Brand Definition

What is a brand definition?

A brand definition is a succinct articulation of what your brand is about and what makes it different. 

It articulates:

  • what you are trying to achieve
  • how you are going to get there
  • what makes you different

Why is it important?

A strong brand definition lies at the heart of successful brands. It is important because it sets the direction for how your brand looks, speaks and behaves. It is the driving force that ensures that your brand is always coherent and never chaotic. It enables your audiences, whether they are staff, volunteers, customers, supporters, investors, donors and so on, to understand what you are about, why you are different and why they should support you.

Fundamentally a great brand definition is what will help you create a strong and sustainable identity that will command a loyal band of supporters more quickly and for the long term.

Creating your brand definition should be one of the first things you do when you start out, but it is never too late to create one. In any case, you should revisit it periodically to make sure that it still holds true within your changing landscape.

What does it consist of?

Essentially a brand definition is a strategic statement about your brand that defines who you are. If you follow the step-by-step guide laid out in the Housebrands Toolkit, by the end of the programme you will have your own brand definition, applicable to your organisation and none other.

It will consist of the following:

Vision

Your raison d’être

Mission

What are you trying to achieve

Values

What your organisation stands for

Proposition

The main benefits you offer that differentiate you

Personality

The way your brand expresses itself

Reasons-to-believe

The factors/truths that support the brand definition
 
No two brand definitions should be the same as every organisation is different. Your brand definition should capture your unique qualities, and when used properly will help you stand out from the crowd.

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