Nice point.

But what happens in a case were the client(1) insists on what the artist(2) knows wont convey the idea effectively to the market(3)

Nice point.

But what happens in a case were the client(1) insists on what the artist(2) knows wont convey the idea effectively to the market(3)

i will like to remind u dt the client(1) and the artist(2) like u used, are both after d same goal, so it takes te artist(2) to convince the client(1) with genuine reason why it should be the way he thinks it should be but their so client who feels d know what is best or they just remain adamant dt dt's what dey want then u should have this basic rule in mind, "the client as d final say", i think u dnt have a choice their, KABISH?

May be your question wasnt well organised. But i know that colour and forms make a logo cuz they all aim at summarizing the idea.