Think about a brand. You get a picture of that instantly in your mind, right? It could be a logo, a feeling or even a phrase you’ve heard a hundred times. That’s not luck; that’s strategy and I’m telling you this because too many businesses leave that part out.
I’ve seen strong products lose traction because the brand didn’t stick. I’ve also seen businesses with average offers thrive because their brand is connected. The difference always comes down to branding strategy.
60% of companies reported a 10-20% growth in revenue due to consistent branding.
Source: Wisernotify
Your brand shapes how people trust you, remember you and talk about you. And that doesn’t happen by chance. In this guide, I’ll walk you through 12 types of brand and branding strategies, break down real examples and help you figure out which one fits your business best. Read on!
What Is a Branding Strategy?
If your business isn’t standing out or people aren’t remembering your name, there’s usually one reason behind it: no clear branding strategy.
You value your brand and branding strategies work asthe perfect plan that shapes how customers think about your business. It helps them recognise you, trust you and understand what you stand for without guessing. When done right, it makes your business feel familiar even to someone who’s never bought from you.
Think of it this way your branding strategy guides what you say, how you say it and how everything looks. It connects the way your logo feels, the tone of your emails, the words on your packaging and even the way you handle feedback.
Without it, things feel disconnected. Customers notice that. With it, everything lines up and that’s what builds confidence and loyalty.
Why a Branding Strategy Is Essential for Business Success?
Perfect branding and strategy, when working in harmony, can bring in steady customers that are most likely to return. If you’re a business owner, here are a few reasons why you must invest your time and efforts in brand strategy:
Helps People Recognise You and Trust You
When your brand looks and sounds the same across your packaging, your emails, your store or your feed, people start to recognise it straight away. That builds trust. And once people trust your business, they’re more likely to choose you again.
Shows Why You’re the Better Choice
The most vital factors on which your customers choose you over other similar providers are how clearly they understand what you offer and how you stand apart. Your brand strategy and marketing efforts help you show that difference from the start.
Increases Customer Retention and Keeps Them Coming Back
When people feel a connection to your brand, they stay longer. They read your posts, share your offers and tell friends about you. A strong branding strategy gives you the tools to create that connection and turn one-time buyers into repeat customers.
12 Types of Branding Strategies
When it comes to building a strong brand, having the right branding and positioning strategy makes all the difference. To make it easier for you to understand, here are 12 types of branding strategies with examples:
1. Product Branding
Product branding gives one product a clear identity with its own name, design and tone. It helps customers recognise and remember it, even when it’s part of a larger business. This is useful when your product can stand out on its own and build loyalty without needing your full brand behind it.
It works well for businesses with multiple offerings that serve different needs. Each product gets its own space to connect with the right buyers.
Example: Apple iPhone
Apple uses product branding to make the iPhone feel separate from its other devices. The iPhone has its own campaigns, features and updates. It doesn’t need the Apple name in every message: just “iPhone” is enough to spark interest, trust and demand.
2. Service Branding
Service branding is among the most common brand and branding strategies which focuses on how a business delivers its service, not just what it offers. Since services aren’t physical, the brand experience is built through tone, customer service, speed and consistency. Every interaction matters, from the first enquiry to ongoing support.
This strategy works well when your service is similar to others but you want to stand out through how you treat people. It’s all about building trust and reliability through experience.
Example: Geico
Geico doesn’t just sell insurance, it brands the experience. With friendly customer service, fast claims processing and memorable ads like “15 minutes could save you 15%,” Geico creates a service people recognise and rely on.
3. Corporate Branding
Corporate branding focuses on the reputation of your entire business. It shapes how people see your company across every product, service and message you put out. This approach builds long-term trust and gives your name meaning beyond what you sell.
It’s ideal when you want your business name to carry weight on its own. When people trust the company, they’re more likely to trust everything under it.
Example: Microsoft
Microsoft’s brand stands for innovation, reliability and global impact. That reputation supports everything it releases from cloud platforms to productivity tools. Customers don’t just buy Word or Teams; they buy into Microsoft, trusting the brand behind every product.
4. Retail Branding
Retail branding focuses on the full shopping experience: layout, design, pricing and how customers feel in-store or online. It’s not about a single product, but how the whole space represents your business. Everything from colours to signage shapes how people see your brand. Being one of the most genuine brand and branding strategies it is the best if you want to improve your retail presence regardless of your location.
Example: Walmart
Walmart uses retail branding to stand for low prices and convenience. Its store design, slogan “Save Money. Live Better” and consistent layout across locations all reinforce its value-driven brand. Customers know what to expect every time they visit.
5. Geographic Branding
Geographic branding is more focused towards the local level when your business is already operating in several regions. When you make attempts to connect with your people, it shows you care about their culture, values and preferences. This makes your brand feel more familiar and more relevant, no matter where you’re based. Geographic Branding works when you want to build stronger trust in specific areas by adapting your message, offer or product to fit the local mindset.
Example: McDonald’s Global Localisation
McDonald’s is the best example here as it operates globally but never is the same in every country. This is because it tweaks the menu to reflect local tastes. In Japan, you’ll find teriyaki burgers. In India, you find no beef. It’s still McDonald’s but it speaks to the people it’s serving.
6. Cultural Branding
Cultural branding is directly related to culture, it’s more like how your business connects with a way of life or a set of beliefs. Instead of focusing on selling your product, you focus on giving people something they relate to and want to be part of. When your brand represents values your customers believe in, loyalty runs deep. This holds true for brands that excel at selling products tied to an attitude or lifestyle.
Example: Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson is a renowned motorcycle maker that sells the feeling of independence and rebellion. People buy in because it reflects something they believe in. That emotional connection keeps customers loyal and turns them into lifelong brand supporters.
7. Personal Branding
Personal branding means your business runs by your face value. It means your customers trust you and want to buy from you because they connect with your values, story and style. To achieve success, you have to show up clearly, stay authentic and build trust faster. This approach is powerful when you want to build credibility, attract the right customers and grow a loyal following.
Example: Elon Musk
People follow Elon Musk because he’s all about innovation, disruption and bold ideas. That trust spills into the businesses he leads. Whether it’s Tesla or SpaceX, people support the brand because they believe in him.
8. Co-Branding
When two brands collaborate with each other and add value to their products being offered to each of their customers it’s called co-branding. You can even work with a brand and share services with it to target a larger customer base and achieve rapid growth. This way you can target a whole new customer base and build credibility by teaming up with a brand people already trust.
Example: Uber & Spotify Partnership
Uber teamed up with Spotify to let riders play their own music during the trip. It’s simple but smart as Uber improved the customer experience and Spotify reached users in a fresh setting. Both brands benefited, and riders enjoyed more control and personalisation.
9. Activist Branding
If your business stands for something, activist branding gives you a way to show it. It’s about backing your values with action, especially on social or political issues your customers care about. This approach attracts people who want their money to support more than just a product.
But it’s not about jumping on trends. It works when you genuinely care and can show it consistently.
Example: Nike’s Social Campaigns
The best example could be Nike as it supports various athletes for its product promotion. Take the example of Colin Kaepernick, Nike collaborated with him and promoted their products using his brand image. The brand’s message, “Believe in something,” matched its long history of pushing limits and backing strong beliefs.
10. Ingredient Branding
You might not make the final product, but if what you provide is essential to it, your brand still deserves visibility. Ingredient branding helps you show up as a key part of something bigger, earning trust even if your name isn’t front and centre.
This brand strategy and management works when your product adds enough value that people start looking for it by name, even in someone else’s product.
Example: Teflon
People may not know the name of the cookware brand, but they know what Teflon means. Non-stick, easy to clean, long lasting. Teflon built its own identity by becoming a feature that adds quality no matter whose product it’s in.
11. Online Branding
Your online presence is often the first place someone interacts with your business. Online branding shapes how you show up through your website, social media, emails and digital content. It’s about consistency, clarity and trust no matter which platform someone finds you on.
This strategy matters if most of your business happens in digital spaces or if you’re looking to grow beyond local reach.
Example: Starbucks’ Digital Presence
Starbucks brings its brand to life online just as well as in-store. Its app, social media, email updates and rewards program all feel the same: friendly, clean and convenient. That online consistency makes the brand feel familiar no matter where people interact with it.
12. Offline Branding
Even in a digital world, physical branding leaves a lasting mark. Offline branding includes packaging, signage, print ads and anything customers can see or touch. It’s about being remembered in real-world spaces, where attention is harder to grab but often more impactful.
It works well when you want your brand to be felt in everyday life, not just online.
Example: Adidas’ Billboard Campaigns
Adidas doesn’t rely on just digital ads. Its bold billboards in cities and transport hubs feature athletes, slogans and iconic visuals that speak loud without needing sound. This offline presence reinforces the brand in moments when people aren’t scrolling.
How to Choose the Right Branding Strategy for Your Business?
There’s no single branding and marketing strategy that fits every business (even in the same industry). Personal branding might work well for a local solicitor running a small practice but a larger firm with offices across the country would get better results with corporate branding. To choose the right strategy, focus on what matters most to your business:
Your Business Goals
Think about what you’re trying to achieve. Do you want more recognition, stronger trust or to highlight something unique in your product or service? Whether it’s a feature, a value or a message, your brand should support that goal clearly.
Who You’re Trying to Reach
Get specific about who you want to attract. What do they care about? What motivates them to act? Once you understand that, you can shape a strategy that speaks directly to them and gives them a reason to connect with your business.
How Your Business Looks and Sounds
Your branding should reflect who you are. If your voice is bold, your strategy should back that. If you’re focused on personal service, your branding should feel direct and human. Consistency builds trust and trust builds loyalty.
What Others in Your Space are Doing
Look at the businesses doing well in your field. What can you learn from them? What are they missing that you could do better? The goal isn’t to copy but to find the right place for your business to stand out.
Brand Strategy FAQs: What Else Should You Know?
How long does it take to see results from a branding strategy?
Branding is a long game. While some changes like visual updates or messaging shifts might get noticed quickly, real results like stronger trust, recognition or loyalty usually take a few months. What matters is staying consistent across every part of your business.
Can I use more than one branding strategy at the same time?
Yes, many businesses combine brand and branding strategies. For example, you might build a strong corporate brand while also using personal branding to connect through a business owner. The key is to make sure every part still feels consistent and aligned with your values.
What if I’ve already been in business for years without a clear strategy?
It’s never too late to start. If your brand feels scattered or unclear, now’s the time to define your strategy and pull everything into one clear direction. Perfect brand and branding strategies can help fix weak points, reconnect with past customers and create a stronger presence moving forward.
Why Choose PrintVideoWeb for Your Brand and Branding Strategies?
Choosing the right branding strategy is a crucial step toward building a strong and memorable business identity. At PrintVideoWeb, we understand the importance of a brand that not only looks great but also delivers real results. Our team specialises in creating conversion-focused websites that seamlessly integrate your brand and branding strategies, ensuring a consistent and engaging experience for your customers. From logo design to comprehensive digital marketing services, we’re here to help you create a brand presence that stands out and drives success.
