In an era where consumers are increasingly selective, brand building has evolved from a supplementary activity to an essential strategy for long-term success.
While sales-focused campaigns can offer immediate results, a strong brand provides enduring growth, loyalty, and market presence.
Gambit Nash’s creative team have helped clients from a wide range of business sectors, both B2B and B2C to build brands that have added real value to their business.
Let’s look at what brand is, how to create it and explore the significance of brand building and effective ways to create and sustain a brand that resonates with customers over the long haul.
Brand is a Long-Term Strategy
A well-established brand doesn’t just sell products; it fosters relationships, trust, and loyalty. Unlike short-term sales pushes, brand building involves creating a narrative and personality that endures. This brand identity helps companies weather changing trends, competitor shifts, and market fluctuations.
Brands like Nike or Apple. Their campaigns transcend specific products, focusing instead on lifestyle, values, and community. This approach cements a long-lasting presence in consumers’ minds.
A few personal favourite examples of brand is one where a logo, a jingle or an image becomes so ubiquitous that the brand owner can rely on their customers to “fill in the gaps” for them.
McDonalds had a short 5 note jingle followed by the phrase “I’m loving it”
Now they just use that 5-note jingle. They know that millions of people will, in their head add those words, completing the brand emblem for them.
Local brands? In North Worcestershire there is a garden centre called Webbs of Wychbold. Many people don’t say “Shall we go to the garden centre, they say “Shall we go to Webbs”
There are many other garden centres in the county. None get that brand awareness.
Who uses the correct descriptive of vacuum cleaner? It’s a Hoover. To the extent we now use hoover as a general term for anything that is gathered or hoarded.
The point being, whether locally or nationally, your business could be a brand with the right elements in place and an eye to the long-term value of your business.
Creating Brand Recognition
Word of Mouth, Advertising, and a Clear Brand Image
How is brand built? That can vary, and each business will likely use a different approach that is best for them, their market and (most often overlooked) their competition.
A few ideas to ponder
Word of Mouth
Happy customers are powerful marketers. Encouraging word-of-mouth promotion through stellar customer service, rewards for referrals, and active community involvement builds organic brand recognition.
Advertising
Consistent, strategic advertising that highlights brand values rather than just product benefits is vital. Digital and traditional media alike can showcase the brand’s personality and foster emotional connections with consumers.
A Clear Consistent Brand Image
Every brand element—logo, colour scheme, tagline, and tone—should embody the core message. Consistency across all channels reinforces brand identity and ensures consumers can easily recognise and remember it.
Crafting Advertisements and Messages to Emphasise Brand
Word of mouth assumes you have a customer base who understand your brand and are numerous enough already to make the impact needed. How numerous? That depends on how wide you want your brand to reach.
It is usual that creating the right image for your company will require a kick-start with advertising.
Advertising should reflect the brand’s core message and values. Instead of focusing solely on product features, an ad should connect with consumers’ lifestyles or needs.
A good idea is to use storytelling to demonstrate brand values in action. Stories about real customers or scenarios where the brand’s products make a difference strengthen the emotional link between the brand and consumers. Currently video advertising and social media channels give the space and creative freedom to make story telling a viable proposition.
Print used in the correct way can also be used to give some tangibility and permanence to your message.
Being the Best-Known Brand in Your Region
In a crowded market, local brand recognition can be a game-changer. When a brand becomes synonymous with quality and reliability in a specific region, it benefits from loyal, local support, increased word of mouth, and high customer retention.
Example: Think of smaller, family-owned businesses that become a “local staple.” These brands often don’t need heavy advertising because locals trust them inherently. This trust is invaluable, especially for small businesses.
Being a Local Brand with a Loyal Audience
Building a local brand is achievable with a focus on community involvement, partnerships with local organisations, and targeting ads to the specific interests of the region.
Strategy: Attending or sponsoring local events and establishing a physical presence like a storefront or pop-up, helps people feel more connected to the brand.
Examples of How Brand Awareness Drives Sales Once Established
An established brand has a tremendous advantage when launching new products, raising prices, or entering new markets. Familiarity breeds trust, which in turn leads to repeat purchases and customer loyalty.
Starbucks is a prime example. Customers don’t just buy coffee; they buy the brand’s lifestyle. This recognition drives sales because consumers already trust the brand to deliver quality.
Protecting Your Brand
Building a strong brand requires investment, and protecting it is equally important. Trademarking logos, slogans, and unique brand elements safeguards against imitation. Regularly monitoring brand mentions online and addressing customer concerns promptly also reinforces a positive brand image.
At Gambit Nash we routinely use tools such as Google Alerts to keep an eye on mentions and address any issues that may arise, including fake accounts or negative reviews.
Best Avenues to Broadcast and Display Brand
Digital Channels.
Social media platforms, search engines, and targeted online ads. Gambit Nash has years of experience tailoring client messages to perform on social media, web sites and online advertising. Our creative team can assist in creating the brand messaging.
Traditional Channels
Magazine placements, and television ads can be powerful tools for larger branding campaigns. Gambit Nash has years of experience in print and design. We can create banners, leaflets, brochures as well as display boards and branded livery
Physical Spaces
Shop front displays, quick and effective re-branding for pop-up shops, and event sponsorships.
Quickly turn your selling space into a memorable, tangible brand experiences.
For best results, and to reach a wide audience, maintain a presence across multiple channels, each carrying a consistent message and visual language.
How Brand and Advertising Work Together
Using Taglines, Logos, and Jingles
Combining brand assets like a logo, tagline, or jingle within advertising campaigns makes a brand memorable. Repetition of these elements across ads builds familiarity and positions the brand at the forefront of consumers’ minds.
Adding a Differentiator to Stand Out Early
In a world of ever-growing competition, standing out is essential. This differentiation can come from a unique product feature, exceptional customer service, or alignment with specific social values that resonate with your target audience.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define what makes the brand distinct early on. Whether it’s eco-friendly practices, local sourcing, or an innovative product feature, emphasising the USP in all branding efforts creates an immediate impression and a lasting differentiator.
Brand Building is a Marathon, not a Sprint
Building a brand requires patience, consistent effort, and clear communication across all customer touchpoints. For businesses willing to invest time and resources, a strong brand offers unparalleled returns: loyalty, resilience, and trust. By focusing on storytelling, community engagement, and thoughtful advertising, brands can secure a lasting place in consumers’ hearts and minds.