Although marketing and branding do overlap, they aren’t the same thing. That being said, they do work together very closely and you cannot have an effective marketing strategy without knowing your brand.

Brand

A brand is who an organisation is, it is the long term promise and the aspirational story of why an organisation exists and who for. A brand is about defined values and a promise that will stay focused. Considered and thoughtful branding should communicate an authentic story, USP, vision, personality, tone and voice. This should then translate into a big idea with cohesive, clear yet emotive visual and verbal assets, with a common thread running through everything, to strengthen awareness, memorability and positioning. Once complete, branding is something that doesn’t change unless there is a specific business reason, and the aim is to pull in a community around everything an organisation stands for. 

Marketing

If branding is the identity of an organisation and the mission/story behind why it exists, then marketing is a megaphone to amplify everything that makes it special. 

Marketing is the activation of tool and strategies that connect to relevant audiences who will buy into the vision and story. Regular activity and repeating a message builds awareness and educates audiences on why an organisation exists and communicates the benefits that answer their needs. Unlike branding, marketing is very tactical and targeted to audience segments, and therefore can be measured. Marketing approaches can vary depending on the campaign and message and as trends and platforms evolve, but will be rooted in the brand vision, visuals and mission. Marketing forms a marketing strategy. 

Where does PR come into all of this?

PR 

Focusses on organisation reputation and building relationships with stakeholders and partners. PR can be implementing a product launch or social media strategy, with the aim to heighten a brands credibility within public and social media circles.