Branding vs. marketing - what are the differences?

When it comes to the success of your company, branding and marketing are two terms that are at the top of the list of the most important aspects. They are often used as synonyms, but this is not correct. Both branding and marketing have a separate sphere of influence, but they go hand in hand.

Branding vs. marketing - what are the differences? Probably the most important difference between marketing and branding is that branding is about the external presentation of your company, while marketing refers to communication with customers.

The positioning of your company on the market is strongly influenced by the brand that you have built or are building. Branding is therefore an important basis for successful marketing. We'll show you the differences and how you can make the most of both aspects.

The differences between branding and marketing

Before we go into the differences between branding and marketing, we would like to mention one of the most important similarities: Both are extremely important for the success of your company!

When working with our clients, 90% of the time we at MORE start with a rebranding. We often find that although there is a brand, it is not geared towards the target group or is not sufficiently maintained.

In fact, many brands are designed purely to please the management. But one of our most important guiding principles in branding is:

"The bait must taste good to the fish, not the angler."

The seemingly most beautiful brand is of little use to you if it does not suit your target group. To do good marketing, you need successful branding.

The definition of branding

Branding describes the development and establishment of a brand with a focus on the target group. It is an essential part of the brand strategy and aims to convey the company's value messages. At the same time, branding should connect your company with certain associations.

Types of branding

A distinction is made between different types of branding:

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1. corporate branding

Corporate branding refers to the development of a brand that encompasses your entire company. It is the brand with which you appear to the outside world, generate recognition value and want to be successful.

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2 Employer branding

Branding not only works in the external image, it also has a comprehensive influence on the internal image. Employer branding is about how you manage to get your employees to identify with your brand.

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3. geographic branding

The aim of geographical branding is to turn sights, places, cities or even countries into a brand. Paris, for example, is always associated with love. The brand here is: "Paris, the city of love".

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4. personal branding

Personal branding is about creating a brand around a person. Normally, this mainly concerns people who have already achieved a level of recognition in the public eye.

Why is good branding so important?

With branding, you convey the characteristics and personality of your company to the target group. This is the first impression, so to speak, for which there is no second chance. This makes it all the more important to implement good branding straight away. Branding creates an identity for your company and communicates it to the outside world. This starts with logos, continues with slogans and ends with a corporate design.

Building customer loyalty and recognition

Advertising has become an important part of everyday life. People receive advertising every day and make purchasing decisions based on your brand's branding, among other things.

With a good branding strategy, you build initial customer loyalty. You establish your brand, its values and visual appearance on the market and create the basis for recognition. This also has an impact on your marketing.

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Increase sales and customer lifetime value

It is often assumed that marketing is the key to good sales. This is correct. However, the importance of branding should not be underestimated. Successful branding gives you a clear advantage over your competitors.

Branding builds lasting customer trust in your company's brand. While marketing focuses on high visibility and volume, branding focuses on discreet but continuous trust building and excellent customer lifetime value. Strong brands that are well established on the market have a high lifetime value. They benefit from strong customer loyalty. 

For example, a study conducted by Search Engine Land shows that more than 70 % of users searching for a specific product look for offers from brands they are familiar with.

The advantages and disadvantages of branding

To underline the importance of branding once again, we have summarized the advantages and disadvantages. 

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Advantages:

• Branding sets you apart from your competitors.

• You build a brand and give it the values that your company represents.

• Good branding makes your company visible.

• You create a recognition value.

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Disadvantages:

• Changing an established brand is challenging.

• Branding mistakes manifest themselves permanently as a connection to your brand.

Definition of marketing

Branding therefore stands for building a brand - the brand with which your company should be associated. Marketing now focuses on communicating your company to the target group. It is a tactical and easily measurable approach that focuses on your products and services.

Marketing objectives

The first step in marketing is to define the target group. This is where branding comes into play. Branding is also about your target group. However, it is important to bear this in mind:

"With branding, you define the entire target group of your company. In marketing, you focus on the target group for your product."

Companies that offer clothing for women, men and children are a good example. The aim of branding is to reach all three categories by building a brand. The goal of marketing is then in the details.

If you are promoting a new collection for women, you work with your established brand on the market and use differentiated marketing for the target group "women".

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Marketing strategies and their versatility

We have now realized that branding and strong brands belong together. Good branding gives the entire company a face. If a brand is active and successful, better performance can be achieved through marketing. Marketing is a customer journey - a journey that picks up your target group at their needs and ultimately satisfies them.

You can use different strategies to achieve this. Marketing itself is based on a sophisticated marketing mix, which is made up of:

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• Product

• Price

• Promotion

• Place

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Which product would you like to present to your potential customers, at what price, where would you like to carry out the marketing and what is the advertising strategy?

A relevant difference between branding and marketing is that marketing can be fast, efficient and loud. This is also shown by the following strategies:

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• Experience marketing

• Influencer marketing

• Social media marketing

• Content marketing

• Guerrilla marketing

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As you can see, the marketing options are colorful and varied. Thanks to our experts at MORE, branding & marketing strategies are put together that appeal to your target group.

The advantages and disadvantages of marketing

In terms of marketing, there are also some advantages and disadvantages that can have an impact on success and shape the effects on customer perception and customer behavior.

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Advantages:

• The strategy can be optimally adapted to the respective target group.

• Online and offline marketing offer different options.

• Social networks offer platforms for marketing close to the customer.

• Key figures in marketing are easy to measure.

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Disadvantages:

• Sometimes you make large investments that do not bring the desired success.

• Marketing is often only designed for short-term success, for example as part of a time-limited campaign.

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Understanding the difference and connection between branding and marketing

In summary, it quickly becomes clear: while branding builds the brand, marketing increases your sales. This means that before you can run successful marketing, you need good branding.

Keep in mind that branding is permanent for your company, but marketing comes and goes. Changing your company's image is a comprehensive process. However, if a marketing campaign falls short of your expectations, you can look ahead and change your strategy.

An important commonality is that both marketing and branding carry information about your company to the target group. As a result, they influence each other.

Conclusion: Branding vs. marketing - different meanings, joint success

The difference between branding and marketing is primarily reflected in the importance of the two areas. It should be made clear that these are two different aspects. However, it quickly becomes clear from the definition that branding and marketing are closely interlinked.

Our experts at MORE have years of experience in the interplay between these two aspects. We work closely with you step by step - from rebranding to the successful implementation of the marketing strategy.

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