The Blog on Branding

Importance of Branding – 3 Ways to Reach Metonymy

“Hand me a Kleenex.”

People have used this phrase since the dawn of sniffles. Even though they might be referring to a specific brand of tissue, the tissue in context might not even be from the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. It could be Puffs or Cottonelle. It might even be toilet paper. However, the mere fact that people use the brand “Kleenex” to describe an entire product (tissues) is a testament to …


“The Importance of Branding.”

Branding is similar to the literary device known as “metonymy” – or substitution for one word with another one it suggests. (For example, “I fought the Law and the Law won” is talking about the police.)

A brand is more than just a product; it’s a congregation of thoughts and beliefs. It’s the feeling people get when they think of the brand. While a good brand doesn’t necessarily have to become a substitution word for its product, it does have to become more than its product. It has to have an identity as if it were a real person.

There are 3 ways to reach Metonymy:

• Develop a Relationship with Customers
• See a Brand as the Only One in the Room
• Know What You’re Getting Yourself Into Every Time

1. Develop a Relationship with Customers

A logo is different from a brand in that a logo simply represents the company; it doesn’t hold any consumer expectations. Branding is the person behind the logo. With a brand, consumer perceptions are taken into consideration.

Branding should connote a certain positive feeling when thought about.When consumers buy into a brand, they are developing a relationship built on trust, quality, and worth. John Jantsch, another well-known entrepreneuer and veteran marketer, cites marketing as doing, and branding as being. Branding is a company’s place in the world, how its existence affects consumers and others.


“Escape from Work or Home.”

Starbucks is a good example of branding with values. Although Starbucks has a logo of a mermaid, the mermaid does not walk or talk in commercials. Instead, it represents something more.

When people buy a cup of Starbucks coffee, they are purchasing something from a company that represents a set of values and ideals. Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz wanted the chain of stores to be a “third place” for customers – a place where consumers can escape from work or home. Schultz encouraged this by making available the purchase of music, films, books, and other non-coffee items. Thus, Starbucks customers are buying into an entire experience when they purchase a drink. Starbucks’ relationship with customers is one of escape.

2. See a Brand as the Only One in the Room

Picture this: A man is at a party, surrounded by dozens of people drinking beers and having a good time. And then he spots her – St. Pauli Girl – his one and only. Suddenly, all of the other beers pale in comparison. He knows he’s found his one true alcoholic love for the rest of his life. Every time he takes a sip of St. Pauli, he’s taken back to that first night – that first sip.

“Get taken back to that first night – that first sip.”

For the man in this scenario, St. Pauli Girl is his go-to beer; the beverage he drinks to get the party started. Because of the taste (or some other attachment), the man puts this beer above all others, which in turn identifies himself as a “St. Pauli Guy.” A brand not only names a type of product; it also applies a type of personality trait for a customer. A “St. Pauli Guy” might get a St. Pauli-type Girl.

The business and marketing world is a very black and white place. There isn’t much room for options. People have to make a choice, and they have to stick with one side.

The Coke versus Pepsi debate is one of the most prime examples of this. Known as the “Great Soda Rivalry,” the Coke/Pepsi relationship demonstrates customers’ attachment to a brand as “the only one.” If you ask the average person, they most usually have a preference between the two. They’re a “Pepsi Guy” or a “Coke Girl.” This is often because of the way Pepsi and Coca-Cola advertise against one another, conducting taste tests where they discover which one really is “number one.”

Studies have shown that subconscious preference between the two is often based on marketing and how a person feels about a company. Furthermore, people are often forced to make this decision at establishments, especially when restaurants are “Coke only” or “Pepsi only” businesses. Because both brands taste similar, the decision between the two is often based simply on how a person subconsciously feels about a brand.

3. Know What You’re Getting Yourself Into Every Time

With the importance of branding also comes expectations. A brand ensures that each time someone purchases a product or service, a certain quality is guaranteed. Once a brand develops a relationship with a customer and becomes the “only one” they see in the room, the brand needs to continue this connection by providing consistency each time a customer invests in said product.

A customer doesn’t want any surprises. He or she wants to know that each time they buy a product, they aren’t going to be disappointed. A good brand won’t let you down. Anytime someone buys a bottle of Heinz ketchup …

• they know exactly what the product is supposed to taste like
• how it will spread across their hot dog during a baseball game
• how long it will take to slowly squeeze its way out of the bottle

Customers gain these expectations through years of experience. The way customers anticipate how a product will suit their needs is what keeps them coming back. It’s something safe and comforting, similar to home and the household – which are possibly the venues through which Heinz ketchup values were instilled within these individuals.


“A good brand won’t let you down.”

Even though some might view this congruity as monotonous and boring, Heinz has made strides toward new technologies and innovations by aiming to improve on what they already do well. An example of this was the “Green Ketchup” that surfaced on the market in 2000. By unveiling new colors, this made something conventional and commonplace new and exciting. Strangely enough, it wasn’t the taste that Heinz decided to experiment with, only the color. (The company knew when not to become too innovative.) Either way, Heinz spun a fresh idea on an old familiar song. Yet, customers still knew what they were going to taste each and every time they took a bite out of a hamburger.

There’s a reason why it’s called a “brand.” It’s something that sticks with you – something you remember. Each brand is a tattoo that shapes consumers as to who they will buy from – who their allegiance is to.

Even though branding is generally something related to cows, in a sense we are all cows, stuck with messages on us. The only difference is that we have Nike and GAP sprawled across our asses.

Megan McLachlan Megan graduated from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and has been doing freelance work for newspapers and magazines since graduating. Her work experience has been very eclectic, having interned with two Pittsburgh television stations, performed photography duties for a USC fan football web site, and served coffee for Starbucks. Megan now works full-time and is a serious studier of Brands and the effect they have on people. Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.