glossary

We do our best to avoid jargon, but it does creep in...sorry! However, this glossary of terms may help!

Brand
The sum of all the characteristics, tangible and intangible, that make the offer unique.

Brand Equity
The value of the brand in its holistic sense to its owners as a corporate asset.

Brand Essence/ Attributes
The distillation of a brand's intrinsic characteristics into a succinct core concept.

Brand Extension
A new product or service that is related to an existing brand, but that offers a different benefit and/or appeals to a different target segment.

Brand Gap
The missing experience between what an organisation says it does, and what customers actually experience.

Brand Harmonisation
The synchronisation of all elements of brand identity, across a line of products or services and/or across geographic markets.

Brand Identity
The outward manifestation of the essence of a corporate brand, product brand, service brand or branded environment.

Brand Identity Equities
The value of specific elements of identification (e.g., name, symbol or colours) to the brands owners.

Brand Positioning
The specific niche in which the brand defines itself as occupying in the competitive environment. Positioning addresses differentiating brand attributes, user benefits and target segments, singly or in combination.

Brand Revitalisation
A major overhaul of a brand, starting with its positioning and proceeding through creative regeneration of the brand identity.

Brand touchpoints
The interaction between customers and their experience of the brand.

Branded Environment
The graphic system of identification as applied to three-dimensional physical space.

Branding
The process by which both a brand and brand identity are developed.

Co-Brand
Use of two or more strong brands in relation to a common offer.Typically, but not always, the brands are given equal emphasis. Examples: Disney and Pixar animations, Visa and Barclays.

Corporate Brand
The gestalt of the organisation, including its philosophy and culture as well as its physical characteristics.

Corporate Image
Application of the term image to specific types of offers.

Descriptor
A term used with a brand name to communicate an informational attribute (e.g., variant, function, occasion or target segment) about a specific offer.

Digital Branding
Using digital media to create, build, manage and revitalise the relationships between a brand and its audiences.

Endorsement
Use of the parent brand identity to support and add credibility to an allied offer. Implies subordinate emphasis of the parent to a sub-brand, though relative emphasis will vary case-by-case.

Enhanced Descriptor
An evocative word that may or may not be trademarked, but which differentiates the offer in a proprietary way.

Generic Descriptor
A simple, descriptive term with clear meaning, and which can be executed in regional languages.

House Style
The overall impression created and maintained over time by the consistent presentation of the brand in the prescribed manner and in appropriate contexts.

Identity Two meanings, both valid:
1) The sum of all the characteristics, tangible and intangible, that make the offer unique.
2) The elements of brand identification (e.g., the name, symbol and colours) by which an offer can be identified.

Image
Perceptions of the features, tangible and intangible, that characterise a brand.

Information Architecture
The process of creating clarity and human understanding through the organisation of information. From a software development point of view, Information Architecture is the organisational structure of the application and data as it is reflected in the user interface.

Ingredient Brand
A strong brand that is used and promoted as a key part of a host brand.

Interactive Branding
Process of developing Web sites and other interactive products, including strategy development, structural design and graphic design.

Line Extension
A new variation of a product or service sharing the same essential characteristics as the parent, but offering a new benefit, such as flavour, size, package type, etc.

Logo
The terms "mark", "logo" and "identifier" are general terms for a symbol or wordmark.

Nomenclature System
The names of individual entities within a group of companies (or families of products or services) organised systematically to reflect the relationships among the entities. The term "nomenclature system" encompasses modifiers, descriptors, endorsements, etc., as well as names.

Parent Brand A strong brand that has the capacity to:
1) stand alone to represent a core product or service;
2) support alliedproducts/services by sharing its brand identity, directly or through endorsement

Positioning Statement
A concise written statement of the positioning concept, conveying the essential features ofthe brand and its niche.

Product Brand Two meanings, both valid:
1) The gestalt of the brand, including its emotional and cultural associations as well as its physical features.
2) The graphic system of identification as applied to a single product or service or a family ofproducts/services.

Service Brand
A brand representing a specific service or family of services.

Sub-Brand
A product or service that has a persona and brand values that separate it from the parent
brand. A product or service that has its own brand identity, which is proprietary and can betrademarked.

Symbol
A "symbol" is an abstract sign to represent the brand.

Typography
The typestyle specified for brand communications other than the basic brand signature. Typography is often an existing font, but may also be a modified font or custom-designed font.

UVPs
Unique Value Proposition. Value and meaning are key drivers for 21stC.

Verbal Identity
The brand name and other verbal elements (e.g., descriptor or tag-line) of the brand
signature.

Visual Identity
The symbol, colours, formats and other visual elements of the brand signature.

Wordmark
A "wordmark" is the stylised treatment of the brand name and serves the same functional purpose as a symbol.