Brand strategy positions a brand into its competitive marketplace. Setting strategy and making plans for branding will ensure consideration for the key drivers for generating demand, adoption and brand loyalty. Strategy for branding sets out messages (also described as messaging) that communicate brand attributes, benefits, essence, voice and personality. Brand strategy creates a brand blueprint to connect a brand unequivocally with its target audience.

Brand Audit – a systematic look and inventory of brands within the business portfolio or competitive set. Audits may take a deep dive and include everything from product USP (unique selling proposition) to packaging and naming uses, color selections and subsets or associated brands.

Brand Architecture – brand relationships or the structure of products, services or IPs (intellectual properties) within a company portfolio, and how they relate to one another.

Brand Messaging – the voice of a brand, conveying brand strategy, content and the unique qualities of a brand to its target audience. Brand messaging has been called the bridge between strategy and marketing communications.

Brand Identity – the visual components of a brand work together to form an identity. They can include logo, logotype and name. A successful identity is easy to read and understand, distinctly different, and evokes emotion from its audience. Evergreen brand identities are clear, distinctive, readable, memorable, timeless, and inspirational.

Brand Logo and logotype or wordmark is a uniquely designed brand symbol. A stand-alone graphic component of the brand logo is sometimes called a logo bug. The logo and logotype can be combined into one brand mark or brand identity, or used separately or for brand extension applications and materials. Brand logos are custom-created and unique to the brand.

Brand Positioning – this is the place that a brand occupies in the minds of its target audience. It communicates the brand’s distinct difference. It asserts its value and strength in its category and against its competition. Well-crafted positioning combines tangible and intangible benefits. Positioning helps people connect, develop loyalty, and choose a brand over all other brands.

Brand Personality – sets brands apart from the competition by exhibiting human characteristics including voice, style, point of view, dialect, and ethos. Consistently applied brand personality traits win audiences over and promote brand recognition. How a brand looks, speaks and behaves sums up the brand experience.

Brand Voice – is the written communication style of a brand. Brand Voice is how a brand speaks or communicates, and not what it says. Messaging or content is what a brand delivers when it exerts its voice.