Before anyone brands their business, how many are aware of the branding types available? If not, how many are confident that they’re taking the proper steps to establish a successful brand?
Chances are, many aren’t aware that there are multiple types of branding!
In fact, many elements should be taken note of before anyone brands a business. These elements can range from your logo to the mere font!
However, the internet has made research as easy as pie for any starting business owner. Everything that a new entrepreneur needs is just a click away.
We compiled the 8 branding types that any entrepreneur newbie should know.
1. Personal Branding
Do you know that branding can be personal?
Personal branding is a self-employed venture, such as caterers or makeup artists.
In fact, it is one of the most popular branding choices among youths and young adults, especially if they have an online presence.
This can be a strategic branding method if the individual has a pre-existing online presence, such as an online influencer. Personal brand owners can leverage existing fame for a headstart on their brand.
For example, many professional illustrators start off by establishing an online identity. It is common for game and animation companies to talent search through social media.
Social media fame has also propelled the careers of many industry professionals as a means of exposure and visibility.
READ MORE: What is Brand Positioning? How to Create an Effective Strategy?
2. Service Branding
Companies that offer services such as translations, writing, and advertising are labelled as service branding.
Service branding is self-explanatory because the purpose of the company is to provide services.
These services can come in the form of walk-ins, helplines or face-to-face interaction. The only responsibility the company has is to ensure excellent service!
The better the service, the better your company’s reputation will be.
3. Product Branding
Product branding is the most common type because it revolves around a product. It is also a branding that product companies commonly use.
This branding type prioritises competing with other market competitors, so customers will select their brand over others.
For product branding to succeed, businesses must employ various strategies and consider branding aspects to stand out among others.
Farm Fresh, Boss Brothers and Consfood are a few popular B2B product branding examples.
4. Cultural/Geographic Branding
Cultural branding emphasises cultural and geographical features to attract customers.
This branding is used by tourism companies and news companies that focus on a particular location.
For instance, LEGOLand Johor is used as a pull factor for tourists to visit Johor. That’s because it’s one of the few theme parks that can be found in Malaysia!
From a tourism perspective, cultural branding aims to stimulate the revenue of that geographical location.
In comparison to tourism, news companies report on a specific location as a means of garnering an audience.
READ MORE: Creative Packaging: Establish Brand Identity with Packaging Design
5. Retail Branding
Have you ever used eCommerce sites such as Avarest or eWorlfTrade?
If you had, you would notice that they bear a similarity: They’re connected to various brands and sell numerous products under the same flagship – retail branding.
It’s a hub filled with goods from local and international markets under the same roof.
Successful retail brands not only sell goods from other companies but also create their own products.
6. Online Branding
Any brand can pursue online branding because establishing an online identity has never been more critical than today.
After all, consumers frequent the net for various purposes such as leisure, communication and even eCommerce.
Online branding includes digital elements such as video ads, websites, online customer service content marketing and social media marketing.
Any marketing tactic that approaches consumers through the net is considered online branding.
Many B2B companies such as Adobe, Watsons and Pos Malaysia establish online identities through social media accounts and websites.
This ensures that customers can reach them online or access any brand information.
7. Offline Branding
Offline branding is the antithesis of online branding because it takes place physically.
However, both types of branding have the same aim of marketing to customers.
This type of branding includes mediums such as an ad in a newspaper, in-store promotions, physical discount coupons, ads printed on milk cartons and many more.
Although the internet poses a great significance in the modern world, physical approaches shouldn’t be neglected.
In fact, successful brands tend to be strong in both fronts of offline and online branding.
For example, Guardian holds monthly promotions for selected items. They also provide brochures that act as a physical catalogue for ongoing promotions.
READ MORE: Why Digital Transformation is Essential for Your Business Today
8. Corporate Branding
Corporate branding is a step further from other branding types.
In fact, corporate branding focuses on the appearance, feeling and success of a business for a reputation-based approach.
Aspects such as the general feeling of the brand, service, employees, and connections all come into play.
If a business is a local brand, the products will most likely be marketed in a local dialect or made with local ingredients. This invokes a feeling of familiarity and home in local customers.
Corporate branding also ties into brand guidelines that ensure all acts of marketing are synonymous with the brand’s identity.
READ MORE: Hire Branding Agency: Why You Should Hire a Branding Agency?
Walk Production
Walk Production is a corporate branding agency with a dedicated in-house branding team to help your company in all aspects of branding. We provide strategies for new branding, rebranding, website development, B2B marketing and many more.
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