7 Types of Brand Strategies and Their Benefits

When architects design a building, they usually rely on a solid blueprint. Even if they’re starting from scratch, they will take inspiration from existing structures and try to create something better. 

Just like that, you can also take some inspiration for your branding strategy from brands and companies who are already doing it better. You can cook something up on your own as well, but that will be unconventional and tiring. And who knows, you might miss the mark entirely.

That's why it's often smarter to learn from established brands that are already implementing effective, result-driven branding strategies. In this article, we'll explore 7 diverse examples of such branding strategies and highlight the benefits they offer. 

Let’s dive in!

1. Corporate Branding

‍

Your brand is offering something valuable, whether it’s a service or a physical product, to people—human beings just like you and me. But to truly stand out, you must deliver an experience that your audience can relate to. This means humanizing your business. That's the soul of corporate branding. It involves bringing together various aspects of your business, such as your brand identity, tone and voice, partnerships, and even your stance on public issues. 

With that unified approach, you deliver an experience that resonates deeply with your audience's emotions, values, and aspirations. A strong corporate brand doesn’t just sell; it builds trust, fosters loyalty, and creates a community around shared ideals.

Example: 

Apple is a perfect example of a company that follows corporate branding. The company’s brand positioning consists of three basic ingredients: customer experience, design, and innovation. By staying true to these values, Apple has succeeded in becoming a valuable industry giant. 

2. Product Branding

Imagine creating a product that outperforms your brand as a whole. Sounds absurd, right? But think about it - doesn’t the iconic red can instantly symbolize Coca-Cola?

Product branding focuses on creating a distinct identity for a specific product that resonates so deeply with consumers that it becomes synonymous with the brand itself. The end goal is to make one specific product the entire brand identity and associate it with particular feelings, qualities, or experiences. 

Example:

Hershey’s Kisses have quite a unique shape with silver foil wrapping and a small paper plume. Even in a bucket filled with other chocolates, you’ll instantly recognize these little delights.

3. Service Branding

‍

If you replace the product in product branding with a specific service, you get service branding. This type of branding is especially beneficial for businesses that offer services rather than tangible products.

Service branding allows companies to dominate the marketplace with a specific service. Over time, they build a unique, trustworthy, and authentic reputation around that service and may even become synonymous with it.

Example: 

Nowadays, most people turn to Airbnb instead of going through the hassle of booking a hotel and potentially dealing with legal contracts. Why? Because they trust that their money will be well spent and safe with Airbnb. The company has built a strong brand around the convenience, reliability, and personalized experience it offers. And now, they’re the go-to choice for lodging.

4. Retail branding

‍

As the name implies, this type of branding is well executed among retailers who have physical outlets. You can use your imagery, sounds, music, screens, or lighting to highlight your product. 

At the same time, you create an immersive and sensory-rich environment that appeals to customers' emotions and senses. Your atmosphere becomes a symbol of the brand, and you can easily influence customer behavior, encourage longer visits, and increase sales/. 

Example:

Apple’s retail stores are a perfect example of environmental branding. They maintain sleek, minimalist designs, interactive displays, and ambient lighting in all of their physical outlets. This creates a truly unique and authentic in-store experience that encourages customers to explore the products, try them hands-on, and ultimately make a purchase.

5. Personal Branding

‍

Personal branding is much more individual than other types of branding strategies. It markets you as a person, highlighting your unique personality,  perspectives, talents, skills, and capabilities. Unlike corporate or product branding, personal branding revolves around the individual behind the business. 

This type of branding is especially common among celebrities, influencers, politicians, and thought leaders, where the personal identity is inseparable from the business itself. However, it’s not limited to these high-profile figures. Any professional, such as a doctor, lawyer, or even a freelancer, will definitely consider personal branding to stand out in their respective fields. 

Example: 

Elon Musk is a prime example of personal branding done right. He has multiple multi-billionaire companies under his name, like Tesla, SpaceX, and Open AI. But his name is more than enough to spark conversations, inspire movements, and even influence entire industries. 

6. Co-Branding

‍

We all have casually discussed billion-dollar projects and business ideas with our friends at the dining table. But when successful individuals take those collaboration ideas to the next level, they dominate the market by joining forces in the name of co-branding.

Co-branding involves two or more brands collaborating to offer a combined product or service that leverages the strengths of each. The brands take value from each other’s customer base and credibility to deliver a product or experience that wouldn’t be possible individually. 

Example: 

Nike and Apple are definitely among the top successful co-branding initiatives. The two brands merged their expertise to create an entirely new product line in 2006, and their collaboration remains successful in the market today. The result is a perfect blend of fashion, comfort, athletic wear, innovation, and technology. 

7. Cultural Branding

‍

In cultural branding, you design your brand to symbolize a specific culture. You make sure that your brand represents the unique values, beliefs, and traditions that resonate with a particular group of people. This approach helps create a brand identity that is deeply rooted in the culture it represents. If executed right, it can lead to significant market success, especially among consumers who deeply value and respect that culture.

Example: 

Brands like Nike have successfully used cultural branding to represent athletic substance. On the other hand, Harley-Davidson represents the rebellious spirit of the motorcycle culture. These brands don’t just sell a product - they sell a lifestyle and a set of cultural values that their audiences identify with.

So, How do I Choose my Own Branding Strategy? 

You may not be a market giant, and you certainly don’t have thousands to spare on directionless branding. But you can still make a great name for yourself by spending wisely. First of all, you need to understand your target audience and the values they hold dear. Then, simply make your entire brand strategy around those values. This approach will connect deeply with your audience and sell your stuff like hot cupcakes.

Also, you don’t need to create thousands of branding assets all at once. Start small with a clear vision of your brand identity in mind. Then build the building up high with that vision as the foundation. As you gain popularity, slowly expand your arsenal of assets. You may also hire multiple professionals to create area-based strategies for global reach but only do that once you’ve dominated your own area. If you carry on this approach, you’ll slowly but surely build a brand voice that connects with your audience across the globe!

Cherry on Top

At the end of the day, branding is easier said than done. It may sometimes seem boring, and it’s especially difficult to stay consistent when you’re not seeing immediate results. Moreover, ensuring a unified, consistent approach across all aspects of your branding is another challenge many businesses face.

And that's one thing you can’t compromise on because branding without any consistency is just futile. That’s exactly where Ethos can make a difference for you. We offer an intuitive brand asset management platform that you can use to store all your branding assets in one centralized space and share them with your team. But that’s not all. Some countless features and tools will streamline your branding efforts and help maintain consistency and efficiency as your brand grows! 

Still unsure whether Ethos is right for you? Start with a 30-day completely free trial and experience how it can streamline your branding process - no strings attached!

Enhance Your Branding Knowledge

Expand your branding expertise with Ethos and explore these top articles:

• 10 Branding Elements Every Brand Should Implement
• What Is a Branding Kit? How to Create and Use One
• Ethos vs Brandfolder: Comparing Features and Benefits
• Ethos vs Bynder: Brand Asset Management Tool Comparison
• Logo Usage Guidelines: How to Maintain Brand Integrity

‍