A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or company from "summary" of The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
Think of a brand as a gut feeling because that's what it is. It's not what you say it is. It's what they say it is. It’s a gut feeling because people are emotional, intuitive beings, not logical, and rational ones. They have feelings about a product or service that are based on their emotions and instincts, not just on facts and features.
Branding is not just a logo, a name, or a tagline. It's a gut feeling that people have about a company, product, or service. It's the emotional response that people have when they think about a brand. And this gut feeling is created by everything they know, hear, see, and experience about the brand.
When people have a positive gut feeling about a brand, they are more likely to buy from it, recommend it to others, and become loyal customers. But when they have a negative gut feeling about a brand, they will avoid it, badmouth it, and look for alternatives. That's why it's crucial for companies to understand and manage their brands carefully.
Brands are not what companies say they are. They are what people feel they are. And those feelings are based on the sum total of their experiences with the brand. It's the emotions and associations that come to mind when they hear the brand name or see the logo. It's the stories and memories that they have about the brand.
By understanding that a brand is a gut feeling, companies can focus on creating positive emotions and associations with their brands. They can build trust, loyalty, and preference among their customers by delivering on their promises and creating memorable experiences. In the end, a strong brand is not what you make. It's what you are. And that's a feeling that money can't buy.
