Business Fundamentals was developed by the Global Text Project,
which is working to create open-content electronictextbooks that are freely available on the website
http://globaltext.terry.uga.edu. Distribution is also possible viapaper, CD, DVD, and via this collaboration, through Connexions.
The goal is to make textbooks available to the manywho cannot afford them. For more information on getting
involved with the Global Text Project or Connexions email us atdrexel@uga.edu and dcwill@cnx.org.
Editor: Molly Lavik (Vatel International Business School Los Angeles, USA)
Reviewer: Debbi D Brock (Berea College, USA)
Mid day
Image created by: Taissia Belozerova, Graphic Designer, Artist, MBA Candidate at Pepperdine University Class of 2009
Branding: the memorable rim on the wheel
Branding is the core foundation of your startup that is necessary to make your product or service blossom and grow. “Branding” is a commonly used marketing term that refers to a distinctive image, usually in the form of a logo or company mark that represents a company or product. In recent years a company’s brand has become an asset with a financial worth known as “brand equity”. The marketing use of the word “brand’ is borrowed from the process of burning a rancher’s mark into the hide of a calf for identification purposes. When building your brand, the following checklist is helpful for making your startup bloom.
Branding coaching
What is the meaning behind the message your product and/or service represents?
Coaching: Try writing the history of why you are starting this venture and what is the deeper meaning behind why you are doing this and what you hope the legacy of the new venture will be in the market place. Review the history and pull out any information that seems relevant toward the meaning. Then write up some draft messages you hope to communicate when marketing the product or service.
What is the brand essence of your new product or service?
Coaching: The brand essence of your venture is the “heart and soul” behind the product and service you plan to develop; the core DNA of your product or service. The brand essence is the foundation of your brands true identity and the brand essence typically stays the same over time. An example of brand essence is the medical corporation International Patient Assistance Centre headquartered in Singapore. A review of the corporation’s website (
(External Link)IPAC, International Patient Assistance Care,
www.ipac.sg/en/About/ (Accessed January 2, 2009.) ) leads one to believe the brand essence for the medical company is “dedicated and experienced patient care teams”. If you are not able to come up with the brand essence for your venture try reverse engineering the process by asking yourself what would you like the brand essence of your venture to be and then make a list of action items you would have to do to achieve creating a company with this type of brand essence.
What is the brand advantage?
Coaching: What sets our brand apart from that of the competition?
Try answering the following:
“What is distinctive about the brand?
What differentiates this brand from the competitor’s?
