16 Types of Branding Services That Will Transform Your Image

Branding isn’t a once-off task. It’s an ongoing process of creating a unique identity for your company and projecting it in the marketplace – and it goes way beyond ensuring your business has a logo and a website.

From how you market and promote your business to the elements of design that appear in your visuals — each element should be incorporated into a more expansive brand strategy.

Note that just like there are different types of brands, there are also different types of branding services. Here’s a list of 21 such services that can help you take your brand to the next level and transform it into something special:

#1. Logo Design

A logo is the face of your brand. It should reflect your company’s values, spark an emotional connection with the audience, and be simple yet memorable.

Logos set the tone for how your brand will be perceived. They also set the stage for large-scale identity designs, like stationery/business cards, signage, packaging, and web design.

A well-designed logo supports your marketing efforts in different ways:

• Brand Awareness

Think of any consumer brand — Coca-Cola, Apple, Nike, etc. What immediately comes to mind? Their recognizable logos.

Logos play a key role in building brand awareness, from billboards to TV commercials and websites.

Using Coca-Cola as an example — by all accounts, its iconic logo is one of the most recognizable worldwide, and it’s helped solidify its place as a leading soft drink brand.

It doesn’t matter how the logo is presented. People know it. That’s the power of brand recognition, and it’s something you should strive for with your own logo.

• Brand Identity

Logo design isn’t just about making something look pretty. It’s about creating a strong visual identity that sets your business apart from everyone else.

Your logo should capture the essence of your company and communicate a positive message to your target audience. That’s how you create an emotional connection with them, and it’s the foundation of great branding. 

Coca-Cola’s Spencerian Script reflects the company’s long history and tradition. It embraces its past while remaining relevant and modern.

It’s a simple logo that serves as the foundation of their brand identity. 

People choose Coca-Cola because it’s a dependable and trusted brand.

#2. Brand Messaging

What will your brand offer customers? What do you stand for?

How do your services, brand experience, and customer service differ from the competition?

What can customers get from your business that they can’t find elsewhere?

These are all critical questions you must answer in your branding process.

They define your company, permeating all business areas, from marketing materials to product descriptions and tag lines.

Take Nike, for instance. The “Just Do It” slogan isn’t just about selling shoes — it’s about inspiring people to take action and be the best they can be. It’s a powerful message that resonates with millions of customers.

Here are some of the factors that are wrapped up in brand messaging:

• Value proposition
• Brand principles
• Key differentiators 
• Target audience
• Brand equity
• Product positioning
• Organizational culture
• Brand principles

Every word and phrase you create about your company should have a meaning and purpose. It should also be consistent across all touchpoints, from your website to social media to customer service.

It should reflect your brand values and appeal to your target audience. 

Let’s use Subway as an example. Their slogan, “Eat Fresh,” speaks to their commitment to using quality ingredients and providing customers with healthier fast food alternatives.

Their big reason for success has been their shift in marketing to appeal to the health-conscious. 

Before you develop any marketing message, you must first write down what you stand for and what you want your customers to think of when they hear your brand name.

Once you have a clear understanding of this, it’s time to enlist the help of professionals to shape your message and develop a comprehensive branding strategy.

#3. Brand Positioning

Brand positioning could easily be considered a subset of brand messaging. However, it goes one step further in helping you differentiate your brand from the competition and set yourself apart as a leader in your industry.

In short, brand positioning is about setting your business apart from industry rivals. It’s about identifying the gap in the market that you can fill and communicating this to your target audience. 

For example, Apple positions itself as a “premium lifestyle brand” with high-end products and services. That gives them a clear edge over competitors, allowing their customers to feel like they’re getting something special. 

On the other hand, Xiaomi positions itself as a “value for money” brand. That means they focus on providing quality products with an affordable price tag.

A brand positioning agency can help you define your brand through market research and organizational analysis. They’ll also look into what your customers want and what your business can realistically provide, and how the offerings compare with that of your competitors. 

Your positioning in the marketplace and, by extension, consumers’ minds is essentially a proxy for your total brand value.

It’s the ROI of who you really are. Remember, when you’re starting, your customers will pay you for your product,  but eventually, they’ll pay you for your brand. Therefore, positioning yourself correctly can dramatically increase your revenue and ROI. 

#4. Personal Branding

Elon Musk is a brand. Warren Buffet is a brand. Oprah Winfrey is also a brand. These incredibly successful figures have one thing in common — they know how to build an incredible personal brand.

Personal branding is about creating a distinct and recognizable persona that sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. When people think about you, they should have a particular image.

Personal branding best suits self-employed individuals like freelancers, influencers, affiliate marketers, and entrepreneurs. It involves creating a website, writing blogs/articles about yourself, creating social media profiles, attending events or conferences in your field, and interacting with journalists and influencers or potential customers. 

Remember that who you are in business doesn’t have to be who you are in real life — but it should reflect the values and ideals you want to be associated with your brand. Be yourself, but be the best version of yourself. A personal brand should also feel natural and authentic.

#5. Product Branding 

Product branding is about creating an emotional connection between the customer and your product. Every time you put out a new line of products, you want to enlist the services of a branding agency to help you create an identity that resonates with the target audience. 

Product branding involves storytelling, mesmerizing visuals, and unique positioning to create an emotional link between the customer and your product. It helps increase awareness and recognition of the brand, thus driving up sales.

So, how do you brand a product?

You first consider the end user and think about the emotions your product will evoke in them. Will it make them feel good, confident, and strong? Then create a brand story that gives your product the personality it deserves.

You also want to look at their customer journey – from the first time they come across your product to how it makes them feel when they use it.

Next, run a competitor analysis to identify what your competitors are doing and how they have marketed a similar product. That will help you identify potential opportunities and ways to differentiate your product.

Finally, you want to ensure the product uniquely solves a customer’s problem. By doing this, you should be able to position your product as the go-to solution for that particular problem.

You want to advertise your product as the solution to the customer’s problem, taking a different approach than your competitors.

#6. Retail Branding

As the name suggests, retail branding is about retail businesses. Retail businesses take products from different suppliers and sell them in their stores, marketing themselves as sellers. Retail branding is about creating an experience customers can relate to and feel good about.

It involves creating a unique identity that sets the store apart while providing a recognizable customer experience. That includes creating an attractive and inviting logo and storefront design, curating trendy and on-brand products, and crafting a customer experience tailored to the store’s customers.

#7. Corporate Branding

Corporate branding is a broad term that covers a lot of territory. It’s all about building and maintaining a good reputation for your business — from internal staff to external customers. It involves every aspect of your business, from how you communicate with customers to the values that guide your decisions.

Corporate branding is tied to your brand reputation and can help attract new customers, partners, and investors. It’s all about projecting a positive image of your business to get the best possible outcomes.

Corporate branding starts with having a clear mission, unique selling point, and value proposition.

It also includes creating clear brand guidelines and messaging, producing quality content that effectively tells your story, investing in relationships with customers and influencers, and building a strong social media presence.

It also trickles down to your hiring strategy, how you dress your staff, and the overall customer experience. With the right corporate branding, you can attract the top talent and the best customers your business can get. 

Good corporate branding can make all the difference for your business and can be achieved with the right branding services. From creating a unique identity to crafting compelling messaging and brand guidelines, the right branding services can help you build a strong and lasting image for your company.

#8. Service Branding

Service branding is a type of branding service that focuses on companies that offer services instead of products. The goal of service branding is to emphasize the benefit that the service provides to the customer.

Businesses that use service branding include:

• Banks
• Insurance companies
• Law firms
• Accounting firms
• Marketing agencies 

Service branding involves creating a clear value proposition, crafting impactful visuals and messaging that resonates with customers, creating a customer-friendly experience, developing a robust online presence, and leveraging testimonials and other customer-centric content. 

For example, Geico uses service branding to stand out from other insurance companies. Their slogan, “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance,” clearly communicates their product’s value and reminds customers that they can save time and money by using Geico for insurance.

#9. Geographic Branding

Geographic branding is a type of branding service that helps businesses establish their local presence and differentiate themselves from competitors. This type of branding takes into account the company’s location and culture, as well as its customer base.

Businesses that use geographic branding include: 

• Restaurants
• Retail stores
• Tourism companies 

Geographic branding involves developing a local identity, building a sense of community, and leveraging local events and experiences to attract customers.

McDonald’s is an example of a business that has used geographic branding successfully. They use local advertising to promote their restaurants and emphasize their connection to the communities where they operate. They also partner with local sports teams, charities, and other organizations to strengthen their connection with the local community.

#10. Co-Branding

Co-branding involves two or more brands joining forces on a product, service, or promotion. It’s a powerful way to increase brand recognition and reach a wider audience. 

Co-branding can be used to cross-promote products, create joint campaigns, or combine two brands’ products into a single offering. 

An example of co-branding is the partnership between McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola makes products that you can only get at McDonald’s. You can’t find the Coke product anywhere else. This partnership gives both brands more exposure and allows them to benefit from each other’s customer base. 

Co-branding is a great way to expand your reach, increase brand recognition, and boost sales. It is a powerful tool for businesses looking to expand their horizons and grow their customer base.

So, what do co-branding services involve? It means using creative strategies to bring two or more brands together meaningfully. That could include developing joint campaigns, cross-promoting products, and combining two brands’ products into a single offering. Whatever the strategy, it should be tailored to the specific objectives of each brand involved.

#11. Activist Branding

Activist or conscious branding is an increasingly popular form of branding that focuses on making a positive social or environmental impact. It involves creating campaigns, products, and services that promote a cause or support a movement. 

Activist branding can range from using recycled materials in the production of products to promoting campaigns that raise awareness about social issues. 

This type of branding aims to create a positive image for the company and use its resources and influence to make a difference in the world. It is about taking a stand and showing that your company is committed to making a positive change.

A well-known example of activist branding is the sports retail giant Nike’s “Let’s All Be Part of the Change” campaign. The company turned its iconic “Just Do It” slogan into an anti-racism and anti-violence slogan, “For Once, Don’t Do It.”. 

They released the ad on Twitter, and within three days, it had garnered 6.7 million views, 210,000 likes, and 100,000 retweets. It also garnered tons of positive press for the company and further solidified its image as a socially conscious brand.

#12. Ingredient Branding 

A unique form of branding, ingredient branding involves focusing on a definitive product ingredient or feature to differentiate your brand from competitors. 

Ingredient branding involves highlighting the unique features of a specific item, such as a signature item or a particular type of material used, to create an exclusive brand image. 

A great example of this type of branding is DuPont’s Teflon branding. DuPont successfully created a brand known for its quality and long-lasting performance by associating its product with durable, non-stick material. 

They built a product around this chemical compound, and the Teflon brand was born. 

Today, Teflon is a multi-billion-dollar business, and its brand is synonymous with innovation and excellence. The product is used in various industries, from automotive to consumer goods to electronic components.

#13. Online Branding Strategy 

Online or internet branding is a form of branding that relies heavily on digital marketing. It involves using online content, such as blog posts, website design, social media, and video content, to promote a company’s personality and values while showcasing its products and services. 

One of the critical elements of online branding is using SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO involves incorporating relevant keywords and phrases into website content to improve its search engine rankings.

Starbucks does an excellent job of online branding. They have created a comprehensive website with blog posts and engaging videos showcasing their brand values and products. They also have a blog section and an extensive social media presence, where they always share user-generated content and engage with their customers. 

They have over 36 million followers on Facebook, over 11 million followers on Twitter, 17 million on Instagram, and nearly 5 million on YouTube.

#14. Offline Branding Strategy 

Offline branding involves traditional marketing tactics, such as radio and television ads, billboards, direct mail campaigns, and print and outdoor advertising. 

It aims to present your company’s mission, offerings, and values to a larger audience through physical mediums. 

The only problem with offline branding is that it can be costly and time-consuming. Plus, there isn’t a clear-cut way to measure its performance.

In 2022, during the World Cup, Adidas created a billboard in Dubai depicting Argentina winning the cup. The billboard read, “Impossible is nothing,” which conveyed the company’s attitude of defying expectations. 

This campaign served as a great example of offline branding, and it was successful at communicating the company’s mission and values to its target market. 

Although offline branding can be costly, it is still an important aspect of brand building, as it helps build credibility and trust in the eyes of potential customers.

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#15. Cultural Branding 

Cultural branding is a branding strategy that focuses on connecting with customers on a deeper, more personal level with a lifestyle, culture, or shared values. 

It’s about creating an emotional connection with customers, inspiring them to be brand ambassadors and creating a sense of belonging within a community. 

Businesses that typically use this type of branding include:

• Tourism companies
• B2B innovators
• Fashion companies
• Luxury lifestyle brands

Harley-Davidson is the perfect example of a company using cultural branding to great effect. The company has created a strong community around its motorcycles and lifestyle, with customers joining in on local events to show off their rides. 

From their early logo (with an eagle and spread wings) to their iconic slogans (“Live to Ride, Ride to Live”), the name Harley Davidson has become synonymous with freedom and adventure.

Cultural branding is an effective way to build customer loyalty and trust, especially in a competitive landscape. It helps foster brand identity and recognition, forming an emotional connection with customers beyond just a product or service.

#16. Social Media Branding

Social media branding is all about consistency, creativity, and engagement. This type of branding relies on visuals, storytelling, and strategic content to build relationships with customers online. 

A strong social media presence can help you establish trust, reach a broad audience, and create an engaging platform to interact with your customers and followers in real time.

It’s not about simply sharing product information; it’s about creating a community around your brand. That means curating exciting and relevant content for your target audience and engaging with your followers with thoughtful responses.

Remember, not all social media platforms are created equal. 

Social media platforms like Twitter often lend themselves to snappy, cheeky, and playful content, while LinkedIn is more suited to professional and informative messaging. 

On the other hand, Instagram is the perfect platform to showcase beautiful visuals and creative content. 

Choosing the right social media platforms and tapping into each platform’s unique language is key to creating a successful social media branding strategy.