Difference Between Brand and Products

Professional marketers can elaborately differentiate between brands and products because they use the two concepts as marketing tools to advance the sales of their respective organizations. This article is geared towards demonstrating the differences that exist between a brand and a product.

What is a brand?

A brand is the image of a specific product in the minds of the customers. Despite there being many products in the market, companies engage in a long-term strategy of creating a positive product perception which entails reliability, credibility, and quality which will, in turn, give a sense of satisfaction to the customers. Therefore, a brand is something that helps the consumers to identify the product and the company behind it.

Examples include

• Gucci
• Rolex, and
• Nike among others

What is a product?

A product is something that is in a physical or non-physical form that is made available by organizations in the market for sale to the end consumer. It is important to note that products differ in size, color, brand name, shape, packing, features, and purpose among others. Companies use the differentiating aspects to endear their products to potential customers.

Examples of products include

• handbags
• jeans trouser
• shoes, and
• Laptops among others

Differences Between Brand and Products

1. Definition 

Concerning their definitions, a product is a specific item that different organisations sell in the market to their consumers with the sole purpose of making profits. Contrastingly, a brand is a particular entity, which may include a company logo, company symbol, or name that is used to contrast or differentiate the products of one company to those of another. Precisely, a brand plays the role of making products for a specific enterprise to be identifiable in the marketplace.

2. Time Horizon 

It is important to note that, when a brand has been established, it stays forever in the minds of the consumers while on the other hand; other upcoming products that are likely to offer more satisfaction than the current product can replace a product, which means that its time is limited.

3. Uniqueness 

It is difficult to emulate or copy a brand whereas; a product is readily copied hence making prototypes of similar products to be present in the market. Organizations have been competing by copying each other’s products because they cannot reproduce the brand, which is a legal trademark.

4. Source/Creator 

A brand is created in the minds of the consumers after developing a perception that a particular product can satisfy their needs. However, a product is designed and can only be sourced from the manufacturers. Producers create new products after which they market them through their brand names at a profit.

5. Role of Brand vs Products

A brand has the purpose of adding value or boosting the psychological perception of a consumer because he or she owns a reputable product from a reputable company. On the other hand, a product performs a specific and an express role, which may include covering the body (clothes), printing (printer), and quenching thirst (soft drink) among others. Moreover, the functions of a product are tailor-made.

6. Appearance 

It is difficult to see and touch a brand because it is formulated in the minds of the consumer and can only be explained. However, it is possible to see and feel some of the products. For example, it is possible to see and touch the current Samsung s7 series smartphone while it is difficult to see and touch Coca-Cola brand.

Table Showing Difference Between a Brand and a Product

Summary of Brand vs Product

• It is noteworthy to highlight that the two terms seem the same, but a more in-depth analysis demonstrates clear differences, especially in the field of marketing.
• The critical point is that the most significant difference between a brand and a product is that a product is an individual entity, but there can be millions of products under a unique name.
• This means that a brand is an extended term as compared to a product, which is a constituent of the former.
• The difference between brands and product is very prevalent in the field of product design, product testing, and product marketing. These steps position the product in the minds of the consumer in the process of creating a positive perception to build a long-lasting brand.

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