Why Branding is Important
The first use of a brand was just that - a mark of ownership on cattle. Later, trademarks were used to define individual products. The red triangle of BASS, the first trademark registered in England, was designed to help the illiterate drinker recognise Mr William Bass's Fine India Pale Ale from other inferior products available at the time.
An article in the Financial Times described a brand as something that 'exists in the collective mind of the consumer'. Wally Olins, a leading authority on branding, defines it as an organisation's 'personality'. Others have said that: 'The brand is the promise that you make to your customer'.
The ESRC's brand is a valuable asset. The ESRC wants to build recognition of its brand by creating a distinct, memorable and consistent identity.
A variation in the application of the ESRC visual brand in the published outputs of its research investments does sometimes occur.
There are all sorts of reasons why this might happen:
- Differing priorities on joint-funded projects where the level of support provided may influence the prominence of different brands.
- Confusion in the perceptions of different audiences such as the media where often a 'shorthand' reference to the brand might be used.
- Lack of clarity about what the ESRC expects - which we hope this guidance will remedy.
It is important to think about how and when you will use the ESRC brand, on its own and in association with your brand, at the outset of a research project's development. You can do this by including a statement on branding in your communications strategy, and by contacting the ESRC's Communications team for advice.