The brand definition goes beyond what you can transmit with your product or service, nowadays it goes hand in hand with differentiation, because among so much competition, the brand will be what makes consumers choose you over the competition. 

More and more consumers are looking for a connection with companies, beyond the products they offer. And they are even willing to pay more for it. 

That's why it's FUNDAMENTAL that you know the definition of your brand, so that you can develop a powerful brand strategy to place yourself in the top of mind of consumers. Read on and find out what a brand is and what types of brands exist! 

What is the definition of a brand? 

A brand is the way in which companies, businesses or ventures can be distinguished from others within the same market or sector. 

That is if we take its definition to a few lines, but a brand encompasses the way in which products or services are differentiated from others, so visual identities, graphic lines, communication manuals in traditional and digital media and even the way in which it works in the face of its communities and potential customers come into play. 

A brand in itself already has enough value even if what it represents is not of the highest quality. 

What types of brands are there? 

Chances are that you think of the visual identity (such as the logo) of a brand when you hear its name; however, there are several types of brands that will help you keep in mind the concept of each one: 

Types of brands according to their legality 

For a company it's vital that its brand is registered as such, that's why there's a classification, if we can say legal, that makes it have value as an asset of that company:

1. Registered trademark 

It's the brand that has been presented with all its requirements before the trademark registration agencies, so it has been verified for its legality. 

Generally, a company registers a brand in order to have access to all the benefits of obtaining a commercial registration, so this registration gives protection to the use of the brand's data. 

So no one other than that company that has made the registration has rights to use the brand for its own benefit. Otherwise legal consequences will have to be faced. 

2. Inscribed mark

This is the brand for which the application for registration has been filed but has not yet been registered, it's in process. 

During this time, in which the availability of the name and brand is verified or not, the registering agency must make sure that there is no other registration with the same data. 

It's also subject to a waiting period in case another person applies to register a brand with the same data and characteristics. 

So it is in the registration process but does not yet have the authorization to be used. 

3. Unregistered brand

Finally, in legal matters, we find the unregistered brands, which are those that are in use but do not have the legal authorization to do so. 

And while it is true that an authorization from any legal entity or body is not necessary for someone to have a brand, the truth is that as long as you stick to the legality of use, everything will be fine. 

And all this is because you run the risk of someone else working under the name of that unregistered brand or that there is already a registered brand for which you have to pay fines. 

Types of brands according to their function

Trademarks can also be defined according to their function within an industry: 

1. Trademark.

A trademark has an authorized commercial registration to be able to produce and distribute products or services under the name of that brand. 

2. Company brand

It's the one that represents companies in a sector that usually produce goods or services for a specific market. 

Imagine a food production company such as Procter & Gamble, which produces and distributes food and household items. The same company has under its registration other brands such as Pampers, Oral B, Old Spice or PANTENE. 

3. Source brand 

This is the name given to all those brands that are registered indicating the place of origin where they are manufactured. This is the raison d'être of their denomination. We could give examples of brand names such as: European ham, Mexican tacos, American macaroni and cheese... 

4. Guarantee brand 

On the other hand, guarantee brands are used by companies to certify that their products are of high quality.

You as an entrepreneur could use a guarantee mark as a certification of quality with the authorization of the official owner of the brand. 

Types of brands according to what they represent 

Going to the most visual part of a brand, we can classify them according to the variety of representations:

1. Nominative brand. 

These refer to the brands that can be identified according to a denomination and that represent a product or service. Like Coca Cola, for example, you can order a Coca Cola referring to the product as such but naming its brand. 

2. Unnamed brand 

Unnamed brands are usually those that are represented by a figurative element but not by letters. Such is the case of brands that are designed with isologues or isotypes such as Apple or Shell. 

3. Three-dimensional brand 

Here we take into account external elements of the product such as the packaging or the container in which it is distributed; these are those brands that are easy to recognize in the eyes of consumers thanks to external details. 

4. Mixed brands

A mixed brand is composed of graphic elements and words, they are the result of their conjunction. 

In general terms, all these concepts can help you to have an overview of what a brand is in legal terms and by its function. 

But in digital marketing, a brand represents other elements that you must take into account:

• The brand is what gives certain characteristics to the products or services we sell, which makes potential customers perceive it in some way or another. 

• The definition of brand is what consumers think, feel, sense and analyze about a business itself. 

• The brand is an extension of the values, mission, goals, tone and more of a company that may or may not be digital.

Now you know the definition of brand and what types of brand exist, it's time to get down to work and start to capture on paper or digital, those ideas that will lead you to build the identity of your brand. 

Remember that a brand is more than the representation of what you sell, it's also the way your venture coexists in digital ecosystems. 

Undoubtedly, it's an art!

Do you know any extra concept that we should take into account to define a brand?