Branding

A Brand is not the same as a product, its is a particular make of the product for example tea bags are products  but 'Tetley's' and 'PG Tips' are brands of the product tea bags. Products needed distinct brands as a result of mass production: ''...competitive branding became a neessity of the machine age-within a context of manufactured sameness, image-based difference had to be manufactured along with the product (Naomi Klein, No Log)'' ie consumers had no choice because every product within a category had to be given a different personality to make people want to buy that particular product and not any other, thats why branding is so essential, especially to music artists.
Branding is a major factor in an artist success as this helps them appeal to an audience and create an image that people can recognize and draw them back to buy their product again and again returning to the artist and their work. Because of the artitst's recognizable signature brand or style will attract  peoples interest who follow other styles or brands who offer the same but different (Nick Lacey 1999, Narratives/Genres)
Brands work because they offer us the consumers a form of guarantee, as in a set of ready made values that are attached to a certain product which we can recognise when purchasing. Advertising today is not merely about selling products; it is about selling a brand, a dream, a message (Katherine Viner, www.commondreams.org) So in music videos this is what artists are doing selling themselves and their music. Brands make a product something unique and special , different to the rest-branding allows a product to stand out from the crowd. Which is why branding is so necessary to music artists, their videos give them the best chance to be different and promote their band to try and appeal to people, because ''Corporations may manufacture products, but what consumers buy are brands.'' (Naomi Klein, No Logo)
An example that shows how branding is everything to do with selling something be it on an advert, music video etc is the 'Hovis' bread advert, the advert is creating a loyalty brand, to keep people buying a particular brand 'for life'. As it is saying Hovis has been there in and for Britain through all the ups and downs in the last 122years, which gives a loyal brand image, making people want to buy this bread as it is a loyal companion to Britain.





Showing branding is key to selling a product, and why it is important all artists have their own brands which are illustrated in their music videos to advertise and sell them to consumers.




Jane Keegan