‘Branding’. Everyone talks about it but few truly practice it. Branding is not just about logos, brochure covers, websites and ad campaigns. It’s about how a company behaves collectively and individually to its people, its customers, its community. The marketing materials, the website, and other “tangibles” are functions of branding, but they aren’t branding in and of themselves. They’re necessary but not sufficient.

Branding is the consistent behavior of all internal and external messages and communications to all audiences of a company. It’s the fomenting and maintaining of an attitude that will engender relationships and ultimately profitability.

Branding, like marketing, should start on the inside of a company and emanate from the top. It’s the shared vision, personality and mission of the company. The tangibles only reflect the branding, not define it. You can have the most creative ad campaign in the world or the most consistent look and feel to your marketing communications. But if the right attitude doesn’t permeate the corporate ranks and extend to the customer, the marketing materials are simply attractive wrappings on an empty package.