The word ‘brand’ is thrown around a lot. It is frequently used to describe several things – from a business as an entity to the images associated with it. The thing is a lot of what we offhandedly refer to as ‘brand’ is not correct. Brand is perception and understanding this helps focus your efforts (and money) in the right places.
The brand is far more than a logo or a tagline. And it’s not really the business itself. It’s the collection of impressions, perceptions and feelings your audience associates with your company, product or service. You can spend a lot of time branding yourself to establish an identity, but audience perception is ultimately how your brand succeeds.
This is why I use the term ‘the brand is in the eye of the beholder’.
Perception is inherently subjective. Two people presented with the same information may come to different conclusions, based on past experiences and inherent biases. This is also why I hate the term ‘common sense;, though that’s a rant for another time.
In branding, this manifests as differences in consumer perception. Despite all your branding efforts, two individuals may have different ideas about your brand. The brand is different depending on who views it.
This article explores this in more depth, looking at how perception can change your brand and how you can align perception with identity.
Brand Perception – Defining your brand
Perceptions, both audience and your own are based on the identity a brand presents. It’s important to define ‘identity’ before we look at perception.
When we talk about ‘Brand Identity’ it simply means how you present your brand to the world. This is commonly confused with ‘visual identity’, which is a part of the overall brand identity. Brand identity isn’t purely about the visuals, though these are an important element. It’s more about the things that make it unique. Here are a few of the most important factors in a unique identity.
Brand purpose, values and vision
These definitions are the heart of your brand identity. They represent the strategy and the very essence of your brand. They help direct the other elements, such as tone, character and visuals, to create a cohesive message.
A well-defined purpose gives customers a reason to interact. Strong values show how you do things differently – the decisions you make and the lines you won’t cross. A vision helps direct your business efforts, focusing your team on the same goals.
Your brand identity is based on these definitions. If they are weak or vague, the brand will be too. The more you define them, the easier you will find it to present a solid, unified brand identity.
Logo, colour scheme and messaging
This is generally what people think of when they hear ‘brand’. Your visual elements and messaging are how you communicate your brand identity.
Colour psychology and semiotics are both important to understand when approaching your visual identity. Colours are especially powerful tools for building feelings, so choosing the right palette is important. To create a consistent visual identity, everything needs to reflect the core message and values the business wants to show.
When it comes to messaging, tone and character are important elements. How the message is provided is as important to perception as the content. Serious messages rarely work in a jovial tone, for example. Consistency is key across your visuals and messaging.
What you want your brand to represent
Speaking of messaging, the clarity of the message is just as important. If you don’t know what you want the brand to represent, it becomes harder to show that to people. And when you aren’t clear, your audience will fill in the gaps – usually not how you’d like them to.
A clear central theme for the brand is a must and should be woven into every interaction. The simpler you make it, the easier it becomes to remember. A simple message is also more transferable, so the likelihood of your audience seeing your brand as you intended is increased.
A big tip for getting this right is to start with one, strong central feeling or ideal that you can build the rest of your brand outward from. Try to think of a single word that reflects your desired brand, then weave that into every aspect of its identity.
The Role of Perception in Branding
Building a brand identity is about looking at ideals. The identity is a culmination of what the owners want the brand to be. When it comes into contact with the audience, perception begins to change it.
Think of a brand you hate. I mean, really hate. Do you think they set out to create that perception? Most likely not. But your perception of the brand is what it has become to you because of your experiences and contact with it.
To understand why, it’s important to understand how perception is formed.
How consumer perceptions are formed
Perceptions can be formed in many ways. To keep things simple, here are three that are usually most influential on the perception of a product or service:
- Personal experiences – This is the big one. Your interactions will have a bigger impact than almost any other facet. We usually trust our own feelings more than anything else – so personal experiences will heavily influence our impressions of a brand. Everything from product quality to customer service influences perception.
- Social influence – Recommendations from trusted friends and family, reviews and word of mouth significantly impact perception. If a friend tells you something positive about a company, you’re more likely to believe it than if the company had told you. This then influences your perception of the brand.
- Media representation – Social media, advertisements and the news strongly influence perception. Good PR and having control of your online image are important if you want to build a consistent perception.
The disparity between intended brand identity and public perception
The crossover point between identity and perception is important to understand. Even with careful branding efforts, there is often a gap between identity and perception. Recognising this is key to guarding your business against negative consequences.
You don’t ‘own’ the brand as such. While you can copyright or trademark elements of the identity, the brand is how you are perceived by your audience. It is in the eye of the beholder.
What you can do, however, is influence the brand to ensure it aligns closely with the defined identity.
This is why it is so important that communication with your audience is two-way. The more you listen to them and gather feedback, the easier it becomes to tweak your identity to influence perception.
Evaluating Your Brand Perception
Evaluating brand perception can be tricky. It requires taking criticism on board, which can be difficult for business owners. However, it is a vital part of your brand’s health – ignoring truths because they’re uncomfortable will lead to more disappointed clients. Fixing problems early can even flip negative perceptions.
The important thing is to keep an eye on how the brand is perceived. Here are some strategies you can use to assess brand perception:
- Surveys and feedback – Obvious but overlooked, getting feedback is the best way to understand how your brand is seen. What better way than asking the source? Sending surveys and asking for feedback lets your clients and customers be honest about their experience and may illuminate areas where your identity and perception are misaligned. Be sure to follow through on feedback though!
- Social media listening – People love voicing their opinions. And more often than not, they’ll do so on social media. Monitoring mentions, tags and hashtags can provide a real-time view of audience perception.
- Competitor analysis – Your brand doesn’t exist in a vacuum. There are other companies out there, so measuring how you stack up against them is important. Identifying unique strengths and weaknesses can help you find areas to improve.
There are a myriad of ways you can evaluate brand perception and it’s important that you do. Gathering data is important to understanding the health of your brand. Tools like Brandwatch, Google Analytics and feedback platforms like SurveyMonkey help gather the data you need to perform an accurate analysis.
Bridging the Gap Between Perception and Reality
Evaluating is only half the battle – you also need a plan to implement your changes. With data on your side, this is significantly easier than guessing. There are several steps involved with aligning brand intent and consumer perception.
Clarifying your message is an important first step. As mentioned previously, perception is often formed by filling gaps. Ensuring your messaging is clear and consistent across your touchpoints helps fill holes and provide more influence. Make sure to reflect your values and identity as closely as possible to maintain a consistent appeal.
Engaging with your customers authentically is also important. Being direct and honest, even with bad news, gains more appreciation than being opaque. Transparency (especially on social media) wins a lot of trust, so try to connect with your audience on a personal level where possible.
Talking of transparency, being open about your practices and values is a great method of influencing perception. Showing a more human side of the company is an excellent way of creating connections, which shapes an authentic reputation.
One of the most important methods of shaping perception is through storytelling. Taking the clients on an emotional journey has a greater chance of a positive perception. Storytelling humanises your brand and can be used to connect on an emotional level. By carefully crafting this narrative with your purpose, values and origin, you can influence how your audience sees the brand and align your perception with your identity.
Case Studies in Brand Perception
There are many famous examples of brands that have used perception to their advantage – and some where perception has turned on them. Here are a few examples of each.
Nike
Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ tagline is the perfect example of aligning perception with messaging. This simple message has helped ensure the brand remains aligned with the ideals of excellence and determination worldwide.
Apple
Apple’s move towards simplicity and quality has been reflected in the perception of the brand. By consistently creating simple-to-use, quality products, the brand has earned a perception that aligns with its identity.
Brewdog
Brewdog positioned itself as the ‘punk’ option in the brewing space – creating an image of progressive rebellion. Unfortunately, the culture of the company was alleged to be toxic, sexist and more. This turned a lot of public perception to see them as just another ‘boys club’ with outdated attitudes. A far cry from the ‘punk’ identity they wanted to show. If they can fix this, only time will tell.
Uber
Uber was seen as a transportation innovator before issues related to corporate culture and privacy created a gap between perception and intent. Bullying and harassment have been alleged, leading to a decrease in brand perception.
What so these case studies show? The main point to take away is that goodwill can be squandered. Successful brands prioritise transparency and build on authenticity. When a brand says one thing but secretly does another, it asks for trouble. Failing to address public concerns and deliver on promises can have massive negative consequences.
Conclusion – Why is Brand Perception Important?
Understanding how your brand is perceived is key to success. You will find it difficult to build honest connections without good knowledge of your audience’s mood,. The gap between your intended identity and your audience perception requires managing. You leave space for negative perception to fill the gap if it isn’t well managed.
Perception is dynamic and evolves with every customer interaction. Your brand is what your audience thinks of it, and that can change – suddenly and dramatically. Constantly shaping your image and proactively dealing with misunderstandings is vital to stay in alignment.
A brand is in the eye of the beholder – but you have the power to positively influence them.
Use it well and use it wisely.
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