What is branding? How do you define it? Why is it so important to long-term growth and profitability? What is the difference between “branding” and a “brand”? Do I need to pursue a branding campaign?

Is branding the consistent use of a specific combination of colors, shapes or visuals in my advertising? Is it the regular use of a slogan, a jingle, or a logo? Is branding just another word for top of mind awareness in a product category? The answer is no to all of these, but all of these are or could be part of a branding campaign.

A brand is not the result of branding. A brand is simply a registered and trademarked product name and logo.

Branding on the other hand, is a process of positioning the product or company name in the mind of the consumer, in such a way that when they think of the name, they think of it in the positive light in which it was properly positioned by the ad campaign.

The core concept of branding is rooted in behavioral psychology and neuroscience. In short, the actual process of branding is the result of using echoic memory recall (the memory of things heard) to implant an associative memory (a new memory you create with your specially created branding message), that has become linked to a positive memory already anchored in the individuals mind, and then recalling that anchored memory on demand (and thus the desired response), with a recall cue or stimulus (your branding ad which is the associative memory now linked to the anchored memory).

Therefore, the hearing of your branding ad, which is the recall cue, and also the new associative memory, automatically pulls-up the pre-existing anchored memory. Because this anchored memory is positive, a positive feeling is associated with your name upon hearing the recall cue.

Oh yes, this is the good stuff. The stuff that keeps me awake at night.

Branding can also be achieved using iconic memory as a recall stimulus (memory of things seen), but this is much more difficult, time consuming, and expensive, as the human brain is easier to train and condition using the sound of words over sight alone. To the brain, spoken words seem to carry far more emotional impact than written words. And the greater you can make the emotional impact, the deeper rooted the associative memory, or recall stimulus becomes. The deeper rooted the associative memory becomes, the easier and more reliable it is to stimulate on demand, and the more likely it is to be permanently linked to the desired anchored memory.

A desirable anchored memory can be that of a very pleasant feeling (love, security, social acceptance, extreme joy, high accomplishment, etc). An associative memory must be created through consistency and massive repetition (at least 3 times per week, 52 weeks per year, over at least a one year period) using powerful, emotional words, sometimes unusual words in unusual combinations, that break through the competitive advertising clutter to stimulate the mind in such a way that the words are tied into, or linked to the anchored memory.

Most songs are a perfect example of an associative memory (not the head banging base thumping crap some kids listen to, but real songs written for real people). Songs are basically poems with music. Poems are specifically written to be thought provoking, and to stir the emotions.

Poems do this by using powerful words, and often unusual words used in unusual combinations. Because of this, they cut through the brains pre-occupation with life’s trivia, and they get remembered. Sometimes even unconsciously. In fact, it has been said that the average person, with the help of another associative memory or stimulus (the music), can remember a significant portion of over 1,000 songs. These are songs they never intended or tried to remember, but through consistency and massive repetition, they became permanently embedded in their echoic memory.

If you read the lyrics to songs, you will find that most of them in fact read like poetry, and most of them refer to one or more of the following positive anchored memories, or deep felt thoughts, or desires of: sex, love, close family relationships, success/power/wealth, duty/faith/commitment, beauty/acceptance/approval, or fun/fantasy/pleasure. These are universal anchors, because every adult has them, thinks about them, wants them, and has strong feelings toward them, and deep rooted memories of them.

Why do you think music is so popular, emotional, and universal? Why do young women literally cry on a regular basis when they see their favorite singer sing their favorite song live? It is literally an uncontrollable outpouring of massive, deep felt emotions. Why do so many people like to make love to their favorite songs? Because the song heightens the emotional impact of the act of lovemaking. Yes, songs are poetry with music, and poetry stirs the soul.

Great, and I mean really exceptional ad copy, is painstakingly crafted like fine poetry. Each word carefully appointed for its impassioned effect. It bores through the competitive chaos with penetrating emotional force, stirs the soul, and becomes associated in the brain with a favorable, pre-existing anchored memory.

Like I said, this— is the good stuff.

The associative memory you create may be accomplished through spoken words alone, or in combination with a specific and consistent music bead, or it may be done with an exceptional jingle, or an entire song written and scored just for you. Remember the popular 70's song “Kodachrome?” That song was originally written as an ad for Kodak’s Kodachrome film. In my previous life, I was in sales and marketing with Eastman Kodak.

Of course, your ad copy still needs to include a credible Unique Selling Proposition based on believable logic, and one that people actually feel is a real benefit to them. And you still need to sell what people want to buy, with a level of customer service that they expect, and are willing to pay for.

When branding works, the individual will hear the message, and automatically think of your dealership in a positive light. And when they are in the market for your product, they will automatically think of you first. Since they have all kinds of positive associations of your dealership in their minds after hearing your branding message so many times, they will be far less price sensitive, and more likely to buy exclusively from you. Assuming of course that the experience you deliver is exactly what the customer anticipated as a result of your ads. This is where Integrated Marketing comes into play.