ABSTRACT
A brand was traditionally an indelible mark burnt onto something – a barrel, a cow, or even an imprisoned slave – to display ownership and discourage theft. As brands evolved from these crude beginnings, they became symbols to differentiate one company’s products from those of competitors and imitators. In the 19th-century UK, Bass Brewers printed a red triangle trademark on their casks to enable customers to distinguish their premium product from a cheaper but inferior, generic alternative. In doing this, Bass could charge a higher price, building profit and customer loyalty, and customers could be assured that they were choosing a tasty, reliable product.
Brand management is caring for, measuring and understanding others’ perceptions of your organisation, and adapting your approaches to account for those considerations. This emphasises the need to build and nourish a relationship, to explore stakeholders’ perceptions, to act accordingly, and to monitor success.
