Branding Lexicon

A Compendium Designed To Unveil Complex Branding Jargons via A Series of Clear, Comprehensible Definitions.

A

A/B Testing

Comparing two versions of an ad, web page, email or design with real audiences to see which one performs better.

Aaker Brand Equity Model

David Aaker’s framework that measures a brand’s value through five components: brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations and other proprietary assets such as trademarks and patents.

Above the Line (ATL)

Mass-media advertising, such as TV, radio, print and outdoor, used to reach a broad audience and build awareness.

Abstract Mark

A logo made from a non-representational shape rather than a recognisable object or letter, such as the Nike swoosh. It gives a brand a unique symbol that it can fill with meaning over time.

Accessibility

Designing brand materials, websites and products so that everyone can use them, including people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments.

Advertising

Paid communication that promotes a brand, product or service through media such as TV, print, outdoor, digital and social channels.

Advertorial

A paid advertisement written and designed to look like an editorial article in a publication.

Affiliate Marketing

A performance-based arrangement in which partners earn a commission for every sale or lead they bring to a brand.

AIDA Model

A classic model of how people respond to marketing, moving through four stages: Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.

Aided Awareness

The share of people who recognise a brand when they are shown or read its name or logo.

Anchoring Effect

The tendency to rely heavily on the first piece of information we see, such as an initial price, when making judgements. Brands use it in pricing and offers.

Arbitrary Name

A real word used as a brand name in a context unrelated to its meaning, such as Apple for computers. Memorable and easier to trademark than descriptive names.

Art Direction

Guiding the overall look, mood and visual style of a campaign, photoshoot or design so that every image feels on-brand.

Aspirational Brand

A brand that people admire and desire because it represents a lifestyle, status or identity they want to achieve.

Atmospherics

The design of a physical space, including lighting, music, scent, layout and colour, to shape how customers feel and behave.

B

B Corp

A certification, awarded by the non-profit B Lab, for companies that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

B2B Branding

Branding for companies that sell to other businesses, where purchases involve several decision-makers, longer sales cycles and a strong need for trust and expertise.

B2C Branding

Branding aimed at individual consumers, where decisions tend to be quicker and more driven by emotion, lifestyle and convenience.

Below the Line (BTL)

Targeted marketing activities, such as direct mail, events, sampling and in-store promotions, that reach specific audiences in a more personal way.

Benchmarking

Comparing a brand’s performance, practices or results against competitors or industry leaders to find gaps and set goals.

Big Idea

The central creative concept that ties a campaign or brand together and can be expressed across many channels over time.

Bleed

In print, the extra area of artwork that extends beyond the trim edge, so that colours and images run cleanly to the edge after cutting.

Blue Ocean Strategy

A strategy, developed by INSEAD professors W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, of creating new, uncontested market space instead of fighting rivals in crowded markets.

Boilerplate

A standard, approved paragraph that describes a company, used at the end of press releases and other official communications.

Brand

The unique identity and image that sets a business, product, or service apart from others, encompassing visual elements, messaging, and the overall experience it offers.

Brandgrammar™

Firefish’s proprietary branding framework which adopts linguistics for branding. Click here to learn more.

Brand Activation

A strategic marketing initiative that aims to ignite consumer engagement and generate brand recognition via an assorted array of promotional activities. Among the many activities involved in brand activation, one may encounter product demonstrations, experiential events, influencer campaigns, pop-up shops, and social media promotions. The result of a successful activation campaign includes heightened brand visibility, fortified brand loyalty, and subsequently amplified business growth.

Brand Advocacy

When customers, employees or partners recommend and promote a brand to others of their own accord.

Brand Affinity

The emotional connection and sense of shared values that a customer feels towards a brand.

Brand Alignment

The process of ensuring consistency and coherence across all aspects of a brand, from visual elements to messaging, to create a unified and recognisable identity.

Brand Ambassador

An individual, often a public figure, chosen to represent and promote a brand, embodying its values and enhancing its visibility through endorsement.

Brand Archetype

A portrayal of your brand embodying a persona shaped by 12 fundamental human desires and values, such as safety, power, and belonging. Rooted in the theories of influential psychiatrist Carl Jung, who proposed that humans use symbolism to comprehend overarching concepts, these archetypes enable brands to establish a profound connection and comprehension with their target audience. By identifying with a specific archetype, brands can align themselves with distinct customer personas, providing a strategic focus for marketing endeavors.

Brand Architecture

A detailed framework that dictates the arrangement and hierarchy of a corporation’s brand assortment. Its primary objective is to establish a clear-cut organization of how the brand operates, encompassing interrelations between multitudes of products, services, sub-brands, and the overarching brand. The various types of brand architecture models include:

Branded House, which presents all sub-brands under the control of a dominant master brand. Example: iPad, iPhone and iMac come under the corporation, Apple.

House of Brands, where there is no overt link between the individual sub-brands and the parent brand. Example: Dove, Ben & Jerry’s and Lipton are housed under Unilever.

Hybrid, where a fusion of individual and corporate brands are employed.

Brand Assets

The visual and non-visual elements, including logos, colours, and trademarks, that contribute to a brand’s identity and recognition.

Brand Associations

The mental and emotional connections that consumers create between a brand and distinct attributes, qualities, or characteristics. These associations form the foundation of the brand’s image, personality, and reputation, impacting how consumers perceive quality and engage with the brand. Brand association extends beyond mere visual logos. When positive associations become ingrained in a brand’s attributes, it has the potential to significantly boost product sales and foster consumer loyalty, thereby establishing itself as a market leader.

Brand Attributes

The qualities people associate with a brand, from functional ones such as reliable or fast to emotional ones such as friendly or premium.

Brand Audit

The process of conducting a stock-take on the existing brand, to determine what the brand means in the eyes of key stakeholders. It calls for an honest introspection as well as a precise retrospective. It attempts to reach deep, far and wide, to expose inherent weaknesses but also unravel opportunities. Hence, at this juncture, it calls for an open heart and open mind to learn, understand and discover and only then, to consolidate, strategise and transform.

Brand Authenticity

How genuine, honest and true to its values a brand is seen to be, in both what it says and what it does.

Brand Awareness

How familiar people are with a brand and how easily they can recognise or recall it.

Brand Behaviours

The specific actions and ways of working, especially by employees, that bring a brand’s values to life.

Brand Building

Long-term activity that grows a brand’s fame, meaning and emotional appeal. Research by Les Binet and Peter Field suggests roughly 60% of marketing effort should go to brand building and 40% to short-term sales activation.

Brand Champion

An employee who actively promotes the brand internally and helps colleagues understand and live its values.

Brand Collateral

The printed and digital materials that carry a brand, such as brochures, business cards, presentations and flyers.

Brand Colour System

The defined set of colors that are specifically chosen and used consistently across all brand materials and communications. A brand color system typically includes a primary color palette, which consists of a small number of colors that represent the core identity of the brand. These colors are carefully selected to align with the brand’s values, personality, and target audience.

Brand Communications

The myriad of channels and messages that businesses use to hopefully remain top-of-mind to the discerning and selective target audience. This includes advertising, marketing, and promotional activities, such as social media campaigns that utilize the latest cutting-edge techniques and tactics, or content and email marketing which can be powerful tools for connecting with the audience. Depending on budget and strategy, a brand can employ a varied set of communication channels and messaging strategies to not only foster a consistent and unforgettable brand experience for the audience, but to also cultivate trust and loyalty, thereby rising above the intense competition that lurks around every corner.

Brand Community

A group of people united by their shared interest in, and loyalty to, a brand.

Brand Compliance

Making sure that all brand materials and activities follow the brand guidelines.

Brand Consideration

Whether a brand makes it onto a customer’s shortlist when they are ready to buy.

Brand Consistency

Presenting a brand in the same recognisable way across every channel and touchpoint, which builds trust and recognition over time.

Brand Consolidation

Merging several brands into fewer, stronger ones to reduce cost and complexity and to focus investment.

Brand Consulting

A specialized service focused on shaping and refining a business’s brand identity. Consultants provide strategic guidance in developing a cohesive brand strategy, designing visual elements, and crafting effective messaging. It aims to create a positive and memorable brand experience, fostering brand loyalty and differentiation in the competitive market landscape.

Brand Creation

A multifaceted process that encompasses the development of a brand’s identity and establishment of reputation in the marketplace. This involves crafting a distinctive name and visual identity that differentiate the brand from its competitors. In addition, the process entails defining the brand’s core values, purpose, and personality. These serve as the brand’s “moral compass”, a guiding force for internal strategies from marketing to human resource and business development. An effectively created brand inspires trust, loyalty, and advocacy among its customers and stakeholders, thereby facilitating business growth and success.

Brand Culture

The shared values, beliefs and behaviours inside an organisation that shape how its brand is delivered to customers.

Brand Differentiation

What makes a brand meaningfully different from its competitors in the eyes of customers.

Brand Dilution

The weakening of a brand’s meaning or value, often caused by stretching it into unrelated products or by inconsistent use.

Brand DNA

The fundamental traits, values and beliefs that define a brand and guide everything it does.

Brand Education

Providing enlightenment and honing competencies to employees, partners, and stakeholders regarding a brand’s essence, purpose, and direction. It is a journey in understanding the brand vision and mission, and learning to embody the core values in every engagement, both internally amongst employees and externally with clients and the public. Brand education is a vital tool to consistently and powerfully communicate the brand’s narrative, establish a uniform brand identity, and cultivate brand equity.

Brand Elements

The building blocks that identify a brand and can be trademarked, such as its name, logo, colours, tagline, characters and sounds.

Brand Engagement

How actively people interact with a brand, whether customers through content and purchases or employees through their commitment.

Brand Equity

The intangible value and perception that a brand holds in the eyes of its audience, influencing customer loyalty, trust, and market success.

Brand Essence

The embodiment of a brand’s core, encompassing its timeless values, mission, and vision, thereby providing a steadfast foundation for maintaining consistency and authenticity. It serves as the driving force behind the company’s existence, steering its decisions, and effectively communicating its purpose and value to its target audience.

Brand Ethos

The guiding beliefs and character that sit behind a brand’s behaviour and decisions.

Brand Evangelist

A highly loyal customer or employee who enthusiastically spreads the word about a brand.

Brand Evolution

The gradual, planned development of a brand over time to keep it relevant without losing its core recognition.

Brand Experience

The overall perception customers develop through interactions with your business, covering touchpoints across the customer journey. This includes retail, advertising, digital marketing, products, customer service, and uncontrolled factors like journalistic comments and word of mouth. Positive brand experiences cultivate strong emotional connections, reinforcing brand positioning, increasing brand awareness, and enhancing brand loyalty.

Brand Expression

How a brand shows up in the world through its visual identity, verbal identity, experiences and behaviour.

Brand Extension

Utilizing an already-existing brand name and equity to release a novel product or service in a diverse category or market. By harnessing the positive connotations and familiarity of the pre-established brand, the probability of success for the new product is raised.

Brand Fit

How well a new product, partnership or extension matches an existing brand’s image and values.

Brand Funnel

A model of the stages customers move through, from awareness to consideration, preference, purchase and loyalty.

Brand Gap

The difference between what a company says about its brand and what customers actually experience or believe.

Brand Governance

The rules, roles and processes that control how a brand is used and managed across an organisation.

Brand Guardian

A role or individual within an organization responsible for maintaining and preserving a brand’s consistency, integrity, and values. This role involves overseeing and approving all brand-related elements to ensure alignment with established guidelines. It plays a crucial role in upholding the brand’s identity and reputation, requiring a keen understanding of the brand strategy and a commitment to consistency across various communication channels and materials.

Brand Guidelines

A document that sets out how a brand should be presented, covering logo use, colours, typography, imagery and tone of voice. Also called a brand manual, brand book or style guide.

Brand Harmonisation

Aligning the identities and messages of different brands, regions or business units so that they work together as one coherent family.

Brand Health

An overall measure of how well a brand is doing, usually tracked through awareness, perception, preference and loyalty.

Brand Heritage

A brand’s history, origins and traditions, used to build credibility and emotional connection.

Brand Hierarchy

A synonymous term to brand architecture, it refers to the systematic organization of brands within a larger entity or parent brand, based on their order of importance, nature of offerings, and management strategy. Example: Nestlé is the parent to sub-brands including Kit Kat, Milo, Cheerios and Nescafé.

Brand Identity

The outward appearance and experience of a brand, as perceived by the market and its customers. It encompasses a collection of distinguishing verbal and visual elements: brand name, brand logo, brand tagline, brand voice, brand typography. The overall goal is communicate a distinctive brand message in a memorable way, leaving a lasting impression in the customer’s mind.

Brand Identity Prism

Jean-Noël Kapferer’s model that defines a brand through six facets: physique, personality, culture, relationship, reflection and self-image.

Brand Image

The perception of a brand that actually exists in people’s minds, shaped by every experience and message they come across.

Brand Imagery

The visual elements and representations associated with a brand. It encompasses the visual identity, aesthetics, and visual assets that help shape and communicate the brand’s personality, values, and positioning to its target audience. Brand imagery also extends beyond static visuals and can encompass dynamic elements like video, animations, and motion graphics. These dynamic elements contribute to the brand’s visual storytelling and enhance engagement with the audience.

Brand Key

A one-page brand positioning framework, popularised by Unilever, covering the target audience, consumer insight, benefits, values, reasons to believe and brand essence.

Brand Language

A unique concoction of visual and verbal elements that create a singular identity for a brand. It is like the secret sauce that defines a brand’s holistic impression – from signature graphic elements and treatment of imagery to the colour palette, tone of voice, and messaging used in all brand communications. It is all about how a brand presents itself to the audience: Consistent, harmonious, and conveying a certain je ne sais quoi that evokes powerful emotions. This means every channel of communication must align with the brand’s values and objectives. Effective brand language should be highly distinctive, cementing its impression on the audience.

Brand Launch

The planned introduction of a new or updated brand to the market, and to the people inside the organisation.

Brand Lexicon

A curated list of the words and phrases a brand prefers to use, and those it avoids, to keep its language distinctive and consistent.

Brand Licensing

Allowing another company to use a brand’s name, logo or characters on its products in return for a fee or royalty.

Brand Lift

The measurable increase in awareness, perception or purchase intent caused by a campaign, usually found by comparing people who saw it with people who did not.

Brand Love

A deep emotional attachment to a brand that goes beyond satisfaction or habit.

Brand Loyalty

A customer’s tendency to keep choosing the same brand over its competitors.

Brand Management

The strategic practice of building, maintaining, and enhancing a brand’s image, credibility, and value over time. It requires analyzing the marketplace, identifying the customers’ wants and desires, and formulating strategies to position the brand effectively. Brand managers are accountable for overseeing all aspects of the brand’s marketing and communication efforts, to ensure brand consistency and coherence, guaranteeing that everything matches the brand’s values, personality, and aspirations.

Brand Manager

The person responsible for a brand’s strategy, performance and day-to-day management.

Brand Manifesto

A passionate statement of what a brand believes in and stands for, written to inspire employees and customers.

Brand Manual

A document that should be referred to frequently and regularly in order to understand, measure and apply the brand touch-points. It must be made readily available to all stakeholders; simple in language and easy to use. It encapsulates the entire brand essence by transforming it into executables and artifacts to be used in real world applications and environments.

Brand Mascot

A character or figure representing a brand, often used to personify the brand’s values and create a memorable and engaging identity.

Brand Messaging

The key messages a brand uses to communicate its value, positioning and personality to its audiences.

Brand Migration

Moving customers, and the value they attach to a brand, from one brand name to another, such as after a merger or rebrand.

Brand Mission

A brand mission outlines short-term objectives and actionable steps that can be consistently pursued to progress toward the long-term vision. It focuses on immediate, achievable goals aligning with the broader vision.

Brand Monitoring

Tracking mentions of a brand across news, social media, reviews and forums to understand how it is being talked about.

Brand Naming

Creating a name for a brand, product or service. It is a critical aspect of branding, as a good brand name can help to build strong brand recognition. As such, a brand name should “stick” in your mind; easy to remember and easy to spell. The naming process involves research, brainstorming, and testing, and should be approached with careful consideration and strategic planning.

Brand Nomenclature

“Brand nomenclature” refers to the system or set of names, terms, or labels that a brand uses to identify and differentiate its products, services, or offerings. It involves the naming and categorization of various brand elements, such as product lines, sub-brands, features, or variations within a brand’s portfolio.

Brand Onion

A model that shows a brand in layers, from its outer attributes and benefits to its inner values, personality and core essence.

Brand Parity

When customers see little difference between competing brands, making price the main deciding factor.

Brand Perception

How people see and feel about a brand, based on their experiences, word of mouth and the brand’s communications.

Brand Performance

Overall ability of a brand to deliver value and meet its goals, as measured by a wide variety of metrics ranging from brand awareness to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy, as well as financial indicators such as revenue and market share. By regularly evaluating brand performance, the brand can determine if there are increased profitability or greater customer loyalty, and thus a critical edge in the competitive marketplace. At the same time, the brand can identify areas for improvement and optimize its strategies to continue staying ahead of the curve.

Brand Personality

Key human traits that are intrinsic to the brand’s DNA. They inform a brand’s overall personality. A genuine set of brand attributes will resonate with its intended audience, creating a meaningful and lasting connection with them.

Brand Photography

Photography commissioned or styled to reflect a brand’s look and personality, guided by rules on subject, lighting, colour and composition.

Brand Pillars

The few core themes or qualities that support a brand’s positioning and guide its messaging.

Brand Platform

The strategic foundation of a brand, bringing together its purpose, vision, mission, values, positioning, personality and promise.

Brand Portal

An online hub where employees and partners can access brand guidelines, logos, templates and approved assets.

Brand Portfolio

The complete set of brands owned by a company.

Brand Positioning

The space a brand owns in the mind of a customer, as well as differentiating from your competitors. It is about creating a shared identity with your customers and aligning with them on a deeper level. And by doing so, it cuts through the noise and builds connections that last. In a saturated market, there lies a great opportunity in articulating a brand position strongly and clearly.

Brand Preference

When customers favour one brand over the others in its category.

Brand Promise

A promise made to customers about what they are going to get. This commitment can cover various aspects, including quality, core values, reliability, trustworthiness, customer satisfaction, unique advantages, a customer-focused approach, and emotional connections. It forms the bedrock of a brand’s identity and strategic approach. Stakeholders can also utilize the brand promise to effectively shape the customer’s experience and perception of the brand.

Brand Protection

The measures a company takes to defend its brand against counterfeiting, infringement, impersonation and misuse.

Brand Purpose

The reason a brand exists beyond making money: the positive difference it aims to make for people or society.

Brand Pyramid

A model that stacks a brand’s attributes, benefits, values and personality in layers, building up to its essence at the top.

Brand Recall

The ability of people to remember a brand without prompting when they think of a category or need.

Brand Recognition

The ability of people to identify a brand from cues such as its logo, colours, packaging or sound.

Brand Refresh

An update to a brand’s look, messaging or expression that modernises it while keeping its core identity and positioning intact. It is lighter in scope than a rebrand.

Brand Relationship Spectrum

A tool by David Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler for mapping brand architecture, ranging from a branded house to a house of brands, with endorsed brands and sub-brands in between.

Brand Relevance

How meaningful and useful a brand is to its customers’ current needs and lives.

Brand Reputation

How a brand is regarded by the public and its stakeholders, built over time through its actions and conduct.

Brand Resonance

How strong and active the relationship between customers and a brand is. It sits at the top of Kevin Lane Keller’s brand equity pyramid.

Brand Revamp

The process of refreshing a brand’s identity and perception in the market. The depth and significance of a brand revamp lie on a wide spectrum; it can range from simply modernising a brand’s look and feel by updating the logo, visuals and typography, to a larger business pivot and overall shift in marketing strategy. Ultimately, most if not all businesses require a brand revamp at some point, should they wish to remain relevant in the ever-changing market.

Brand Revitalisation

Reviving a declining or outdated brand to restore its relevance and growth.

Brand Roadmap

A plan that sets out the steps, priorities and timeline for building or rolling out a brand.

Brand Rollout

The staged implementation of a new or updated brand across all touchpoints, from signage and stationery to digital channels.

Brand Safety

Making sure a brand’s ads and content do not appear next to harmful, offensive or inappropriate material.

Brand Salience

How easily a brand comes to mind in buying situations. Strong salience means being thought of at the right moment.

Brand Sentiment

The overall feeling, whether positive, negative or neutral, that people express about a brand, often measured through social media and reviews.

Brand Signature

A unique and distinctive element or combination of elements that serves as a recognizable and consistent representation of a brand. A brand signature can take various forms, including a visual mark, a specific design element, a sound or jingle, a particular scent, or even a specific way of communicating or interacting with customers. It is a signature characteristic or feature that sets a brand apart from its competitors and helps build brand recognition and loyalty.

Brand Slogan

A brand slogan is typically created to evoke emotions, establish a brand personality, or convey the brand’s value proposition in a succinct and memorable way. It is a concise and catchy statement that aims to leave a lasting impression on the target audience and reinforce the brand’s identity.

Brand Stakeholders

Individuals or groups with a vested interest in a brand, including employees, customers, investors, suppliers, and the community. They collectively influence the brand’s perception, success, and value. Managing these relationships is crucial for building a strong brand and ensuring long-term success in the market.

Brand Standards

The specific rules and specifications for using brand elements correctly, usually set out in the brand guidelines.

Brand Story

A tool to communicate a company’s origin, brand positioning and purpose into a simple and engaging narrative. It is a recount of significant events, the motivation leading to the brand’s creation, and how it aims to make a difference in the world. By creating a compelling brand story that are emotive and authentic, a brand can move its intended audience and build a loyal following.

Brand Strategy

A strategic roadmap for the brand. It documents what the brand is all about; covering all aspects of the brand: brand positioning, brand attributes and brand personality. And it aligns seamlessly with the corporate strategy of vision, mission and core values. It is a plan for clear action; actions on how the brand can grow to become a powerful brand.

Brand Stretch

How far a brand can extend into new categories before it loses credibility.

Brand Switching

When a customer moves from buying one brand to buying another.

Brand Symbol

A visual element that represents a brand, often iconic, contributing to brand recognition.

Brand Tagline

A concise and memorable phrase or sentence that encapsulates the essence of a brand and communicates its key message.

Brand Toolkit

A ready-to-use collection of brand assets, templates and guidance that helps teams and partners create on-brand materials.

Brand Touchpoints

A brand touchpoint encompasses every interaction, whether physical or digital, between a brand and its audience. These encounters are opportunities for the brand to make a lasting impression, forge connections, and play a crucial role in shaping the overall brand experience and fostering loyalty. Examples of touchpoints include website visits, customer service interactions, business cards, product packaging, social media posts, and online reviews.

Brand Tracking

Ongoing research that measures a brand’s health, such as awareness, perception, usage and preference, over time.

Brand Trust

The confidence customers have that a brand will keep its promises.

Brand Valuation

Estimating the financial worth of a brand as a business asset.

Brand Values

Strong beliefs within the brand. They are guiding principles to live by. They are about character and hence are non-negotiable. They are so deeply held that they almost never change. Ultimately, they shape the vision and drive the mission of the brand.

Brand Vision

An organization’s long-term aspirations and overarching goals. It serves as the guiding force for future endeavours and sets the direction for a brand’s sustained growth and success.

BrandAsset Valuator (BAV)

A large-scale brand research model, originally developed by Young & Rubicam, that rates brands on four pillars: differentiation, relevance, esteem and knowledge.

Branded Content

Content created or funded by a brand that entertains or informs, rather than directly advertising a product.

Branded House

A brand architecture in which all products and services sit under one master brand name, such as FedEx or GE.

Branded Merchandise

Products such as apparel, bags and stationery that carry a company’s branding, used for promotion, gifting or sale.

Branding Agency

A specialised firm that assists businesses in developing and managing their brand strategies, including visual identity, messaging, and market positioning.

Branding Workshop

An interactive session that helps businesses achieve internal alignment. Branding workshops typically involve key stakeholders such as brand founders, employees and external consultants. Through group exercises and discussions, a branding workshop aims to establish clear internal understanding of the brand – from its unique positioning, to the long-term vision and the strategies to undertake in order to fulfil it.

Brandjacking

When someone takes on a brand’s identity without permission, such as through fake social accounts or look-alike domains, to deceive people or damage the brand.

Brandmark Symbol

Refers to a graphic or visual element that represents a brand or company. It is a unique and distinctive design created to visually identify and differentiate a brand from its competitors. Brandmark symbols are often used in conjunction with the brand name or logo to create a recognizable and memorable visual identity. Unlike a logo, which may include text or typography, a brandmark symbol is typically a standalone graphic that can be easily recognized and associated with a specific brand.

Business Analysis

A systematic evaluation of an organization’s operations, structure, and performance to identify areas of improvement, streamline processes, and optimize overall efficiency.

Business Model Canvas

A visual framework that maps out key components of a business model, including customer segments, value propositions, revenue streams, and cost structure, enabling a comprehensive understanding that facilitates strategic decision-making.

Business Process Reengineering

A strategic reassessment and improvement of an organization’s processes, workflows, and systems to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and adapt to changing business conditions.

Buyer Persona

A semi-fictional profile of an ideal customer, based on research, describing their needs, goals, behaviours and pain points.

C

Call to Action (CTA)

A prompt that tells the audience what to do next, such as “Buy now”, “Learn more” or “Contact us”.

Campaign

A coordinated series of marketing activities that share one goal and message over a set period of time.

Cannibalisation

When a company’s new product takes sales from its own existing products rather than from competitors.

Case Studies

In-depth examinations of real-world business situations, practices, or projects to extract valuable insights, best practices, and solutions that can be applied to similar scenarios.

Category Design

The practice of creating and defining a new market category, then positioning a brand as its natural leader.

Category Entry Points (CEPs)

The situations, needs and cues that prompt buyers to think of a product category. Brands grow by linking themselves to more of them.

Cause Marketing

A partnership between a brand and a charity or social cause that benefits both.

Celebrity Endorsement

Using a famous person to promote a brand, borrowing their appeal and credibility.

Certification Mark

A mark showing that goods or services meet certain standards, such as quality, origin or safety, as certified by the owner of the mark.

Challenger Brand

A brand that takes on bigger category leaders by being bolder, more focused or different in its approach.

Clear Space

In design, “clear space” refers to the empty or unoccupied area surrounding a design element, such as a logo, text, or graphic. It is the intentional space left untouched around the element to ensure visual separation and clarity.

Clear space serves several purposes in design:

Visual Separation, by providing space around a design element, clear space helps visually separate it from other elements on the page or within a layout. This separation prevents visual clutter and allows the element to stand out and be easily perceived by viewers.

Readability and Legibility, clear space around text ensures that the content remains readable and legible. It prevents the text from feeling cramped or overcrowded, allowing readers to navigate the content more comfortably.

Focus and Hierarchy, helps directs the viewer’s attention to the most important elements. By giving key elements more space, they can attract greater focus and attention.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of people who click on a link, ad or email after seeing it.

CMYK

The four-colour printing process of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black), used for most printed materials.

Co-Branding

A strategic partnership between two or more brands to collaborate on a product or service, leveraging each other’s strengths and audiences.

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort people feel when their beliefs and actions conflict, such as doubt after a big purchase. Brands can ease it through reassurance and good after-sales care.

Coined Name

An invented word created to be a brand name, such as Kodak or Häagen-Dazs. Highly distinctive and easy to trademark, but it needs investment to build meaning.

Collective Mark

A trademark used by the members of an association or group to show that they belong to it.

Colour Psychology

The study of how colours influence emotions and perceptions, used to choose brand colours that convey the right feelings.

Combination Mark

A logo that pairs a symbol with a wordmark so that the two work together as a single unit.

Community Management

Building and nurturing relationships with a brand’s audience across social media and online communities.

Competitive Advantage

Something a company does better or differently that allows it to win customers over its competitors.

Competitive Analysis

A thorough examination of competitors’ strategies, products, strengths, and weaknesses to gain a competitive edge and identify opportunities for differentiation.

Concept Testing

Testing ideas for products, campaigns or brand directions with target audiences before investing in full development.

Conjoint Analysis

A survey technique that reveals how much people value different features, including brand name and price, by asking them to choose between trade-offs.

Consideration Set

The shortlist of brands a customer seriously considers before making a purchase.

Consumer Behaviour

The study of how people choose, buy, use and dispose of products, and of the factors that influence them.

Consumer Insight

A deep understanding of what customers truly think, feel or need, often uncovered through research, that can inspire brand strategy and creative work.

Content Marketing

Creating and sharing useful content, such as articles, videos and guides, to attract and keep an audience rather than selling to them directly.

Content Pillars

The few core themes that a brand consistently creates content around.

Content Strategy

The plan for creating, publishing and managing content so that it meets brand and business goals.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of people who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up, out of all who had the chance to.

Copyright

The legal right that protects original creative works, such as writing, artwork, photography and music, from being copied without permission.

Copywriting

Writing the words used in marketing and branding, from headlines and slogans to website and packaging copy.

Core Values

Fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that form the foundation of a brand, influencing decision-making and behaviour.

Corporate Brand

The brand of the company as a whole, as opposed to the brands of its individual products.

Corporate Identity

The visual and verbal identity of an organisation, including its name, logo, colours, stationery and signage.

Corporate Reputation

How an organisation is viewed by its stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors and the public.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A company’s commitment to operating ethically and contributing positively to society and the environment.

Corporate Stationery

The branded business essentials of a company, such as business cards, letterheads, envelopes and compliment slips.

Corporate Typography

Corporate typography refers to the consistent use and application of specific fonts and text styles across all communication materials associated with a brand or corporation. It contributes to a unified and recognisable visual identity.

Counterfeit

A fake product that copies a brand’s trademark and appearance to pass itself off as the genuine item.

Country-of-Origin Effect

How the image of a country shapes people’s view of products made there, such as Swiss watches or Japanese electronics.

Creative Brief

A short document that sets out a project’s objectives, audience, key message, deliverables and constraints for the creative team.

Crisis Communication

How a brand communicates during an emergency or reputational threat to protect trust and limit damage.

Crop Marks

Lines printed at the corners of a print file to show where the paper should be trimmed.

Cult Brand

A brand with a small but intensely devoted following whose members identify strongly with it.

Custom Typeface

A typeface designed exclusively for a brand, giving it a unique and ownable look in its typography.

Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE)

Kevin Lane Keller’s model that defines a brand’s strength by what customers know, feel and experience. It is often drawn as a pyramid rising from salience to resonance.

Customer Experience (CX)

The overall impression customers form from every interaction with a company, from first contact to after-sales service.

Customer Journey Mapping

The process of creating visual representations of a customer’s interactions and experiences with a brand or product, highlighting touchpoints and potential areas for improvement.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

The total revenue a business can expect from a single customer over the whole relationship.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

The strategy and software a business uses to manage interactions with customers and prospects, keeping their details and history in one place.

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

A metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a product, service or interaction, usually through a short survey.

Cybersquatting

Registering a domain name that contains someone else’s brand in bad faith, often to resell it or exploit its traffic.

D

Dark Social

Content shared through private channels, such as messaging apps and email, which analytics tools struggle to track.

Data Analyses

The process of examining, cleaning, and interpreting data gathered from research activities, allowing for the extraction of meaningful insights, patterns, and trends.

Debossing

Pressing a design into paper or another material so that it sits below the surface, creating a recessed effect.

Decoy Effect

When adding a third, less attractive option makes one of the original options look better value. Often used in pricing tiers.

Demographics

Statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, gender, income, education and location, used to define target audiences.

Descriptive Name

A brand name that directly says what the company does or offers, such as Singapore Airlines. Easy to understand, but harder to protect and to set apart.

Descriptor

A short word or phrase used alongside a brand name to explain what the company or product does.

Design Language

A consistent set of visual principles, styles and elements that make a brand’s designs recognisable across products and media.

Design System

A library of reusable components, patterns and rules that keeps digital products and brand applications consistent.

Design Thinking Workshops

Collaborative problem-solving sessions that employ the principles of design thinking to explore, ideate, and prototype solutions to complex challenges, often involving cross-functional teams.

Die-Cutting

A print finishing process that cuts paper or card into custom shapes using a sharp steel blade called a die.

Dieline

A flat template that shows the cut lines, folds and glue areas of a package, used to lay out the packaging artwork.

Digital Asset Management (DAM)

A system for storing, organising and sharing brand assets such as logos, images and videos, so that teams always use the latest approved files.

Digital Branding

A brand management approach that combines internet branding and digital marketing across various online platforms to establish a brand’s digital presence. The focus is on fostering connections with consumers to enhance brand recognition, prioritizing awareness, image, and style over immediate sales. This strategic use of digital channels is crucial for building and sustaining a strong online brand presence in today’s interconnected world.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing, or online marketing, involves the promotion of brands to connect with potential customers through the internet and various digital channels, including email, SEO, social media, web-based advertising, and multimedia messages. Its goal is to expand a brand’s reach beyond traditional methods, targeting likely prospects for product or service purchases. Moreover, digital marketing is often more cost-effective than traditional advertising, allowing for daily success measurement and flexible strategy adjustments.

Digital PR

Online public relations that earns coverage, links and mentions from websites, media and influencers.

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C)

A business model in which a brand sells directly to its customers, usually online, without going through retailers or middlemen.

Discovery Phase

The first stage of a branding project, where research, interviews and audits uncover the insights needed to shape the strategy.

Display Typeface

A typeface designed to be used at large sizes, such as for headlines and signage, rather than for body text.

Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs)

Brand cues other than the name, such as colours, shapes, characters, sounds and taglines, that people link uniquely to a brand.

Domain Name

The address people type to reach a website, such as firefish.com. It forms a key part of a brand’s digital identity.

Double Jeopardy Law

An observed marketing pattern in which smaller brands not only have fewer buyers, but those buyers are also slightly less loyal.

Dynamic Logo

A logo designed to change its form, colour or content across different uses while remaining recognisable.

E

Earned Media

Exposure a brand gains without paying for it, such as press coverage, reviews, shares and word of mouth.

EDGE Grant (International Branding)

An Enterprise Singapore grant that co-funds branding work for companies expanding overseas, covering brand research and analysis, brand strategy, and brand identity development or refresh. It supports up to 70% of eligible costs for SMEs.

Elevator Pitch

A short, clear summary of what a company does and why it matters, short enough to deliver during a lift ride.

Emblem

A logo in which the brand name sits inside a symbol or badge shape, similar to a crest or seal.

Embossing

Raising a design above the surface of paper or another material to create a tactile, three-dimensional effect.

Emotional Benefits

The feelings a brand gives its customers, such as confidence, belonging or peace of mind.

Emotional Branding

Building a brand by connecting with people’s emotions, aspirations and values rather than relying on product features alone.

Emotional Selling Proposition (ESP)

The emotional reason a customer prefers a brand, complementing the rational reason given by its unique selling proposition.

Employee Advocacy

When employees promote their company’s brand through their own networks, such as on LinkedIn.

Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

The unique mix of rewards, culture and opportunities an employer offers in return for an employee’s skills and commitment.

Employer Branding

A strategic approach that organizations use to attract and retain top talents for the long term. It plays a crucial role in how a company is perceived by its most important stakeholders, its employees. Essentially, the employer brand forms the foundation of the overall brand identity. In the context of an Employer Branding project, it typically involves three key phases: Brand Audit, Brand Strategy, and Brand Activation. Central to the concept of Employer Branding are principles such as authentic servant leadership, transparency, and effective communication. The ultimate goal of an effective Employer Branding strategy is to turn employees into enthusiastic advocates of the organization, who willingly endorse and promote it to others, leading to a continuous cycle of talent attraction, retention, and renewal.

Endorsed Brand

A branding strategy where an established and well-known brand extends its reputation, credibility, and equity to a new or related product or service. In this approach, the endorsing brand lends its name, logo, and overall brand identity to the endorsed product, leveraging the trust and positive associations built by the endorsing brand to enhance the perceived value and acceptance of the new offering.

Engagement Rate

The share of an audience that interacts with content through likes, comments, shares or clicks.

Environmental Branding

Applying a brand’s identity to physical spaces, such as offices, shops and public areas, through signage, graphics and interior design.

Environmental Scans

A research process that involves the comprehensive assessment of clients’ physical environments, such as offices, warehouses, construction sites, or retail boutiques, to gather insights on relevant factors, like facilities, infrastructure, and operational conditions.

Eponymous Name

A brand named after its founder or a real person, such as Ford or Chanel.

EPS

A vector file format commonly used for logos and print artwork.

ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance)

A framework for judging a company’s impact and practices on the environment, society and corporate governance. It increasingly shapes brand reputation and investor decisions.

Ethnographic Studies

The immersive study of participants within their natural environments to gain deep, context-rich insights into their behaviours, cultures, and social dynamics.

Experiential Marketing

Marketing that immerses people in live, hands-on brand experiences, such as events, installations or pop-ups.

External Brand Communications Audit

An assessment of an organization’s external communications, including advertising, public relations, and customer interactions, to ensure alignment with the brand’s messaging and positioning.

Eye Tracking

Research that records where people look on a design, ad, pack or web page to see what catches their attention.

F

Favicon

A small icon associated with a website, typically displayed in the browser tab or bookmark, representing the brand identity.

Fighter Brand

A lower-priced brand launched to compete with budget rivals while protecting the main brand’s premium position.

First-Party Data

Data a brand collects directly from its own customers, such as website behaviour, purchase history and survey responses.

Flagship Brand

A company’s best-known and most important brand or product.

Flagship Store

A brand’s main retail location, designed to deliver the fullest expression of the brand experience.

Flanker Brand

A new brand or variant launched in a category where the company already has a brand, to reach a different segment.

Flat Design

A minimalist design style that uses simple shapes, solid colours and no three-dimensional effects.

Focus Groups

A qualitative research technique involving a small group of participants who engage in open discussions guided by a moderator to explore their perceptions, attitudes, and reactions to specific topics or products.

Foil Stamping

A print finish that applies metallic or coloured foil to paper using heat and pressure.

Font

A specific style, weight and size within a typeface, such as Helvetica Bold. In everyday use, the word is often used in place of typeface.

Font Family

The complete set of variations of a typeface, such as light, regular, bold and italic.

Font Licence

The legal permission that sets out how a font may be used, such as for print, websites, apps or logos.

Fractional Brand Management

Fractional Brand Management (FBM) is the process in which branding agencies manage their clients’ brands using Branding as a Service (BaaS), which is akin to Software as a Service (SaaS) in the software cloud services industry. Clients pay monthly subscription fees to branding agencies for them to manage their brand online and offline. The difference from retainers with web and creative agencies is that branding agencies view things from a strategic angle rather than a task-based angle. This requires constant review with the management on their strategic goals as well as their brand culture. This ensures that the brand communications are aligned to the service or product which is being promoted on channels and platforms. In essence, FBM is a cost-effective way to hire a brand manager, designer and consultant all rolled into a single subscription service.

Frame of Reference

The category or context against which a brand defines itself in its positioning.

Framing Effect

How the way information is presented changes people’s decisions. For example, “90% fat-free” sounds better than “10% fat”.

Franchise

A business model in which a company (the franchisor) lets others (franchisees) run businesses under its brand and system in return for fees.

Functional Benefits

The practical, tangible advantages a product or service delivers, such as speed, durability or cost savings.

G

Generative AI

Artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as text, images, music and video. It is increasingly used in brand content and design.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

Shaping a brand’s content and online presence so that it is accurately represented and cited in AI-generated answers, such as those from ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews.

Generic Brand

An unbranded or plainly packaged product, usually sold at a lower price than branded alternatives.

Genericide

When a brand name becomes so widely used for a whole category that it loses its trademark protection, as happened to escalator.

Geographical Indication (GI)

A sign that identifies a product as coming from a specific place whose qualities are linked to that origin, such as Champagne.

Gestalt Principles

Psychological principles that explain how people see visual elements as groups or wholes, used widely in logo and layout design.

Global Brand

A brand that is marketed under the same name and identity in many countries.

Glocalisation

Adapting a global brand’s products or communications to suit local cultures and markets.

Go-to-Market Strategy (GTM)

The plan for launching a product or brand, defining the target audience, value proposition, channels and pricing.

Golden Circle

Simon Sinek’s model that encourages brands to start with why they exist, then explain how they do it and what they offer.

Golden Ratio

A mathematical proportion of about 1:1.618, found in nature and used in design to create balanced, harmonious layouts and logos.

Goodwill

The intangible value of a business’s reputation, customer relationships and brand, recognised in accounting when a company is acquired.

Graphic Device

A distinctive visual element drawn from the brand identity, such as a shape, line or pattern, that makes materials instantly recognisable.

Graphic Style

A distinctive visual approach, aesthetics, and design elements used in the creation of graphics or visual materials associated with a brand, project, or campaign. It encompasses the overall look and feel, design elements, color palettes, typography, and composition that are employed to communicate a specific visual identity and convey a desired message or mood.

Greenhushing

When companies deliberately downplay or stay silent about their sustainability efforts, often to avoid scrutiny.

Greenwashing

Making misleading claims that exaggerate a brand’s environmental credentials.

Grid System

A framework of columns and rows that organises content in a layout, keeping designs orderly and consistent.

Guerrilla Marketing

Unconventional, low-cost and often surprising marketing tactics designed to create buzz.

H

Halo Effect

When a positive impression in one area shapes how people see a brand in others, such as a hit product lifting the whole brand.

Heritage Brand

A brand with a long history that draws on its legacy, craftsmanship and traditions.

Hero Image

A large, prominent image at the top of a web page or campaign, designed to grab attention.

Hero Product

A company’s signature product that drives sales and defines the brand.

HEX Code

A six-character code used to specify colours on screens and websites, such as #000000 for black.

House of Brands

A brand architecture in which a company owns a portfolio of separate, individually branded products, as Procter & Gamble does.

Human-Centred Design

A design approach that starts with a deep understanding of the people who will use a product, service or experience.

Hybrid Brand Architecture

A brand architecture that mixes approaches, combining a master brand with endorsed and standalone brands.

I

Icon

A small, simplified graphical representation or symbol that represents an object, concept, or action. Icons are commonly used in various contexts, such as graphic design, user interfaces, signage, and digital platforms, to communicate information quickly and efficiently.

Iconography

A set of icons designed in a consistent style to support a brand’s visual identity.

Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

A description of the type of customer or company that would benefit most from a product, used especially in B2B marketing.

Illustration Style

The distinctive way a brand uses drawings and illustrations, as defined in its guidelines.

In-depth Interviews

A qualitative research method involving one-on-one conversations with participants to gain detailed insights and a deeper understanding of their perspectives, experiences, and opinions.

Inbound Marketing

Attracting customers with helpful content and experiences they seek out, rather than interrupting them with ads.

Influencer Marketing

Partnering with people who have a strong online following to promote a brand to their audience.

Information Architecture

The organisation and structure of content on a website or app, so that users can easily find what they need.

Ingredient Branding

Branding a component or ingredient inside another product, such as Intel Inside or Gore-Tex.

Intangible Assets

Non-physical assets with economic value, such as brands, trademarks, patents and customer relationships.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

Coordinating all marketing channels and messages so that they work together to deliver one consistent brand message.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Creations of the mind, such as brands, designs, inventions and creative works, that can be legally protected.

Internal Brand Communications Audit

An examination of how an organization’s internal communications, such as employee messaging and culture, align with the intended brand image and values.

Internal Branding

Helping employees understand, believe in and deliver the brand, so that they live it in their daily work.

IP Assignment

The legal transfer of ownership of intellectual property, such as a logo design, from its creator to the client.

IPOS

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, the government agency that registers trademarks, patents and designs in Singapore.

ISO 10668

The international standard for monetary brand valuation, setting out the requirements for measuring a brand’s financial value.

ISO 20671

The international standard for brand evaluation, giving principles for assessing a brand’s strength beyond its financial value.

J

Jingle

A short, catchy tune or song used in advertising to make a brand memorable.

Jobs to Be Done (JTBD)

A framework that looks at the job a customer hires a product to do, focusing on their underlying goals rather than their demographics.

JPEG

A common image format for photographs that uses compression to reduce file size, at some cost to quality.

K

Kerning

Adjusting the space between individual pairs of letters so that text looks evenly spaced.

Key Messages

The core points a brand wants its audiences to remember about it.

Key Opinion Leader (KOL)

A respected expert or personality whose views influence a community. The term is widely used in Asia for influencers.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

A measurable value used to track progress towards a goal, such as brand awareness or conversion rate.

Key Visual (KV)

The main image or visual concept of a campaign, used consistently across all of its materials.

Keyword Search Audit

A review of the keywords and phrases used in online content and marketing strategies to assess their relevance, effectiveness, and alignment with search engine optimization (SEO) goals.

L

Laddering

A research technique that keeps asking “why?” to uncover the deeper emotional reasons behind a customer’s choices.

Landing Page

A standalone web page created for a specific campaign, focused on a single action such as signing up or buying.

Lead Generation

Attracting and capturing interest from potential customers, typically by collecting their contact details.

Leading

The vertical space between lines of text.

Legibility

How easily individual letters and characters can be told apart, which affects how quickly text can be read.

Lettermark

A logo made from a brand’s initials, such as IBM or HBO.

Lifestyle Brand

A brand that embodies the interests, values and aspirations of a group, reaching beyond products to represent a way of life.

Ligature

Two or more letters joined into a single character, such as fi or ff, used for smoother typography or as a distinctive logo feature.

Line Extension

Adding new variants, such as flavours, sizes or colours, to an existing product line under the same brand.

Livestream Commerce

Selling products through live video broadcasts in which hosts demonstrate items and viewers can buy in real time.

Local Brand

A brand that operates in only one country or region.

Localisation

Adapting a brand’s language, imagery and messages to suit the culture and preferences of a particular market.

Lock-up

The fixed arrangement of logo elements, such as the symbol, wordmark and tagline, that should always appear together.

Logo

A visual symbol or mark uniquely representing a brand, often accompanied by text or a tagline, used for brand identification.

Logo Animation

Bringing a logo to life with motion for use in video, digital and social media.

Logo Variations

Alternative versions of a logo, such as horizontal, stacked, icon-only and single-colour, for different spaces and uses.

Logotype

A logo comprised solely of text, often custom-designed to reflect the brand’s identity. Brand logos can be made up of logotypes alone, or combined with additional symbols or icons.

Lovemark

A concept from Kevin Roberts of Saatchi & Saatchi for brands that earn fierce loyalty by combining respect with emotional love.

Loyalty Programme

A scheme that rewards repeat customers with points, perks or exclusive benefits.

Luxury Brand

A brand associated with exclusivity, premium quality, craftsmanship and high prices.

M

Madrid Protocol

An international system, run by WIPO, that lets brand owners seek trademark protection in many countries through a single application.

Market Research

Gathering information about customers, competitors and markets to support business and brand decisions.

Market Segmentation

Dividing a market into groups of customers with similar needs, characteristics or behaviours.

Market Share

A brand’s percentage of the total sales in its market or category.

Marketing Audit

An evaluation of an organization’s marketing strategies, campaigns, and activities to gauge their effectiveness and alignment with business goals.

Marketing Automation

Software that automates repetitive marketing tasks, such as emails and social posts, often personalised to each customer’s behaviour.

Marketing Mix (4Ps)

The four classic levers of marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. For services it is often expanded to 7Ps, adding People, Process and Physical evidence.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A theory that people are motivated by needs in order, from basic survival and safety up to belonging, esteem and self-fulfilment. Brands use it to understand what motivates their customers.

Master Brand

The primary and overarching brand within a brand portfolio, representing the main entity and influencing the perception of sub-brands. The term can be interchangeable with “parent brand”.

Me-too Brand

A brand that copies the market leader’s offering and positioning, which makes it hard to stand out.

Meaningful, Different and Salient (MDS)

Kantar’s brand framework showing that brands grow when people see them as meaningful, different and salient.

Mental Availability

How likely a brand is to be noticed or thought of in buying situations, built by linking it to many category entry points.

Mere Exposure Effect

The tendency for people to prefer things simply because they are familiar with them.

Message House

A framework that organises a brand’s core message (the roof), supporting messages (the pillars) and proof points (the foundation).

Messaging Framework

A structured guide to what a brand says to each of its audiences, keeping its messages consistent.

Micro-influencer

An influencer with a smaller but highly engaged following, usually within a specific niche.

Microsite

A small, separate website created for a specific campaign, product or event.

Mindshare

How much a brand occupies people’s thoughts within its category.

Minimum Size

The smallest size at which a logo can be reproduced while staying clear and legible.

Mockup

A realistic visual showing how a design will look when applied, such as a logo on signage or packaging.

Moments of Truth

Key points where customers form impressions of a brand: the first moment of truth when they see it on the shelf, and the second moment when they use it.

Monogram

A unique symbol or design created by combining two or more letters, often used as a distinctive element in branding.

Mood Board

A collage of images, colours, textures and type used to set the visual direction and feeling of a brand or project.

Motion Branding

Defining how a brand moves, through animation principles, transitions and motion graphics, to express its personality on screen.

Mystery Shoppers

Individuals tasked to anonymously evaluate and report on the quality of customer service and overall customer experience in various retail or service settings.

N

Nation Branding

Shaping and promoting a country’s reputation to attract investment, tourism, talent and trade.

Native Advertising

Paid content that matches the look and feel of the platform it appears on, such as sponsored articles or social posts.

Negative Space

The empty space around and between the elements of a design. Used cleverly, it can create hidden images in a logo.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

A widely used loyalty metric based on how likely customers are to recommend a brand on a scale of 0 to 10.

Neuromarketing

Using neuroscience methods, such as brain scans and biometric measures, to study how people respond to brands and ads.

Nice Classification

The international system that sorts goods and services into 45 classes for trademark registration.

Niche Brand

A brand that targets a narrow, specialised segment of the market.

Nostalgia Marketing

Using familiar elements from the past to evoke warm memories and build an emotional connection.

O

Offset Printing

A high-quality printing method that transfers ink from plates to rubber blankets and then onto paper, ideal for large print runs.

Omnichannel

Providing a seamless, connected brand experience across all channels, both online and offline.

On-Brand

Content, design or behaviour that is consistent with a brand’s identity, values and guidelines. The opposite is off-brand.

Organic Reach

The number of people who see content without any paid promotion.

Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising

Advertising that reaches people outside their homes, such as billboards, bus shelters, transit and digital screens.

Owned Media

Channels a brand controls, such as its website, blog, newsletters and social media accounts.

P

Packaging Design

Creating the outside of a product, including its structure, graphics and copy, to protect, inform and sell.

Paid Media

Exposure a brand pays for, such as advertising, sponsored posts and paid search.

Pantone Matching System (PMS)

A standardised colour-matching system that gives each colour a unique code, so that brand colours print consistently anywhere.

Parent Brand

A parent brand serves as an endorsing entity with a controlling interest in one or multiple sub-brands. These parent brands are usually established and trusted by their audience, thereby lending credibility and support to the associated sub-brands. For instance, FedEx operates as a parent brand with various subsidiaries like FedEx Express, FedEx Freight, and others.

Passing Off

A legal claim that protects a brand, including an unregistered one, against competitors who misrepresent their goods as being connected to it.

Peak-End Rule

The tendency to judge an experience mainly by its most intense moment and by how it ends, rather than by the whole.

Perceived Quality

A customer’s judgement of a product’s overall quality compared with alternatives, which may differ from its actual quality.

Perceived Value

How much a customer believes a product is worth, shaped by its benefits, its brand and its price.

Perceptual Map

A chart that plots how customers see competing brands against two key attributes, revealing gaps and positioning opportunities.

Performance Marketing

Marketing focused on measurable, short-term results, such as clicks, leads and sales, where advertisers often pay per outcome.

Persona

A brand persona refers to personality traits and characteristics assigned to a brand to create a relatable and humanised image.

In the context of a customer persona, it refers to a detailed and semi-fictional representation of an ideal customer. It incorporates demographic information, behaviours, motivations, and challenges to guide marketing strategies and enhance customer understanding.

Personal Branding

Shaping and presenting an individual’s reputation, expertise and identity.

Personalisation

Tailoring messages, offers and experiences to individual customers based on their data and behaviour.

PESO Model

A framework that brings Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned media together into one communications strategy.

Pictogram

A simplified picture symbol that conveys a meaning, often used in wayfinding and signage.

Pictorial Mark

A logo based on a recognisable image, such as the Apple apple or the Shell shell.

Place Branding

Branding cities, regions or destinations to attract residents, visitors and investment.

PNG

An image file format that supports transparent backgrounds, often used for logos on screen.

Point of Difference (POD)

An attribute or benefit that sets a brand apart from competitors and that customers value.

Point of Parity (POP)

An attribute a brand must share with its competitors to be seen as a credible option in the category.

Point of Sale (POS)

The place where a purchase is made, and the branded displays and materials used there to encourage sales.

Pop-up Store

A temporary retail space used to create buzz, test a market or launch a product.

Positioning Statement

An internal statement that defines a brand’s target audience, category, key benefit and reason to believe.

Press Kit

A package of brand information, such as background, images, logos and contacts, prepared for journalists. Also called a media kit.

Price Premium

The extra amount customers are willing to pay for a brand compared with alternatives.

Primary Research

Collecting new information directly from sources, such as through surveys, interviews and observation.

Priming

When exposure to one thing, such as a word, image or scent, unconsciously influences how people respond to what follows.

Private Label

Products made by one company and sold under a retailer’s own brand. Also called own brand or house brand.

Product Branding

The process of creating a distinct and recognizable identity for a specific product within a brand’s portfolio. It involves developing and promoting unique attributes, characteristics, and associations that differentiate the product from competitors and create value in the minds of consumers. Successful product branding not only enhances the visibility and recognition of the product but also contributes to the overall brand equity.

Product Placement

Featuring a branded product within films, TV shows, games or other content.

Programmatic Advertising

The automated buying and placing of digital ads using software and real-time bidding.

Proof

A sample of a design or print job used to check colours, layout and errors before final production.

Proof Point

Evidence, such as data, awards or testimonials, that supports a brand’s claims.

Prototype

An early working model of a product, website or app, used to test ideas before full development.

Psychographics

Customer characteristics based on attitudes, values, interests and lifestyles.

Public Relations (PR)

Managing a brand’s reputation and its relationships with the media and the public through earned coverage and communication.

Purchase Intent

How likely a customer is to buy a product, often measured in brand research.

Q

QR Code

A scannable square barcode that links printed materials to digital content.

Qualitative Research

A research method focused on exploring in-depth insights and understanding the underlying motivations and attitudes of individuals. Qualitative research may include in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and content analysis.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research collects numerical data and employs statistical analysis for insights. Examples of methods include surveys, experiments, and structured observations.

Quantitative Surveys

A research method that collects structured data through questionnaires or online surveys, providing numerical insights and statistical analysis about a large sample of participants’ opinions or behaviours.

R

Raster Image

An image made of pixels, such as a photograph, which loses quality when enlarged.

Readability

How easy it is to read and understand a block of text, influenced by typeface, size, spacing and layout.

Reason to Believe (RTB)

The facts or evidence that make a brand’s promise credible.

Rebranding

The process of making significant changes to a brand’s identity, messaging, or positioning to adapt to market shifts or refresh its image.

Registered Design

Legal protection for the visual appearance of a product, such as its shape, pattern or ornamentation.

Registered Trademark

A registered trademark, ®, is a legally protected symbol, name, or logo associated with a product or service. Obtained through a formal registration process with government authorities, it grants exclusive rights and legal protection against unauthorized use, ensuring a distinct identity for the associated goods or services.

Relief-from-Royalty Method

A common brand valuation method that values a brand by estimating the royalties its owner saves by owning it rather than licensing it.

Repositioning

The strategic adjustment of a brand’s position in the market to better meet the evolving needs and preferences of its target audience.

Reputation Management

Monitoring and influencing how a brand is perceived, especially online, through reviews, PR and timely responses.

Resolution

The amount of detail an image holds, measured in dots per inch (DPI) for print or pixels per inch (PPI) for screens.

Responsive Design

Web design that automatically adapts its layout and content to different screen sizes.

Responsive Logo

A logo system that adapts in size and detail to fit different screens and spaces, from billboards to browser tabs.

Retargeting

Showing ads to people who have previously visited a website or interacted with a brand.

Return on Investment (ROI)

A measure of the profit generated by a marketing or branding investment compared with its cost.

RGB

The colour model of Red, Green and Blue light used for digital screens.

Royalty

A payment made to the owner of a brand, design or creative work for the right to use it.

S

Sales Activation

Short-term marketing aimed at driving immediate sales, such as promotions and offers, as opposed to long-term brand building.

Sans Serif

Typefaces without serifs (the small strokes at the ends of letters), often seen as modern and clean.

Scarcity Principle

The tendency to value things more when they seem rare or limited, used in limited editions and time-bound offers.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Promoting a website through paid ads on search engines.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Improving a website’s content and structure so that it ranks higher in unpaid search results.

Secondary Meaning

When a descriptive word becomes recognised by the public as identifying a particular brand, allowing it to gain trademark protection.

Secondary Research

Using existing information, such as reports, studies and statistics, rather than collecting new data. Also called desk research.

Semiotics

The study of signs and symbols and how they create meaning, used in branding to decode the cultural messages carried by colours, shapes and words.

Sensory Branding

Engaging the senses, including sight, sound, smell, touch and taste, to create memorable brand experiences.

Serif

A small stroke at the end of a letter. Serif typefaces are often seen as traditional and trustworthy.

Service Branding

The process of creating a distinctive and memorable identity for a service-based offering. It involves developing and promoting unique attributes, characteristics, and associations that differentiate the service and create value in the minds of consumers.

Service Delivery

Service delivery constitutes a business idea and structure with the primary objective of providing services from a vendor to a customer. It encompasses the ongoing interactions between these two entities across the entirety of the business process, spanning from the provider initiating the service to the client acquiring it. This encompasses the initial engagement, onboarding, setup, and any subsequent interactions that transpire during the service engagement.

Service Mark (SM)

A trademark that identifies services rather than goods.

Share of Search

A brand’s share of all online searches for brands in its category, often used as an early indicator of market share.

Share of Voice (SOV)

A brand’s share of all advertising or conversation in its category compared with its competitors.

Share of Wallet

The proportion of a customer’s spending in a category that goes to a particular brand.

Shared Media

Content spread through social sharing and partnerships, such as posts that users share with their networks.

Shelf Impact

How effectively packaging stands out and attracts attention on a crowded shelf.

Social Commerce

Buying and selling products directly within social media platforms.

Social Listening

Monitoring social media and online conversations to understand what people are saying about a brand, its competitors and its industry.

Social Media Marketing

Using social media platforms to build brand awareness, engage audiences and drive action.

Social Platforms Audit

An analysis of an organization’s presence and engagement on social media platforms to assess performance and identify opportunities for enhancement.

Social Proof

The tendency to follow what others do, which brands harness through reviews, testimonials and customer numbers.

Sonic Branding

Using sound, such as audio logos, music and voice, to express a brand’s identity.

Sonic Logo

A short, distinctive sound or melody that identifies a brand, such as Intel’s chime.

Sound Symbolism

The idea that the sounds of words carry meaning, such as short “i” sounds suggesting small and light. It is used in brand naming.

Sponsorship

Paying to be associated with an event, team or cause, gaining visibility and borrowing its positive associations.

Spot Colour

A pre-mixed ink used in printing for exact colour matching, often specified using Pantone.

Spot UV

A glossy coating applied to selected areas of a printed piece to make them stand out.

SS 680

The Singapore Standard specification for management consultants. Enterprise Singapore requires an SS 680 certification for grant-supported consultancy, including EDGE-funded branding projects.

Stakeholder Interviews

Conversations with key people inside and outside an organisation, such as leaders, staff and partners, to gather insights at the start of a branding project.

Stock Photography

Ready-made photographs licensed for use, as opposed to photography commissioned specifically for a brand.

Storyboard

A sequence of sketches that plans the shots and flow of a video or animation.

STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning)

A core marketing process: divide the market into segments, choose which ones to target, then position the brand to appeal to them.

Strapline

Another name for a tagline, commonly used in the UK and Commonwealth countries.

Sub-Brand

A brand that is part of a larger brand portfolio but has its own distinct identity and positioning.

Suggestive Name

A brand name that hints at a benefit or quality without describing it directly, such as Netflix or Pinterest.

SVG

A vector image format for the web that stays sharp at any size.

SWOT-PEST Analysis

A comprehensive evaluation that combines internal factors (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) with external influences (Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological), providing a holistic view of an organization’s current state and potential future challenges and opportunities.

System 1 and System 2

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s model of two modes of thinking: fast, intuitive and emotional (System 1) and slow, deliberate and logical (System 2). Many everyday brand choices rely on System 1.

T

Target Audience

The specific group of people a brand or message is intended to reach.

Target Market

The broader group of customers a business aims to sell to.

Thought Leadership

Establishing a brand or its people as authorities in their field by sharing expert insights and original ideas.

Through the Line (TTL)

An integrated approach that combines above-the-line and below-the-line activities in one campaign.

TLD Domain

A Top-Level Domain (TLD) is the final segment of a domain name, categorizing websites into types like .com for commercial entities or .org for organizations. Whether generic like .net or country-specific like .sg, TLDs are fundamental in structuring and identifying websites on the internet.

Top-of-Mind Awareness

Being the first brand that comes to mind when people think of a category.

Tracking

Adjusting the overall spacing between all the letters in a word or block of text.

Trade Dress

The distinctive look and feel of a product or its packaging, such as its shape, colours or design, which can be legally protected.

Trademark Infringement

The unauthorised use of a mark that is identical or confusingly similar to someone else’s registered trademark.

Trademark Search

Checking existing trademarks to make sure a new brand name or logo is free to use and register.

Trademark (™)

A sign, such as a name, logo, slogan or sound, that distinguishes one company’s goods or services from others. The ™ symbol shows a claim to a mark, even if it is not yet registered.

Transcreation

Adapting a brand’s message, slogan or campaign for another language and culture, keeping its intent, tone and emotion rather than translating word for word.

Typeface

A family of related letterforms that share a common design, such as Helvetica or Garamond.

Typographic Hierarchy

Using different sizes, weights and styles of type to show the order of importance of information.

Typography

The art and technique of selecting, arranging, and styling typefaces (fonts) to create visually appealing and impactful brand communications. It encompasses the design and use of different typefaces, sizes, weights, spacing, and formatting to convey brand personality, evoke emotions, and enhance the overall brand experience.

U

Umbrella Brand

A single brand name used across a range of different products, such as Samsung or Virgin.

Unaided Awareness

The share of people who can name a brand without any prompting.

Unboxing Experience

The experience of opening a product’s packaging, designed to delight customers and encourage them to share it.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

A distinct and compelling quality or feature that sets a product, service, or brand apart from competitors in the eyes of the target audience.

Usability Testing

Watching real users try a website, app or product to find problems and improve the experience.

Usage and Attitude Study (U&A)

Research that explores how customers use a category and how they feel about the brands in it.

Usage Rights

The permissions that set out how, where and for how long creative assets, such as photos, music or illustrations, can be used.

User Experience (UX)

How people feel when using a product, website or service, including how easy, efficient and enjoyable it is.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

Content created by customers or fans, such as reviews, photos and videos, rather than by the brand itself.

User Interface (UI)

The screens, buttons, icons and other visual elements people interact with in a digital product.

UX Writing

Writing the words in digital products, such as buttons, menus and error messages, to guide users clearly and in the brand’s voice.

V

Value Proposition

A clear statement of the benefits a customer gets from a product or service, and why it is better than the alternatives.

Variable Font

A single font file that contains a range of styles, such as weights and widths, which can be adjusted smoothly.

Vector Graphic

An image built from mathematical paths rather than pixels, so that it can be scaled to any size without losing quality. It is the standard format for logos.

Vehicle Livery

The branded graphics applied to a company’s vehicles.

Verbal Identity

The language side of a brand, including its name, tagline, tone of voice, key messages and vocabulary.

Viral Marketing

Content designed to be shared widely and rapidly by audiences.

Virtual Influencer

A computer-generated character with a social media following, used by brands to promote products.

Visual Hierarchy

Arranging design elements so that the eye sees the most important information first.

Visual Identity

The visible elements of a brand, including its logo, colours, typography, imagery and graphics.

Visual Identity System

The complete toolkit of visual elements and rules that work together to express a brand consistently.

Visual Merchandising

Displaying products and brand elements in a shop to attract shoppers and drive sales.

Voice of the Customer (VoC)

Research that captures customers’ needs, expectations and feedback in their own words.

Voice & Tone

The style, manner, and personality in which a brand communicates its messages to its target audience. It encompasses the choice of words, writing style, and overall linguistic approach used in brand communications across various channels and touchpoints.

Voice, the consistent and distinctive personality, attitude, and values that a brand conveys through its communication. It reflects the brand’s character and helps establish a unique identity. The voice can be authoritative, playful, friendly, professional, or any other attribute that aligns with the brand’s positioning and resonates with the target audience.

Tone, specific expression of the brand’s voice in a particular context or situation. It adapts the brand’s voice to suit the specific message, channel, and audience. The tone can vary from formal to informal, serious to humorous, empathetic to instructional, depending on the intended effect and the nature of the communication.

W

Wayfinding

Systems of signs, maps and visual cues that help people find their way around a physical space, designed in line with the brand.

Website Audit

A comprehensive assessment of a website’s design, content, functionality, and user experience to identify areas for improvement and optimization.

White Label

A product made by one company that other companies rebrand and sell as their own.

White Space

The empty space in a design that gives elements room to breathe and improves clarity. In strategy, it also means an unmet market opportunity.

Wireframe

A basic blueprint of a web page or app screen that shows its layout and structure without detailed design.

Word of Mouth (WOM)

When people share their opinions and experiences of a brand with others. It is one of the most trusted forms of marketing.

Wordmark

A brand’s name or a distinctive arrangement of letters, styled as a unique and recognisable visual element, often used as a standalone logo.

X

X-Height

The height of lowercase letters such as “x” in a typeface, which strongly affects how readable it is.

Z

Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT)

The moment when a customer researches a product online before buying, a term coined by Google.

Zero-Party Data

Information that customers intentionally share with a brand, such as their preferences given through quizzes or profile settings.