A whole range of services, products, places and even individuals can be identified as brands. In the understanding of the majority, this means that they have certain characteristics and advantages that make them recognizable and different from others. The meaning of the word "brand" is also defined as a trademark with a set of values and attributes that are meaningful to the consumer. The very essence of the concept is focused primarily on it. The brand does not exist physically, it is only the perception of the product in the mind of the buyer. The logo and name evoke the latter set of values. They define a particular brand. What does this word mean according to the leading explanatory dictionaries? Let's consider the essence of the concept in more detail on their basis.
"Brand" in the explanatory dictionary of S. A. Kuznetsova
This publication defines a "brand" as a trademark by which a consumer can identify the manufacturer of a particular product. The word comes from the English brand. Translation - brand, brand. Refers to the masculine gender.
There areassumptions that the word is of Scandinavian origin. Since Viking times, it has been used in the sense of a "brand for cattle." In comparison with a trademark, a brand (the meaning of the word in various contexts confirms this) does not have an established single designation and legal status. However, this is a legally protected product or company name (its concept), which the public consciousness distinguishes from the mass of the same.
"Brand" according to the large modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language (2012)
This edition has two main definitions of the word:
- Sign or image of an object/phenomenon; image.
- Branding a product or merchandise in the most preferred manner that has a high reputation with the consumer.
The meaning of the word "brand" according to the explanatory dictionary also allows you to expand the understanding of the concept through synonyms. A "label" variant is given, having a definition of a brand name or sticker located on each copy of the manufactured product.
"Brand" by Fine Art Dictionary (2012)
The concept of "brand" is defined as a brand, trademark or sign. The source of origin is the English word brand. In translation, its meaning is a brand. The use of the concept began in ancient Egypt. Manufacturers put a brand on the bricks they made. The branded object had to stand out among similar ones. He gets individuality and aims at a special attitude of others. Legal concept of "brand"(what the word means was already understood everywhere at that time) was fixed in England in 1266. The reason was that the law required bakers to have distinctive signs on all their products.
The brand is also used for advertising purposes to create demand for goods and services, as well as to popularize them in literature and art.
"Brand" in youth slang vocabulary
Meanings of certain words may vary between generations. So, in the dictionary of youth slang, “brand” is defined by two points:
- Brand name of a major manufacturer (famous).
- Company or trade mark.
According to etymology data, the word was borrowed into Russian from English in the late 1990s, and has since become widely used and has several meanings depending on contexts. The most popular is the association with the concept of "trademark". This is often what is meant by the term “brand”. The meaning of the word, however, coincides with the concept only partially, as evidenced by the data of explanatory dictionaries.
"Brand" according to the explanatory dictionary of the Russian language of the XXI century
The meaning of the word "brand" according to the explanatory dictionary of the 21st century is defined as "trademark". Most often, these are high quality goods made by a well-known manufacturer.
Public consciousness distinguishes a brand as a product, company or concept from the general mass of its kind. It has a design that distinguishes it on the market. Style, packaging, graphic marks, logo and multimedia technologies are essential components. A brand (the meaning of the word also implies this) is created to distinguish each new product from consumer substitutes. In addition, there are certain rules for the successful positioning of goods in the market. They distinguish it as an established brand. These include:
- personality;
- Compliance with legal registration regulations;
- memorability, ease of pronunciation;
- directed purpose and quality of goods.
"Brand" in the dictionary of foreign words
Since the word was borrowed from English, it is worth considering all its possible meanings in a bilingual dictionary. This will give a more complete understanding of the concept. The meaning of the word "brand" according to the dictionary of foreign words can be divided into modern and outdated versions. The first is a brand, a stigma. In Old English you can also find a second one - burning. In a number of narrow-profile dictionaries, the following meanings are present (they also depend on the context): brand, grade, quality, brand, red-hot iron, corporate identity, commercial designation, brand name, branded goods. In the verb form, there are the following translation options: brand, burn, label, announce, leave an imprint in the memory, stain, mark, scourge, sternly condemn, etc.
Synonyms and set phrases
There are a number of synonyms for the concept of "brand". The meaning of the word suggests similarity with a brand, brand name, variety, trademark, quality, look, corporate identity, class.
There are the following stable combinations with the word "brand" and its derivatives: branding, brand policy, brand image, brand formula / concept, brand evolution, rebranding, brand differentiation, brand positioning. Consider several options for use in context.
Examples:
The estimated value of the brand allowed it to be included in the list of the most expensive in the industry as of 2016.
The image and activities of the famous model Naomi Campbell can be characterized by the concept of a brand.
The commonly accepted meaning of the word "brand" is the American Marketing Association. The combination of the concepts symbol, design, sign, term, name, allowing to distinguish the services and goods of one seller from others, became the basis for identification. There are also a number of interpretations and definitions of well-known authors in the field of marketing, however, they are ultimately reduced to the generally accepted, only more fully and extensively explaining the essence of the word. It is interesting that the brand has become not just a product or organization, but a holistic mental structure, the sum of a person's experience and his perception of a particular product or service.
