I pick 100 people off the street and ask them their impressions of – their thoughts and feelings about, and experiences with – a famous fast food restaurant.
That set of impressions is the brand for that restaurant. So yes, that restaurant has approximately 100 brands for every 100 people.
A brand is not a logo, or a slogan, or an animated cartoon animal. It resides only in the minds of customers, potential customers, peers, rivals and employees. It is not in the mind of the people in charge. What’s in their mind is how they want all those other people to feel when their company name is mentioned, or their logo is seen.
Think about it this way. I mention having seen our Uncle Bernie. In your mind, you see a slightly drunk, unshaven guy of about 65. You think of him as the guy who ruined your 13th birthday party, someone who yelled at your mother and made her cry. Meanwhile, I’m thinking of the well-dressed, clean cut older gentleman who likes to cook for his adoring wife. We’re both thinking about the same person, but our perceptions – the thoughts we think when we hear “Uncle Bernie”- are totally different. Uncle Bernie has at least two different “brands.”
When people talk about “branding their company,” what they really mean to say is they are attempting to influence the perception of their business in the minds of current and potential customers.
For a more detailed exploration, see my article Commodity Vs Brand.