3.07 What is a brand promise?

Before you can understand brand promise, you must understand what a brand itself is. A brand is all the combined impressions and experiences associated with a particular company, good, or service. Some of today’s most popular and recognizable brands are:

  • Apple
  • Coca-Cola
  • Amazon
  • Disney
  • Starbucks

Can you think of more? Keep in mind that a brand isn’t the same thing as a logo. A logo is a symbol or design that is associated with a brand. You can probably easily call Apple’s or Disney’s logos to mind. A brand, however, is much more than just its identifying mark. It’s everything that the mark represents.

Every successful brand has its own brand promise. A brand promise is the specific benefit that customers can expect from using the good/service and interacting with the company. It connects to customers on an emotional level and gives meaning to the brand. It is not the same thing as a slogan. A slogan is a memorable phrase used to advertise a product or brand. Here are some slogans you might recognize:

  • “Just do it.” (Nike)
  • “Eat fresh.” (Subway)
  • “The greatest show on earth” (Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus)
  • “The breakfast of champions” (Wheaties cereal)
  • “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” (State Farm Insurance)

While these are great slogans, they are not brand promises. A brand promise is usually not stated in words, and most customers won’t even be able to tell you what it is; however, they instinctively react to it when they think about the company or see its product(s). For example, Nike’s brand promise is actually “innovation and inspiration for all athletes.” Bet you didn’t know that! When you walk into a sporting-goods store, however, you might see Nike’s workout gear and just feel that buying it will help you work harder and become a better athlete. Because of this ability to create an emotional connection, brand promise is one of the most powerful aspects of the entire branding process. (Find articles and information on branding Links to an external site..)