Why the World Would End Without Branding

Branding makes the world go ‘round. Whether it’s good or bad, branding is what makes it possible for life as we know it (as least in a business/consumer sense) to continue, and without it, we’d all be lost. Even so, there are many people who claim that the world would be a better place with less marketing and advertising. If you’re one of those people who has grown disenchanted with the advertising game, we urge you to reconsider. What would a world without branding really look like? And would it be better…or worse?

What is “Branding”?

First things first. Before we can consider a world without branding, we have to fully understand what branding is. BusinessDictionary.com defines branding as:

“The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.”

Branding allows individual companies to create an identity unique to themselves in a sea of competition. This identity is what enables consumers to recognize specific businesses and to make connections with the ones that they trust.

If Branding Were No More…

So what if that concept was to simply disappear one day? The results may surprise you:

Drastic Drop in Sales

Branding drives sales. When people are introduced to a brand that they identify and connect with on both a psychological and emotional level, they are much more likely to take interest in the brand’s products and services and make a purchase. In fact, some people are so connected with the brands that they love that they’ll always buy from the business – even if another brand is selling exactly the same thing. Without branding’s gentle nudge towards different companies, consumers would struggle to know where to go or who to trust when making their purchases. They might even freeze up and choose not to buy anything at all.

Collapse of Economy

Sporadic sales and conflicted shoppers would cause the economy to collapse. Without branding, many small businesses that rely on building close, personal relationships with loyal customers would have no means of doing so, and would be forced to close their doors due to lack of sales. Millions of people would be without work, and the money would quickly stop circulating. Cue the next Great Depression!

Decrease in Customer Service

Why on earth would a company take the time to engage with customers, listen to what they need and care about, and provide any type of customer service if branding didn’t exist? If shoppers aren’t going to associate positive behaviors with a specific brand, there’s absolutely no point in putting forth the extra effort to woo new customers and keep existing clients loyal.

Decrease in Product Quality

Going hand-in-hand with the previous point, product quality would diminish without branding. Brands take pride in the products that they sell, and strive to offer only the highest quality materials and services. Take away the brand, and you take away any reason for a company to feel any concern about the quality or safety of their wares.

Consumer Confusion

In a world without branding, you would probably struggle to answer a friend who remarks, “Hey, I like your [insert product type here]! Where did you get it?” In fact, you might not be able to replace your products, have them serviced and repaired, or replicate your shopping experience ever again. Why? Because without branding, you wouldn’t have made a strong connection with the seller, thus causing you to forget where your purchases originally came from. Bye bye, brand loyalty.

So, who still thinks the world would be better off without branding efforts? If you’re fed up with the status quo, that doesn’t mean that you throw it out – it means that it’s time to get creative! Branding through non-invasive and organic inbound marketing is the best way to go in 2017. Learn more by reaching out to the experts at Madison Taylor Marketing.