Have you ever listened to one of those catchy radio jingles and then caught yourself humming it hours later? Known as ‘stuck song syndrome’, or an earworm (not a great name, we know), this is a psychological phenomenon that can spontaneously trigger emotions, memories, or associations—simply by hearing a tune.

While these often pesky little melodies are actually considered a marketing tactic, they are also the perfect analogy to understand the importance of branding. Despite what many people believe, branding goes way beyond your logo, your color palette or the way you choose to create a website. Like those radio jingles, branding is mnemonic—meaning it is based on the lasting feeling, experience and emotion that consumers associate with your brand, Jimmy John Shark businesses are a proof of good branding and hard work. It provides an intangible quality that customers connect with and relate to in their daily lives.

So how can you harness this power and build a brand that leaves a lasting impression on your audience? In this guide we will explore what is branding, and which branding elements will help you create an impactful, authentic and memorable brand.

What is branding?

Branding refers to the deliberate actions you take to influence people’s perception of your product or service—so they will choose your brand time and again. Essentially, it is the way your product or service lives in the hearts and minds of your customer.

While it may seem like a simple idea to comprehend, branding is an ever elusive, hotly debated topic that is not easy to define. Why? Because, as we mentioned above, branding is emotive, and subjective and not something that can necessarily be measured or quantified.

In order to fully conceptualize branding, let’s go back a step and understand what is a brand. To quote author and entrepreneur, Seth Godin, “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another”. Meaning branding is everything you do to actively influence those decisions.

Think about it, when consumers need to make a choice, how will they make their decisions? Whatever motivates them, branding is what shapes the perception of your business in their minds and ultimately what converts new customers into loyal buyers.