Branding has become a pretty hot topic these days. But with so much recognition for its importance, its definition has gotten a little blurred. Fortunately, Marty Neumeier is here to clear things up.

Marty Neumeier is considered the expert on all things branding. He started as a graphic designer and copywriter in the 1970s. When the revolutionary Macintosh computer launched in 1984, Marty relocated to Silicon Valley, and worked with companies like Apple, HP, Adobe, and Google to help build their brands.

Marty is also the author of The Brand Gap, Zag, The Brand Flip, and several other titles on the subject of branding.

He sits down with Chris for a deep dive on what branding is. This video is just a snippet from Marty and Chris’s conversation. To watch the full discussion, check it out here.

So, what is branding?

Well, in order to define branding, we’ll start by defining what branding isn’t. Many people refer to a company’s logo, vision, or messaging as the brand. These are all elements of the brand, but they are not a brand in and of themselves.

A brand is not a logo, a promise, a product, or even an impression. A brand is a result. It is a customer’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company. Everything from the company mission statement, logo, color palette, and tone of voice all reflect a specific brand.

How do you build a brand?

A brand is the result of what you’re doing. It’s the story you’re telling to your customers and team members.

Everyone in the company not only affects the culture, but also the brand. The sum of all parts that make up your business’s identity (think visual identity and internal and external communications) all shape the brand.

When you make one brand, you’re actually making millions. This is because people will relate to and interpret your brand in different ways, and help carry out your brand’s reputation.