A brand, however, is not just a product or name in the marketing world. It is also the perception of a particular product, service, organization or company by the consumers. Creating an image for your organization and executing it properly is essential when branding. The brand image should focus on the specific mission and positive attributes of the organization or company. Quality, prestige, low price and fun are all adjectives that can be incorporated into a brand image, in addition the product or service itself.
Some universities project the image of an elite, prestigious institution.
Others profess a strong focus on diversity and culture. An image should also strive to remain focused and not evolve into a generic term. For example, Band Aid, Kleenex and Xerox have all become generic terms. Once an image is established for an organization, awareness of that image must be generated. The image can be broadcast to the target market through media, advertising, sales or the actual experience a customer has with a company or organization.