Introduction of Branding for Startups
What is a Brand?
The term branding is often used interchangeably with logo design, identity design, or even typography. For the purpose of this session, let’s establish a clear definition of what branding truly is.
A brand is the result of how your audience perceives your company, product, or service. It’s the impression that stays with them—the feeling they get when they interact with your business. It forms in their minds and hearts, shaped by the experiences and messaging you provide. You don’t create a brand directly; instead, you create a strategic narrative that helps customers build their own impression of your brand.
The best way to look at branding is to think of it as your business reputation. It’s the way you want to be seen and interpreted by your audience. This reputation is shaped by various factors: the quality and design of your products, your customer interactions, your marketing messages, your team’s culture, and even the way your employees talk about your company in casual conversations. Every touchpoint contributes to your brand.
A strong brand builds trust, fosters loyalty, and influences purchasing decisions. Think about companies like Apple, Nike, or Tesla—their products are great, but what makes them stand out is the emotional connection they’ve built with their customers. A brand is not what you say it is; it’s what THEY say it is.
Strong Brand’s Name
- Simple and Memorable:
- A great brand name is easy to say, spell, and remember.
- Examples: Apple, Tesla, Nike.
- Short & Clear:
- Ideally between 5-12 characters long.
- Avoid overly complicated or hard-to-pronounce words.
- Examples: PayPal, Coca-Cola.
- No Negative Meanings in Other Languages:
- Research whether your name has unintended meanings in other cultures.
- Example: The car model Chevy Nova failed in Spanish-speaking markets because “No va” means “doesn’t go.”
- Easy to Spell & Say:
- You want people to find your business online without misspelling it.
- If you have to constantly correct people on how to say it, it might not be the best choice.
- Not Confusingly Similar to Existing Brands:
- Search online to check if similar names exist to avoid competition and legal risks.
- Example: If you name your brand Loxiswiggy, you may face confusion with Swiggy, a multi-million dollar food delivery company in India.
- Not Limited by Geography:
- Avoid names that restrict future expansion.
- Example: Toronto Bikes makes it hard to scale beyond Toronto.
- Available Across Digital Platforms:
- Ensure your name is available on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms.
- Many founders try to modify usernames (e.g., @xyz.company) if their first choice is taken, but ideally, you want to secure the handle that best matches your brand.
- Not Already Trademarked:
- Before finalizing your name, check trademarks to avoid legal issues.
- Domain Availability:
- At the very least, secure the .com and your country’s TLD (e.g., .ca for Canada).
- If your preferred .com is taken, be cautious.
Types of Logos
- Brand Mark – A visual icon or symbol (e.g., Apple, Nike Swoosh).
- Abstract Logo Mark – A unique, conceptual image representing the brand (e.g., Pepsi, Adidas).
- Mascot Logos – A character or illustrated figure representing the company (e.g., KFC’s Colonel Sanders, Duolingo’s owl).
- Lettermark (Monogram) – Initials or abbreviations of the brand name (e.g., IBM, HBO).
- Wordmark – The full name of the brand in a stylized font (e.g., Google, Coca-Cola).
- Emblem – A logo where the text and symbol are combined inside a shape (e.g., Harley-Davidson, Starbucks).
Types of Typography
- Serif Fonts – Traditional, authoritative, and timeless (e.g., Times New Roman, Vogue). Often used in luxury brands or editorial content.
- Sans-Serif Fonts/Slab Serif – Modern, clean, and minimalistic (e.g., Arial, Google, Helvetica). Common among tech startups and digital-first brands.
- Display Fonts/Script – Unique, decorative fonts for special use cases (e.g., Disney’s logo, Coca-Cola).
- Monospace Fonts – Often used in coding or technical branding (e.g., Courier, IBM’s branding).
