BRAND POWER

Most of us are aware of teenagers' brand obsession. I can remember trying to fob my son off with a pair of non-branded trainers that I'd stuck a Nike logo onto with superglue. I'm not sure where I'd got hold of the logo in the first place, but needless to say he wasn't convinced.

Branding has been in existence since medieval times as a mark of value, setting the product or service against competitors. Your brand is your most important asset and your guarantee of quality and reliability. The brand identity is the tone of voice of how you speak to your customers and has its own distinct personality. A well-designed logo expresses this, together with the character and values of your company and as it should be easy to instantly recognise your brand identity, a distinctive image is essential. Pictures or icons are far easier to remember than words.

An effective logo and aspirational brand message will have a timeless essence, portraying what your company stands for and connecting you to your customers. Brand identity encourages brand loyalty and should increase your market 'share of mind', the percentage of customers who think of your brand in relation to your competitors in the same category of product of service.

So looking back at my naivety (and wishful thinking) all those years ago, the market stall trainers just weren't going to live up to my son's perception of the Nike brand promise of top athletic performance, not to mention street cred amongst his peers. A powerful brand image will create memorable experiences and attract generations of followers. Twenty years on and my son still shows allegiance to Nike. The genuine article of course!