The How Brands Are Built branding glossary isn’t the only glossary of branding terms, but it’s the only one that lets you dive deeper on each definition. Click “Read more” for any term to see additional details and other definitions from around the web.
This branding terminology glossary will grow over time as new Definitions posts are added. Looking for a term in our branding glossary and don’t see it below? Get in touch.
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A
Abstract brand name
A brand name with no apparent connection to the underlying brand. Often contrasted with descriptive brand name, suggestive brand name
Acronym
A brand name formed from the initial letters (or groups of letters) of a longer name or phrase and pronounced as a word.
Alphabetism
See initialism.
Arbitrary brand name
See abstract brand name.
Archetype
See brand archetype.
B
Brand
The idea(s) behind, identity of, and experience(s) created by an organization, product, service, or other entity.
Brand archetype
A universally recognizable, innately understood character type or role that a brand can embody.
Brand architecture
How a set of brands relate to one another.
Brand audit
A comprehensive examination of a brand across all its touchpoints.
Brand differentiation
See differentiation.
Brand equity
A brand’s strength or esteem; its value—positive or negative—in non-financial terms.
Brand essence
A succinct articulation—typically three-to-five words—of the core idea(s) around which a brand is built.
Brand experience
The totality of all sensations, feelings, thoughts, and actions evoked by a brand.
Brand identity
The cumulative expression of a brand to target audiences. Often contrasted with brand image.
Brand image
The cumulative impression of a brand among target audiences. Often contrasted with brand identity.
Brand name
One or more words used to identify a brand.
Brand personality
A set of human personality traits ascribed to a brand.
Brand pillars
Important strengths or aspects of a brand that support or add dimension to the brand’s core idea(s).
Brand positioning
The act of defining a brand position, the conceptual territory claimed by a brand relative to other brands.
Brand strategy
An articulation of the ideas upon which a brand is built and/or the plan for systematically expressing those ideas through identity and brand experience(s).
Brand value
A brand‘s financial worth.
Branding
The combination of actions taken and tactics employed to create and maintain a brand.
C
Cacography
A deliberate misspelling, often silly or comical.
Copyright
A type of intellectual property that gives creators exclusive rights to their original works of authorship.
D
Descriptive brand name
A brand name that clearly describes what it refers to (e.g., a feature, product, service, or organization). Often contrasted with abstract brand name, suggestive brand name.
Differentiation
The process of distinguishing a brand from other brands (e.g., those of competitors) by identifying and highlighting its unique or distinctive attributes.
E
Empty vessel brand name
See abstract brand name.
F
Fanciful brand name
See abstract brand name.
I
Ingredient brand
A brand presented as a component, feature, or element of another brand or branded offering.
Initialism
A brand name formed from the initial letters of a longer name or phrase and pronounced letter by letter.
J
Jungian archetype
See brand archetype.
L
Logo
A symbol and/or stylized text signifying a brand
Logotype
See wordmark.
M
Metonym
The name of one thing used as the name of some other, related thing.
Misspelled brand name
See cacography.
N
Naming approach
How a brand name connects to qualities or ideas related to the underlying brand (e.g., descriptive names, suggestive names, abstract names). Often contrasted with naming construct.
Naming construct
How a brand name is structured (e.g., real-word names, coined names, compound names). Often contrasted with naming approach.
O
On brand
Consistent with a brand’s image or expectations created by a brand.
P
Positioning
See brand positioning.
Phonosemantics
See sound symbolism.
Phonesthesia
See sound symbolism.
Product differentiation
See differentiation.
R
Rebranding
The process of updating, revising, or recreating an existing brand.
S
Sound symbolism
The theory that speech sounds have intrinsic meaning.
Suggestive brand name
A brand name that evokes a quality of the underlying brand. Often contrasted with abstract brand name, descriptive brand name.
T
Trademark
“A word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” (according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
W
Wordmark
Stylized text treatment of a brand name serving as all or part of a logo.
