How many times have you observed yourself and others using marketing and branding interchangeably? You are not alone. Even in 2024, many business owners use marketing vs branding interchangeably. As a digital marketing agency, we have come across this a lot when we receive calls or in meetings. So, we have decided to write up a blog explaining the difference between the two. Apart from carving out differences between them, we will also look at what businesses should do first—branding or marketing—and how branding and marketing work together.
Table of Contents
- What is Branding?
- What is Marketing?
- Main Difference Between Branding & Marketing
- What Should Be Done First? Branding or Marketing?
- How Branding & Marketing Works Together
- In Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Branding?
Imagine your brand as a person. What’s their personality like? What are they passionate about? What makes them unique? Branding is about creating a personality for your brand that your audience will remember and emotionally connect with. It sets you apart and makes customers choose you over your competitors. Branding can be a name, logo, tagline, visual design, symbol, or a combination of these elements. It’s like seeing that swoosh on a pair of shoes and instantly thinking of Nike.
According to Kevin Keller, a renowned marketing professor, brands not only differentiate from competitors but also form emotional connections by consistently providing customers with something they want, desire or need. There are three crucial factors in branding:
- Brand Meaning: What are you?
- Brand Identity: Who are you?
- Brand Perception: What do I think and feel about you?
To determine your brand identity, you need to ask yourself several questions that go beyond industry clichés:
- What are your core principles and values?
- What is your mission statement?
- What inspired you to build your business?
- Why do you want to offer your products or services to your target audience?
- What makes you unique?
- What is your internal company culture?
- What is your professional sense of style?
- What are your communication characteristics?
- What do you want to consider when someone hears your business name?
- How do you want people to feel when they think of your business?
- How do you want customers to describe you as a company?
What is Marketing?
According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. There are many different “institutions” and “processes” for delivering that end goal. Typically, these different entities or subcategories can be split into two groups: inbound marketing and outbound marketing.
In simple terms, branding is the story or reason why the brand exists, while marketing is the tool that finds the relevant audience that buys into that mission.
1. Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing involves attracting an audience through organic methods. It’s about using a pull method to attract customers through content marketing, SEO and various events to reach a hyper-targeted audience. There are four stages in inbound marketing: Attract, Convert, Close and Delight.
2. Outbound Marketing
Outbound marketing, on the other hand, uses more traditional methods such as TV, hoardings, print media, sales development representatives, cold calling and mass emailing. However, the digital age has introduced new types of marketing, such as influencer marketing and video marketing.
The key difference between inbound and outbound marketing is that during inbound, the consumer finds you. In outbound marketing, it’s the brand that initiates the conversation.
Modern digital marketing tactics like PPC (pay-per-click) and retargeting campaigns allow marketers to get more detailed with their target audiences.
For instance, a digital marketing agency in Mumbai might focus on local cultural trends, whereas a digital marketing agency in New Jersey would have a completely different approach based on regional preferences.
Main Difference Between Branding & Marketing
Here’s a handy table to highlight the key differences:
| Branding | Marketing |
|---|---|
| Long-term | Short-term |
| Constant | Evolve with trends |
| Builds relationships | Creates needs |
| Important for brand reputation | Necessary for sales |
Simply put, branding is the why behind your business, while marketing is the how. Branding is about establishing your identity and emotional connection with your audience, while marketing is about using strategies and tactics to promote your brand and drive sales.
What Should Be Done First? Branding or Marketing?
So, what should you do first? Branding or marketing? Think of branding as the foundation of a house and marketing as the furnishings. You can’t furnish a house that isn’t built yet. Similarly, you can’t market a brand that doesn’t have a clear identity.
Establishing your brand first ensures you have a strong, consistent message to communicate. Once your branding is in place, marketing can effectively promote your brand identity and brand awareness.
How Branding & Marketing Works Together
Branding and marketing aren’t mutually exclusive; they work hand in hand. A strong brand makes marketing efforts more effective, and successful marketing campaigns reinforce the brand.
For example, when Coca-Cola launches a new campaign, it’s not just about selling a product. It’s about reinforcing their brand values of happiness and togetherness. Every piece of marketing they do is an extension of their brand.
Similarly, if you’re working with a digital marketing agency in Bangalore, they will use your established brand identity to craft marketing campaigns that resonate with the local audience. Understanding the target audience is crucial because a strategy that works in Bangalore might not be as effective in New Jersey.
Once your branding is done, sharing it strategically on social media is essential to get your audience’s attention. A social media marketing company can help you with this, ensuring your brand message is consistent across all platforms.
In Conclusion
Branding and marketing are two sides of the same coin. Brand marketing is about building an emotional connection and identity, while marketing strategy focuses on promoting and selling. You need both to succeed. Establish your brand first, then use effective marketing tactics to reach your audience and drive sales.
And remember, if you’re looking to rebrand or market your business, consider working with a full-fledged digital marketing company like us. Contact us at hello@florafountain.com and we can help you share your brand’s creativity with the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vasim Samadji is a partner at Flora Fountain, where he leads the Business and Marketing Strategy divisions. He is a seasoned professional with an MBA in marketing and over a decade of experience working with multiple MNCs. Vasim is a firm believer in the power of creation and he is...
