Ingrid Illustrated

Though many people see branding and marketing as interchangeable, they are more interdependent. I see branding as being how your brand is seen by the public and the value that it stands for. On the other hand, I see marketing as a way for the public to know what your brand stands for and what it has to offer. Lots of businesses use branding and marketing hand-in-hand to ensure the most success. An example of a brand that has built a great solid foundation (branding) is Airbnb. Their brand is 100% about the customer. That’s why instead of telling their own story, the customers tell their stories since they are truly the heart of the brand. Their customers basically are the brand and that helps them tell the stories of their experiences in Airbnbs. An example of a brand that has done a great job building the house (marketing) is Budweiser. Even though Budweiser focuses on selling products, they have also recognized the power of experiences. They have partnered with AnyRoad to experimenta...

  Why wouldn’t companies use large cities like Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago for test markets? What is so special about plain old Columbus, Ohio? One main advantage Columbus has over other cities is that it has a strong population, meaning the population has lots of young, trend-setting customers. Also, the city is more educated than average since the university Ohio State is within its proximity. Columbus has a strong information technology job market, which means the city is very technologically advanced. Additionally, marketers aren’t always looking for a test market that represents the whole United States. Sometimes they are more looking for a group of people their products are targeted towards and for the fast food industry, Columbus is a perfect representation of that. So don’t underestimate Ohio, it is good for some things!