ABSTRACT

In this chapter we discuss the basics of branding. We start with one of the most basic functions of branding – to represent values based on associations. If your actions are successful, they will produce a situation where consumers will think of your brand when they think of your product/service category (think of a soft drink and we guarantee you that you were thinking of Coca-Cola). To help you understand how branding can work on a more complex level, we introduce concepts from brand architecture that are useful when working with multiple brands from one company – which is very much the case with the game industry, where many game titles become brands of their own. In order to handle multiple brands, we need brand positioning, which is a tool to create brand strategies. Finally, we need to understand various concepts from the fi eld of brand management that aim to manage brands to become successful and profi table.