Marketing vs. Branding – Which Do You Need?

Marketing and branding—on the surface, it may seem like these are just two separate words describing the same process. Oftentimes, they’re even used interchangeably in casual conversation. But in practice, the two are extremely diverse. When a company is looking to build their brand and get the word out on their products or services, it can be a bit confusing. So what’s the difference, and which does your company need right now? Let’s compare the finer details of marketing and branding, and then we’ll determine what’s best for you.

Branding

Every company or organization begins by establishing their brand: who they are, what they do, how they do it, why they do it. Branding typically begins when the founders ask themselves some important questions.

• What are our core values as a company?
• What makes our product/service unique from others on the market?
• How do we want to present ourselves to consumers?

The answers will pierce directly to the heart of the matter: who do you want to be as a brand? Let’s take a look at just a few practical examples of branding.

• Company mission statement
• Memorable slogan or tagline
• Logo or other visual representation
• Visual merchandising (colors, fonts, texture, emotion, etc.)

This may seem intimidating, especially if you’re just starting out, but the nice thing about branding is that it doesn’t have to be permanent. Companies shift direction and refresh their brand all the time.

Marketing

If branding is primarily internal, then marketing represents the external part of the process. In other words, how will you build awareness for your brand? Beyond that, how will you get consumers’ attention? In the Digital Age, there are plenty of ways to get the word out and spread awareness. Here are a few examples:

• Television and radio commercials
• Social media advertisements
• Search engine optimization

Marketing is constantly evolving, and companies can employ different campaigns at the same time. This makes marketing extremely flexible, even open to experimentation.

Which Do You Need?

Your needs depend entirely on your current state. Are you a new company, building your brand from the ground up? You’ll want to begin by branding yourself. Are you already well-established and looking for a way to increase consumer demand? Marketing is the way to go. Perhaps you’re a well-established company that’s looking to refocus and rebrand. That’s possible with branding!

We’ve Got You Covered

No matter where you are in your journey as a company, Sumner Group can help. We offer services in branding, marketing, and much more, so we can work alongside you every step of the way. We’ve been helping companies in North Carolina and abroad for 35 years, and our success stories speak for themselves. Get in touch with us today!