Branding: is giving a name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of them, intended it identify the goods or services of one seller and to differentiate them from those of competitors.

• Brand Name: The part of a brand which can be vocalised eg. Honda, Avon etc.

• Brand Mark: The part of a brand which can be recognized but is not utterable such as symbol, design, or distinctive colouring or lettering eg. McDonald’s.

• Trade Mark: A brand or part of a brand that is given legal protection because it is capable of exclusive rights to use the brand name and/or brand mark.

• Copy Right: The exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish and sell matter and from of a literary, musical or artistic work.

Branding gives several advantages to the seller. First, seller’s brand name and trademark provide legal protection to unique product features, which would otherwise be copied by competitors.

Second, branding gives the seller the opportunity to attract a loyal and profitable set of customers. Brand loyalty given sellers some protection from competition and greater control in planning their marketing mix.

Third, good brands help build corporate image. By carrying the company’s name, the help advertise the quality and size of the company.

In deciding to brand a product, the manufacturer has several options with respect to brand sponsorship. The product may be launched as manufacturer brand (sometimes called brand name) or it may be launched as a licensed name brand. Or the manufacturer may supply the product to middleman who put on a distributor brand (also called retailer, store or private brand).

Manufacturer who brand their products face further choices. Three brand name strategies can be distinguished:

1. Individual Brand Names: This policy is followed by Hindustan Levers Ltd. (HLL) Surf, Wheel etc.

2. A Blanket family name for all products: This policy is followed by Philips Audio System.

3. Company trade name combined with individual product name: This policy is followed by Maruti Udyog Ltd. (Maruti 800, Maruti Wagon-R, Maruti Esteem etc.)

An increasing number of department stores, middleman etc. are launching store names. Retailshelf space is scarce and many manufacturers, especially the newer and smaller ones, can not introduce products into distribution under their own brand name. Middleman take special care to maintain the quality of their brands, their building consumer’s confidence. Store brands are often priced lower than comparable manufacturer’s brands thus appealing to budget-concious shoppers especially in times of inflation, middleman give more prominent display to their own brands and make sure they are better stocked.

Among the desirable quantities fro a brand name are:

1. it should be easy to pronounced.

2. It should be easy to remember.

3. It should from positive image about the product.