Openmirrors.com MORE THAN A NAME
CHAPTER 01
DEFINING BRANDING
INTRODUCTION
This is the chapter that makes sense of branding from a theoretical, historical and current standpoint. Many people view branding as simply creating an identity for a company composed of a logo, a name and an identifiable style. Yet branding is much more than this. It encompasses both the visual and tangible elements of the brand, as well as the emotional and intangible pieces that create a connection between the brand and the consumer. This makes branding an exciting area to work in for the graphic designer, whose role is to translate and communicate ideas into reality. The theory section helps to delineate brands from products and services, and looks at the way companies position brands. The content of the chapter delves into the history and meaning of branding, addressing some of the basic questions in branding: What is branding? And why is it important? At the end of the chapter is an interview with John Williamson, a director at one of the world’s leading branding agencies, Wolff Olins, who talks about branding and the graphic designer’s role within brand structures.
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