The Purpose of Branding – Why is it necessary?

I hear that branding is important, but I don’t understand what’s so important about it.
As long as the product or service has good features and quality, won’t word of mouth spread and it will sell on its own?

Indeed, advertising without substance will not lead to true customer satisfaction, so quality is necessary.
But branding is not just advertising, it’s necessary to properly communicate functionality and quality.

This page provides an overview of branding.

What is branding?

What does branding mean?

A brand is an image that consumers and traders have of a business entity, product or service, such as a company or individual.
Branding is an activity to match the identity, uniqueness or “character” of the brand between the company (seller) and the consumer (buyer).

Importance and Purpose of Branding

Why is branding necessary?
Increasing awareness through advertising is one effect, but it is not the only one.

Get out of the price war

Products that lack “character”, that is, products that cannot be distinguished from other companies’ products, tend to be judged by “price”, which is a common value in the market.
In this way, to be chosen, you are forced to charge the lowest price in the market, and you are caught in an endless price competition.

The cost of goods varies depending on the business environment, so it’s hard to be in that situation…

Conversely, if you have proper branding, people will choose you based on factors other than price, so you don’t have to price too low.

Overcoming the Limits of Differentiation by Features and Quality

So, is it enough to differentiate on features and quality?
Technology has evolved so much in recent years that even if you sell new features or high quality, you will soon be overtaken by competitors.

• Other companies will soon overtake you.
• The market is already saturated with features, so even if you add new features, they will not resonate with customers.

This is what happens when technology evolves.

Yes, indeed, trying to differentiate the product by forcing new features on people who don’t have much to offer is going to cost you more in terms of sales.

Conversely, with proper branding, you can get people to buy the same product all the time, so you don’t have to make unnecessary differentiations.

attract customers and personnel that are suited to your culture.

For example, if you aim to be a health-conscious restaurant, but you get a bad reputation from customers you are not targeting, such as “I wanted more fatty meat,” you would not like it.
On the contrary, if branding is done properly, it will be easier to attract customers who are health-conscious by nature, and your restaurant’s reputation will improve.

The same is true in terms of recruitment.
If your company’s branding is appropriate and you can convey your company’s “character” appropriately, it will be easier to attract people who are in line with your culture and philosophy. This makes it easier to create a workplace that is full of enthusiasm and easy to work in.

I used to think that branding was about advertising, but I guess I can replace it with “communicating your company’s ‘character’ to various people” and “building connections with ‘character’ at the core”.

Branding is effective for small businesses and individuals

It is said that we are in the “age of the individual” where individuals are sellers to the many. In today’s information-rich society, branding is essential for individuals to find themselves among the many sellers.
Branding is especially effective for individuals because of the speed at which they make decisions regarding their entire business.

Among companies, branding is also highly important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The following page explains branding techniques for small and medium-sized companies.

Branding Techniques

So how should you plan and proceed with branding?

Branding Planning and Strategy

Branding is the process of aligning your company’s “character” with that of the seller and the buyer, so market research is necessary. It also requires a top-down approach to solidify the company’s unique identity.
We will conduct analysis such as SMTP analysis and 3C analysis, as well as research on the company’s brand image, to create a branding plan.

Branding Measures

Branding is the process of;

• “Inner Branding” to promote your company’s identity within the organization (employees, staff, etc.)
• “Outer branding” is to appeal to buyers (external parties) with the company’s identity.

Outer branding is the process of appealing to buyers (external parties) with your company’s identity.

Branding Personnel

What qualities are required of personnel who promote branding?
The following article explains.

How to gain knowledge about branding

Since branding techniques vary depending on the means of communication with consumers/customers, we recommend that you read and learn from the books you need at the time.
The following article provides a list of recommended books.

There is also much to learn from branding success stories.

Elements of Branding

A brand is an image a buyer has of a seller, so every point of contact (touch point) a seller has with a buyer is a branding element.

Linguistic Elements

Linguistic elements of branding include, for example

• Brand name (company name, product name, service name)
• Tagline
• Catch copy
• Brand story
• Language and tone

Visual Elements

Visual elements of branding include, for example

• Marks
• Colors (e.g., corporate colors)
• Packaging

A combination of linguistic and visual elements is a “logo”.

Other elements

• Sound elements, such as the melody of a commercial
• Scent elements, such as a specific fragrance

Legal protections for branding

Brand “style” is easily imitated by others.
I have heard stories of brand websites that have been copied by third parties, with a similar domain name to the brand.
Is there any law against such cheating?

There are many laws, but it is especially important to make good use of “trademark law” to protect your brand.

Some of the laws that protect your brand include, for example;

• Trademark Law, which protects logos and product names
• Design Law, which protects designs
• Patent Law and Utility Model Law, which protect ideas
• Copyright Law protects expressions.
• The Seeds and Seed Act protects varieties.
• Other laws: the Unfair Competition Prevention Law and the Commercial Code (trade name-related).

Of these, “Trademark Law” is the most important for brand protection.
By registering a brand name or other branding element as a trademark, legal actions such as injunctions can be taken if others use it without permission.
It is even safer if you also apply for the same trademark as the domain name.

Once you have obtained trademark rights, you can renew them to protect your logo, etc. on a semi-permanent basis.

I see, a brand is not just an advertisement or decoration, but a “way of being” with customer empathy at its core.
We need to continue our efforts to maintain the “character” that resonates with our customers and continue our corporate efforts.

List of the Articles tagged with “Branding”

Unauthorized Use of Trademarks

Posted: 2022年5月26日

This section explains when trademark infringement, such as unauthorized use of a trademark, is established, and what damages and penalties are imposed for trademark infringement. In addition, terms such as “trademark right” and “trademark registration” are briefly explained.

Register Trademark for Your Character! Filing/Registering Trademark for Character

Posted: 2022年5月30日

Trademark registration is a way to acquire rights to a character. By registering its name or design as a trademark, you can prevent others from copying or using it without your permission. This article will explain in detail how to register a trademark for a character and what to note for it.

Trademark Registration Recommendations. Three reasons why you should register your logo as a trademark.

Posted: 2022年7月6日

For those wondering whether they should register their logo, this section explains the meaning and necessity of trademark registration. It also explains the different types of logos.

Can a brand name be registered as a trademark? We’ll show you exactly how!

Posted: 2022年7月7日

Brand names also need to be registered as trademarks. However, there are cases where even a brand name is not registered as a trademark.

Should I register a trademark with characters or a logo? Points to keep in mind when using a logo trademark

Posted: 2022年7月12日

Should you apply for a logo trademark or a character trademark? Also, what you should pay attention to when you register a logo trademark.

Here are some examples of successful branding.

Posted: 2022年8月25日

In this article, we will introduce some examples of successful branding practices.

What is House Mark? Explain what it relates to trademark registration!

Posted: 2022年9月16日

The article explains what a house mark is, with specific examples, as well as the importance of trademark registration for the products and services in use.

What is Pet Name? Explain what it relates to trademark registration!

Posted: 2022年9月21日

This article explains what a pet name or family name is, with specific examples, as well as the importance of trademark registration for goods and services in use.

What is brand image building and rights building through branding?

Posted: 2022年10月12日

This article will briefly introduce what branding and brand image are, how they contribute to corporate activities, and what measures can be taken to prevent other companies from usurping your brand image.

What are the effects of branding?

Posted: 2022年9月27日

Branding is one of the most important things a company can do to enhance its brand and product value. In this article, we explain what branding is and the key to successful branding and its benefits.

What is a useful framework for branding strategy?

Posted: 2022年9月16日

Frameworks can help you visualize your brand strategy. This article introduces some typical frameworks commonly used for branding.

What is a Branding Strategy? The key to its success lies in its trademark! [in Japan]

Posted: 2022年9月27日

In recent years, the need for branding strategies in any field has become increasingly important. This article explains the key points of branding strategy in Japan, mainly from a “trademark”.

What is Brand Advertising in Japan? Explanation and Tips for Success

Posted: 2022年9月27日

This article explains what Brand Advertising is, its characteristics, how it differs from Response Advertising, and what makes it successful, as useful information for business success in Japan.

Branding Strategy – Brand Name in Japanese? Or English?

Posted: 2022年10月11日

An important process in branding is choosing a brand name. This article explains what to consider when deciding on a brand name, whether to use a Japanese name that is easy to understand or a foreign name in a foreign language such as English that is easy to use in other countries.

How to use branding effectively?

Posted: 2022年10月11日

What is the effective use of branding? We explain the meaning and use of company’s branding strategies.

What is Branding Design? The connection between brand building and design

Posted: 2022年11月2日

What is branding design? This article will introduce what branding design is, which is important for concept-based brand building, along with how to build it.

What is Branding People? We’ll show you how!

Posted: 2022年12月8日

This article explains what it means to brand a person, the advantages and disadvantages of personal branding and self-branding, and how to do it.

Big Boss and Queen of Christmas, Nippon-Ham, Shinjo’s “big boss” can’t be trademarked?

Posted: 2022年12月28日

The manager of the Japanese baseball team, Nippon Ham, Tsuyoshi Shinjo’s nickname “big boss” has been filed as a trademark by a third party before the baseball team. This article explains the keywords and their trademark applications.

What is difference between “Trademark Registration” and “Design Registration” ?　We can help you with both!

Posted: 2023年1月31日

Trademark registration is intended to protect the mark or name that you put on your products or services. Design registration is for the protection of original designs. This article explains the features of each right and the advantages of using both rights together.

This section introduces “brand managers” involved in branding.

Posted: 2022年12月19日

What is a “brand manager” and what is one of the key roles in branding operations? This section explains the role.

What kind of branding leads to increased sales?

Posted: 2022年12月19日

As we do branding, we want it to lead to increased sales. Here are some branding tips to help you improve your sales!

The Purpose of Branding – Why is it necessary?

Posted: 2023年1月10日

Why is branding necessary? How should it be done? Here is an overview of branding, and the significance of trademark applications.

Build an Attractive Brand by Registering a Graphic Trademark!

Posted: 2023年6月2日

Trademark registration is an important way for companies and individuals to distinguish their goods and servic […]