What is Branding & Brand Management, and Who is Responsible for Them?

Branding vs. Brand Management: Understanding the Difference

People often confuse the terms "Brand," "Branding," and "Brand Management," but they are not the same.

Branding refers to the process of creating a brand’s identity system, which includes designing its logo, colors, fonts, illustrations, and other visual elements. This is just one part of the broader brand management process.

Sometimes, "branding" is also used to describe the placement of brand identity elements on promotional materials. For example, adding a company logo to merchandise, clothing, speaker cups, or event walls. This type of branding is often used at events to subtly promote the brand.

Brand management is the ongoing process of developing and evolving a brand. This is essential because both the market environment and consumer perceptions are constantly changing. To keep a brand relevant and effective, companies often go through rebranding—a process of updating the brand.

Branding can be divided into two types: external and internal. External branding focuses on consumers, while internal branding targets employees. Internal branding ensures that employees understand and align with the brand’s values, enabling them to communicate the brand effectively to the audience.

The Main Goal of Branding: Creating the Right Brand Image

The primary goal of branding is to develop a brand image that aligns with the values of the target audience. If the perceived brand image doesn’t match the intended one, the task is to identify and address the causes of this gap.

Branding and brand management can be handled by in-house employees or external agencies, such as branding firms. Typically, a team is involved in brand development, which may include:

• Marketing Analyst

• Product Manager

• Marketing or Advertising Manager

• Sales Team Members

• Creative Team (designers, copywriters, creators)
  
  

The branding process is usually managed by a Brand Manager or Marketing Director, depending on the company's structure. For companies with multiple brands, each brand may have its own dedicated Brand Manager.