What is a Brand Identity? The Case of Coca-Cola and Apple

533 Words2 Pages

Coca-Cola. And Apple. Two companies from two very different industries, yet both have such strong brand identities, it has become iconic. A brand identity should be “the heart and soul of a brand.” [2] (Aaker, D. A., 2010, p. 68) But it’s not just a strong brand identity that has made these two brands internationally known. In both cases, it has been a strong combination of brand identity and well-considered packaging, which have put them at the forefront of their respective markets.

This paper argues why both brand identity and packaging are vital to a successful marketing strategy, and that they are more powerful intertwined, than as two separate elements.

While people have differing opinions on what the relationship between packaging and brand identity is, it is clear that most support the idea that success depends on how well these two elements are collated. [1] On its own, a brand identity is the vessel in which a brand communicates its “identity and value[s] to consumers and […] stakeholders.” [5] (Nandan, S., 2005, p. 265) It plays a central role in a successful marketing strategy for any company, providing a brand with a “direction, purpose and meaning”. [2] (Aaker, D. A., 2010, p. 68) With such a competitive and overcrowded market, the role of a brand identity becomes essential. A brand identity helps communicate a brand’s individuality, enabling it to establish a powerful presence amongst competitors. [5] (Nandan, S., 2005, p. 265) In fact, Nandan, S. (2005, p. 276) states that,

[a] company may have a unique vision, a superior product, strong management and an efficient distribution system – yet if it is not able to convey the core benefits of the brand to its target audience it will ultimately fail. [5]

It will f...

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...an, K. S. (2000) How Packaging Shapes Brand Identities, Boxboard Containers International. (pp. 18, 19)

[5] Nandan, S. (2005) An exploration of the brand identity-brand image linkage: A communications perspective, Brand Management. (pp 264 – 278)

[6] Newman, K. A. (2009) Packaging is critical to brand identity, Packaging. (pp. 30 – 34)

[7] ¬Holdway, R., Walker, D. and Hilton, M. (2002) Eco-design and successful packaging, Design Management Journal. (pp. 45 – 53)

[8] Underwood, R. L. (2003) The communicative power of product packaging: Creating brand identity via lived and mediated experience, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice. (pp. 62 – 76)

[9] Lashinsky, A. (2012) Inside Apple. United States. John Murray. Cited in Heisler, Y. (2012) Inside Apple’s secret packaging room. Retrieved May 28, 2014 from http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/79642

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