Brand Strategy vs. Marketing Strategy: Tips and Examples

Brand and marketing strategies are vital in improving performance and driving business success. But how do they differ from each other? How can a business leverage both to achieve its objectives?

If you have the same questions, this article is for you. Let's look at what's behind a brand and marketing strategies.

When trust and solid relationships with consumers are present, they are more likely to purchase and endorse the business to their community. For example, the Edelman Trust Barometer Report 2019 identifies customer trust as the top indicator of over 80 percent of respondents' buying decisions. 

A branding strategy's components are brand purpose or the reason for a business's existence, target audience, brand positioning, visual identity, and brand voice.

A broad marketing strategy covers content strategy, digital marketing, advertising, public relations, and events. While relevant to creating meaningful customer relationships, a marketing strategy aims to boost interest, customer engagement, and sales.

Companies have reaped benefits from well-executed marketing strategies. Through thorough market research, they can develop unique products and identify potential markets. Those who invest in inbound marketing experienced a 50 percent increase in sales.

Brand and marketing strategies play separate roles in an organization's efficiency. Let's break down their differences below.

Focus

A marketing strategy focuses on producing and promoting products and services to increase sales and revenue. On the other hand, a branding strategy's central function is to create a unique identity and emotional connections between the brand and its customers.

Goals

A marketing strategy's goals are often short-term. It serves to reach an objective or set KPIs.

A brand strategy's goals are the opposite. Just like with people building relationships with each other, building a company's reputation is a long game. It can also evolve and develop as market demands and industry climate change.

Approaches

A marketing strategy uses tactics like content, social media, and email marketing to achieve short-term goals. A branding strategy implements actions that can help build a strong brand identity and nurture emotional connections.

Time-Frame

The process of creating and implementing a brand strategy takes time. For instance, laying down its foundation alone takes several months to a year. Other factors, such as nurturing the brand and building customer relationships, follow.

Meanwhile, a marketing strategy is campaign-based. The strategy has served its purpose as soon as the desired outcomes are met.

While brand and marketing strategies are distinct, they work hand-in-hand to achieve specific business objectives and drive growth. Here's how.

Aligning Brand Messaging and Marketing

Your brand messaging should articulate your value proposition, positioning, and core identity. You can integrate the brand messaging into your marketing collaterals when it is established.

Brands can weave stories that reflect brand values and mission into their marketing content. All marketing efforts should adhere to the brand guidelines, too. Doing so ensures consistency and improves brand recognition. A good example is Nike's 'Just Do It' message, which appears on endorsements, billboards, social media posts, etc.  

Integrating Brand Values in Marketing Campaigns

Cohesiveness is crucial to effective branding and marketing. In addition to messaging, you can integrate brand values by spearheading campaigns that align with them.

For instance, Nike champions empowerment and athleticism. It has initiated campaigns celebrating women and people of color in the sports world. The brand is also steadfast in implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives within the organization. 

Without strong branding, the foundation of your marketing strategy may be lacking. And with a clear marketing strategy, your brand may be capable of evolving on time. The relationship between brand and marketing strategies is crucial to your business success. 

It takes work to strike the right balance between your marketing and brand strategies, though. Here are five steps to help you get started. 

Step 1: Define Your Brand Purpose and Values

Your brand purpose refers to your reason for being, and your brand values are a set of beliefs you aim to embody. Together, they serve as your North Star, ensuring that every branding and marketing decision you make aligns with them. Hence, it is a crucial first step in creating a brand or marketing strategy.

Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience and Conduct Market Research

When it comes to marketing and branding, data is your best friend. Conduct thorough market research to learn as much as possible about your audience, competitors, and the industry.

Talk to potential customers, existing customers, and customers of competing brands to gauge their needs, wants, and interests. You can also consult with industry leaders.

These data are vital in formulating strategies for your branding and marketing campaigns. They help you uncover advantages and opportunities for growth. They are crucial in decision-making and in improving your customers' experience. 

Step 3: Develop Your Brand Identity and Brand Story

The next step is to create a brand identity and story. Like how we connect with people, a brand must be relatable.

For reference, brand identity is the culmination of visual identity, personality, tone, values, and goals, among other things. It's what brings your brand to life. And with it comes a brand story that relays how the business came about—the inspirations, mission, and culture it represents. 

Step 4: Set Clear Marketing Objectives and Choose Appropriate Channels

Your marketing objectives keep your team aligned and driven to achieve long-term goals. Remember to follow the SMART method, which requires specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based goals. Once your goals are set, select the best channels to use. Of course, consider your resources as well. 

Some examples of marketing objectives include:

• Increase the sales of Product A by 2% in Q4. 
• Boost brand awareness by 30% in Audience Segment C within the next 12 months.
• Reach five million followers on Instagram by Q3.

Step 5: Implement, Monitor, and Optimize 

Next is implementing and measuring the results of your marketing or brand strategy! This step involves having the right team of people to activate initiatives on the ground for a successful turnout. You also need tools to keep you on track with real-time results.

Consider investing in Google Analytics, social listening tools, and brand surveys. You should also measure your Share of Voice, web traffic, and customer lifetime value.

When you monitor your campaign results, you can identify problems and implement solutions more quickly. Finally, listen to feedback and optimize your strategies as needed.

Now that you better understand brand and marketing strategies let's examine real-life examples to learn some valuable tips and tricks. 

Louis Vuitton: Strong Brand Identity Leads to Longevity

Once a humble brand started by a skilled designer in France, Louis Vuitton has become a global household name in the land of luxury brands. With 170 years of experience, the brand has established an identity that melds elegant craftsmanship and centuries-old heritage.

So, what made it one of the most coveted brands?

It started with a simple yet powerful monogram incorporating the letters "L" and "V." The monogram served as protection against businesses that may want to counterfeit the products, but it soon evolved into a recognizable design synonymous with luxury.

Louis Vuitton made its monogram ubiquitous and versatile, appearing on products like bags, scarves, and other clothing. The brand is also consistent with its color palette to retain its core identity as fashion continues to evolve.

The brand's growth is also evident. From targeting distinguished individuals, celebrities, and affluent country club wives, Louis Vuitton has made the brand more accessible and appealing to its fashion-conscious younger audience. Embracing changes and innovation has brought traditional luxury into the contemporary culture.

Liquid Death: Embrace Unconventional Branding

How can you sell water in a saturated water industry? 

You can take notes from Liquid Death, a company that sells canned water. With its love for humor and eye-catching punk-designed cans, the brand has successfully made canned water cool! 

Liquid Death aligned its brand visuals with the metal culture known for its edginess and rebelliousness. It challenged the traditional branding of water, as seen in its creative brand messaging and marketing. 

The brand also shares funny content on TikTok that appeals to millennials and Gen Zs. Hashtags and taglines like #DeathtoPlastic and "Sell Your Soul" were used to bring attention to Liquid Death's sustainability-driven efforts. Its brand slogan, "Murder Your Thirst," often intrigues consumers. Its approach of not taking itself seriously and thinking outside the box has paid off! 

Data shows that Liquid Death's current valuation is at $1.4 billion. The brand also boasts millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram.

Aesop: Keep It Simple and Consistent

Australian cosmetics brand Aesop believes in the beauty of simplicity. This is evident in how they present their products in apothecary-like glass bottles with minimalist labels.

Their shops are made to look like spas with marble sinks and countertops with brass features. The brand veers away from gimmicks by sticking with its sleek, minimalist, modern product design or brand approach. 

With a solid identity, Aesop effectively connects with buyers who appreciate quiet luxury and dedicated craftsmanship. Sure, the brand is active on social media. However, it mainly relies on word of mouth—a testament to its products' greatness that people always talk about them. 

You'll also notice how Aesop uses storytelling and literary references to introduce the brand to its audience. For instance, you can find quotes on Aesop's website like "The journey itself is my home" (Matsuo Basho) and "If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads" (Anatole France). 

It invites people to think deeper about the value of finding the perfect hand cream, shampoo, etc. In a way, it promotes self-pampering as part of a person's daily ritual. 

An Aesop representative shares in an interview, "Aesop occupies an interesting sweet spot in the market in that we offer and combine products that offer good performance while amplifying all the sensory aspects of a luxurious product. The combination of these two elements makes our positioning unique." 

No wonder Aesop has achieved a cult status since its launch in 1987. From a humble and quiet shop that caters mainly to Australians, the brand has gone global and is now part of L'Oreal.

GoPro: Leverage UGC Marketing

If there's a brand that has mastered social media marketing, that's the action camera brand GoPro. With millions of followers worldwide, it has encouraged users to post epic moments captured by the brand's devices.

Some marketing strategy initiatives from the brand include GoPro Awards challenges like Photo of the Day, Anything Awesome, and Million Dollar Challenge. The brand gave away incentives in cash, GoPro gear, and a chance to be featured on the brand's social media pages. 

UGC, or user-generated content, is a great way to keep the buzz going about your brand online. Aside from being a robust source of organic content, potential customers rely on UGCs for feedback before purchasing. In fact, data shows that marketing campaigns that leverage UGCs are about 30 percent more likely to yield a higher conversion rate.

Red Bull: Tap the Power of Influencers

By partnering with several influencers across different fields, Red Bull has showcased how flexible the brand is regarding reach. These are people admired and trusted by their audience, which is critical in fostering a connection with the brand.

Taking advantage of each influencer's followers, celebrities under their wing include Eminem, Sam Smith, and Shaun White. Athletes like Paul Rabil and Max Verstappen also promote the brand. Red Bull works with social media influencers and even meme accounts, too.

When you have the right people, influencer marketing is a great way to reinforce brand awareness and recognition without spending much money. When people see them using your brand, they are more likely to buy from you. Not to mention, influencers create quality content tailored to your audience segments.

Airbnb: Invest in Creating a Memorable Experience 

Often, the most effective way to convince customers to buy from you is to experience what you offer first-hand. Enter experiential marketing—a marketing strategy that focuses on giving a personalized and immersive experience they won't forget. 

Lucky winners were in for a treat when Airbnb partnered with the Louvre museum in France to offer a "night at the Louvre" experience. The brand has transformed the museum into a dreamy abode with a comfy bed and cozy sofa! 

"We are happy to offer this unique and special experience for two people to stay in the museum overnight in a bespoke pyramid-shaped bedroom. We know that many people would love the opportunity to wander alone at night through the Louvre, and we want this to be a magical and unforgettable experience. With Airbnb's partnership, we hope to encourage more people to discover how truly accessible and inspiring the wonders of art can be," says the Deputy Managing Director of the Musée du Louvre. 

The campaign garnered millions of views on YouTube and 1.5 million visits to the museum. It has also encouraged more than 140,000 new sign-ups!

So, what comes first? A brand strategy or a marketing strategy?

Branding is the foundation of all marketing and other business-related strategies. Think of it as the soul of the company. Without it, you cannot communicate effectively with your audience, and implementing your marketing strategies can become inconsistent. That said, it is crucial to align your marketing and brand strategy. 

Work with a professional brand strategy company to unlock your brand's full potential!