Global corporations are increasingly becoming aware of the advantages of adopting the appropriate branding strategies. Branding aims to create a unique identity and position for a product. In order to thrive in today's competitive markets, companies must adopt the right branding strategies. However, it needs to be recognized that brand building is not merely an exercise of designing a company's logo. It is a continuous battle to win the hearts and minds of the customers.

Branding distinguishes a company, its products, services or ideas from that of its competitors and creates a lasting impression on the customer's mind. According to Jack Trout, a leading Marketing Strategist, people want to express themselves through brand. Brands express a person's personality and people he or she like to be associated with. This creates a demand for a particular brand. Although mere products cannot be sold easily, brands can convince customers for a particular product and can create loyal customers.

When we ask the European customers about the brand Volvo, they immediately relate it to the world's safest car. This perception has not been built overnight. It represents a managed continuous positioning strategy of brand management. This positioning of `Volvo' evolved from the `roll over' test that was used by the UK government to measure the maximum possible damage to a passenger if a car in which he/she is traveling rolls over because of an accident.

In these `roll over' tests, Volvo was always able to perform the best due to its good quality steel roll bar. The brand always got the highest safety rating in crash tests. Volvo marketed this trait very well and was able to position its brand as a safe brand in the customer's mind. Due to this positioning, Volvo is perceived as a safe product, despite the fact that consumer report ratings reveal that Volvo's engines are not the best in term of reliability.

Advertising Express Magazine, Branding Strategies, Brand Management, Brand Architecture, Global Brands, AT Kearney, Economic Times, Marketing Strategies, Change Management, Indian Companies, Global Markets, Innovative Strategies, Consumer buying behavior, Bottom of the Pyramid, Hindustan Unilever Limited, HUL, Maruti, LG and Coca-Cola.