Brand and trademark are very confusing concepts. In the process of dealing with enterprises, we find that many people mix these two terms and use them universally. This makes some enterprises mistakenly think that the product will become a brand after it is carried out. If this is the case, then all trademarks registered in the industrial and commercial bureau can be called brands.

in fact, there are both connections and differences between them.

is a big trademark country, and its trademark registration has ranked first in the world at present. It is also a weak brand country, and the 1 most valuable brands in the world are still unknown on the list.

It can be seen that trademarks and brands cannot be equated. They refer to the same thing from different angles, and they are closely related and different. In life, many people often confuse these two concepts and think that a registered trademark becomes a brand. In fact, it takes a long and arduous process for a registered trademark to become a real brand, just like building the Great Wall of Wan Li.

methods/steps

I. definition of brand and trademark

the word brand comes from the ancient Norwegian word brandr, which means in Chinese? Brand? At that time, western nomadic tribes put different brands on horseback to distinguish their own property, which is the original way of naming goods and the source of modern brand concept.

In p>196, the American Marketing Institute (AMA) gave an earlier definition of a brand: a brand is a name, term, mark, symbol and design, or a combination of them. Its purpose is to identify a seller or a seller's product or service and distinguish it from competitors' products and services.

a trademark refers to a brand or a part of a brand that has applied to a trademark registration agency according to legal procedures, been examined and approved, and been granted the exclusive right to use a trademark. A trademark is protected by law, and no one may imitate or use it without the permission of the trademark registrant.

as you can see, the connotation of a brand is broader.

second, the trademark is an integral part of the brand

if the brand is compared to a huge iceberg, the trademark is only a small part of the iceberg.

a trademark is an integral part of a brand. It is only the symbol and name of the brand, which is convenient for consumers to remember and identify. But the brand has richer connotation. The brand is not only a symbol and name, but also contains vivid spiritual and cultural content. The brand embodies people's values, symbolizes people's identity and expresses people's feelings. For example, the brand connotation of Coca-Cola goes far beyond? Coca cola? The symbol and name formed by these words reflect several generations of Americans. Optimistic? American culture. Mercedes-Benz symbolizes the owner's? Success and status? .

brand naming and logo design is only a step in brand building. To truly build an excellent brand, we need to carry out brand research and diagnosis, brand planning and positioning, brand communication and promotion, brand adjustment and evaluation, and we also need to improve brand awareness, reputation and loyalty, accumulate brand assets, and persevere year after year, stick to our brand positioning, keep our promises to consumers, and make the brand image deeply rooted in people's hearts.

3. Trademark is a legal term and brand is an economic term

Both trademarks and brands are marks of commodities, while trademarks are a legal term and brands are an economic term. Only by moving consumers' hearts can a brand produce market economic benefits. At the same time, a brand can only become a registered trademark after it is registered according to the Trademark Law, and it can be protected by law to avoid infringement and imitation by any other individual or enterprise.

for example,? Haier? It is both a trademark and a brand. Haier? The value of a trademark is manifested in the exclusive right and monopoly in the legal sense, and? Haier? The value of the brand is manifested in the market share and excess profit rate of the brand.

Legal functions of trademarks:

1. Obtain the ownership of the use of trademarks through legal procedures such as registration, transfer, licensing, litigation and arbitration, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of trademark owners;

2. As the mark of commodities, trademarks are bound to urge commodity producers and operators to maintain the reputation of trademarks and ensure the quality of commodities.

Economic function of brand:

1. Brand is a kind of credit guarantee of commodity quality, which is helpful for consumers to distinguish commodities, win their trust in commodity quality, reassure consumers and improve their shopping efficiency.

2. Brand is the last way for enterprises to avoid falling into pure homogeneous price competition? Barrier? With the increasing homogenization of market competition, an enterprise's products, quality, technology, management, channels, services and processes are easily copied and imitated by competitors, but competitors cannot copy a brand. An excellent brand means the long-term successful marketing and profit of the enterprise, which means the high added value of the product. For example, the manufacturing cost of Nike and Qingdao Double Star sneakers in the United States is only 3? 5 cents, but the market price difference between the two is five times.

3. Brand can show a person's identity and personality. Mercedes-Benz and Xiali, Maotai and Erguotou are definitely not the same person, so what kind of brand you use basically indicates who you are, and brands often reflect a person's status.

iv. the trademark is in the hands of the registrant, while the brand is rooted in the hearts of consumers

the ownership of the trademark is in the hands of the registrant, and the trademark registrant can transfer and license his trademark, and can crack down on others' infringement and use of his trademark through legal means. However, brands are rooted in the hearts of consumers. The great value and market appeal of brands come from consumers' trust, preference and loyalty to brands. If a brand loses credibility and the trust of consumers, it is worthless. For example, Qin Chi and Chundu won the trust of consumers because of the quality problems of their products. Although the scenery was good for a while, they could not escape the doom of being destroyed soon. Therefore, brand management is essentially a large amount of credit deposits that enterprises keep in the hearts of consumers and can be successfully recovered in the future, and it is to build a treasure house of commercial credit that stands in the present and contributes to the future. brand