While it’s essential to understand the importance of branding, it’s also as interesting to study the historical evidence of branding and its evolution through time.
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The roots of branding date all the way back to 2000 BC when branding was solely done to depict ownership. In fact, the term ‘branding’ itself is derived from an ancient Norse term ‘Brandr’ which means ‘to burn.’
Farmers and craftsmen used to imprint their unique symbols on their cattle and goods as a way of marking ownership using a hot burning iron. These early stages of branding were carried out to make their products and cattle stand out from the rest.
The Ancient Marketplace
In ancient civilizations like Babylon, people used verbal sales pitches to attract customers to buy their products. When it came to civilizations like Greece and Egypt where most of the populations were fairly illiterate, illustrated displays and storefronts were used to communicate and attract customers.
The Origins of Printing
In China, the invention of woodblock printing in the 7th Century during the rule of the Tang Dynasty eventually led to the invention of printing with movable type during Sung Dynasty’s 11th Century China. These inventions slowly gave rise to the early stages of advertising.
The Printing Press
With the invention of the first printing press in Germany in the mid-1400s by Johannes Gutenberg based on the European movable type printing technology he had developed, mass production of printed books and literature started to emerge.
The Industrial Revolution
Between the 1600s and 1700s, printed advertisements started to appear in mass media like newspapers. During the Industrial Revolution in the mid-1700s, as a result of the mass production of goods, logos were used to identify the manufacturers and also as symbols of quality. With these advancements, it was realized that a regulated system was necessary to encourage development, and with that idea, governments came up with patents, trademarks, and copyright laws.
The 1800s
Multiple advertising agencies were established in the 1800s which led to innovative ways of advertising using various sizes of media like newspapers, banners, billboards, signages, etc. It was during this time, that companies started promoting their brand names through unique and well-design attractive packaging and catchy slogans.
The 1900s
During the 20th century, the desire for branded products grew as companies started to invest more in advertising and managed to create strong perceptions in people’s minds. In the late 1900s, brands like Coca-Cola and Apple started to connect with their customers on an emotional level through their ads. This led to companies understanding the importance of long-term brand identity over short-term ad campaigns that are solely focused on selling a particular product.
Related article: Is Coca-Cola The World’s No.1 Brand? | Coca-Cola Branding Case Study
The Modern Age
All this eventually made way for the modern branding that we see today where more and more brands constantly look for new and innovative ways to earn the trust of a customer and to focus on providing the customer with a memorable experience instead of just selling.
With the rise in technology and the ever-growing consumption of digital media, strategic branding has become much more important for brands to stay relevant and on top of people’s minds.
Conclusion
Branding has come a long way since its beginnings in ancient Egypt. Today, it is a powerful tool that companies use to shape their image in the marketplace. Technology has been a major driving force behind the evolution of branding, and it will continue to be a key player in the future of branding.
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