Branding

Just as individuals express their individuality through their identity, so organisations differentiate themselves through their choice of name, logo, or house style.

Although branding is particularly important for consumer products, it is relevant to all businesses. The objective is to stand out from the crowd, and choice of brand name and other signs – slogan, logo, design of packaging being some examples - is one way of achieving a unique identity.

Distinctive names

The brand stands for something, it communicates many messages about a company. Make sure  you choose a good name that may be registered as a trade mark.  Not all  descriptive names can be. For example, a plumber may call the business, ‘Plumbing and Heating Engineers Ltd' maybe adding a geographic area, like North London. Later, as this business becomes more established it may regret its descriptive name – because it is much more difficult, if not impossible to prevent  competitors also trading under a similar name.

So choice of name is key. Purely descriptive names offers little brand value. A distinctive name makes it easier to prevent others free riding on your reputation, and could secure its identity through trademark registration. For most businesses the name is the most important element of their brand.

Branding your business

Be aware that everything you do is part of your brand, from your name, to your products and services, to the way you do business, your logo – absolutely everything carries a message about the brand whether you realize it or not.  It is about so much more than having a logo and stationery designed.  Did you know that your contracts (or lack thereof), office premises, and even how you and your staff dress and communicate  will all have an impact.

Creating a consistent image across your entire business - website, brochures, offices, correspondence, and staff – is important.

Once you understand your own brand better, it is a good idea to try to devise a tagline or slogan that encapsulates the essence of the business.  Again make sure this is capable of trade mark protection, so you generate valuable intellectual property.

The objective of branding is to help you grow your business, and increase your profits. 

Trademark, domain and design registrations are powerful ways in which to protect brand identity. Registering a trademark should be top of your list of priorities. Investing in a trademark is the equivalent of investing in land.

Trademarks give you exclusive rights to your brand identity, and are important tools for capturing the value of your goodwill. If possible extend the registration internationally to protect key territories.

Find out more about trademark registration.

What next?

If you need legal work please call us on +44 (0)20 7700 1414 or if you prefer send us an enquiry using the form below. Depending on your requirements we may suggest a free meeting. This is often the best way to assess whether we would be the right firm for you, and to understand the work involved, your priorities, attitude to risk, and desired timescales.