When we think of branding, it is still common to picture the moment when a company chooses a name, designs and selects a logo, or unveils a new visual identity. For a long time, that was how we understood brand-building: a process that took place at the start of a project and which, once completed, gave way to what really mattered – such as selling, communicating and growing. However, that view is now a thing of the past.
All this and much more was discussed in one of the latest episodes of the podcast *La Cueva de MOE* with Fernando de Córdoba, one of Spain’s leading experts in brand development. Fernando left us with an important insight: branding does not begin when a logo is designed, nor does it end when a brand identity manual is published. In fact, a brand begins to be built long before that and continues to be shaped every day, through the decisions an organisation makes and the way it interacts with people.
There is a tendency to think that branding is the sole responsibility of the marketing department or of whoever designs the visual identity. But one need only observe the day-to-day running of any organisation to see that understanding this requires a paradigm shift. Branding ceases to be merely an aesthetic exercise and becomes a strategic discipline capable of giving meaning to everything a company does.
Everyone helps build the brand
Anyone who replies to a comment on social media is building the brand. The same applies to anyone who writes a press release, develops a content strategy, deals with a customer issue or defines the company’s positioning. Each person is involved at a different touchpoint, but they all help to shape people’s perception of the organisation.
This idea takes on even greater significance in a context where companies are engaged in ongoing dialogue with their audiences. Today, it is virtually impossible to separate corporate communication from branding, because every message, every decision and every interaction either reinforces or undermines the promise the brand makes to those around it.
As we saw in this episode, a brand is not just a logo or a brand identity manual. It lives in the experience it offers, in the consistency of its actions and in its ability to maintain the same standards over time.
This shift in perspective also transforms the way we understand storytelling. In recent years, it has become one of the most frequently cited concepts in marketing, to the extent that it sometimes seems as though building a brand simply involves finding good stories to tell. However, the conversation with Fernando on the podcast puts forward a far more interesting idea: stories do matter, but they only work when they stem from a clear vision of the world.
The brands that manage to carve out a place in the collective memory are not necessarily those that run the most eye-catching campaigns, but rather those that have developed a recognisable perspective and are able to maintain it over time. They have their own philosophy, a particular way of interpreting reality, and that vision ultimately permeates everything they do: from their products to the tone they use in their communications and the decisions they make.
It is very much like what happens with people. When we know someone well, we can anticipate how they will react to certain situations because we understand their values and their way of seeing the world. It is exactly the same with brands. The more consistent a brand’s identity is, the easier it is for people to recognise it, understand it and even imagine how it would act in scenarios they have never experienced. In this sense, true storytelling is not about accumulating stories, but about building a philosophy capable of giving them coherence.
Before the logo comes the purpose
Perhaps one of the most important lessons Fernando de Córdoba leaves us with is the reminder that every brand comes into being long before its visual identity is established. When a company is taking its first steps, it is normal for questions to arise such as what its name should be or what its logo should look like. However, these questions only make sense once a much more important question has been answered: why does this project exist?
It is not about crafting an inspiring mission statement to include on the corporate website, but about understanding what problem the organisation is set out to solve, what impact it aims to make, and what it brings to the world that does not already exist.
Providing clear answers to these questions is far more strategic than designing a perfect visual system. After all, a start-up can change its name, develop its identity or even adjust its positioning as it learns from the market. What it will struggle to build successfully, however, is a brand if it has never been clear about its purpose.
When the purpose is clearly defined, subsequent decisions follow a common thread. When it is not, the brand runs the risk of becoming a collection of attractive visual elements that are unable to convey a recognisable identity.
That same principle explains why the best brands never stop evolving. It is tempting to think that the aim of branding is to arrive at a definitive version of a company’s identity. However, organisations are constantly changing. Markets change, new competitors emerge, consumer habits evolve and opportunities arise that force us to rethink our approach.
Building a brand means embracing that evolution without losing what makes it unique. The strongest brands are not those that remain static, but those that know how to adapt without compromising their essence. They understand that consistency does not mean always doing the same thing, but rather maintaining a clear direction whilst the context around them changes. Ultimately, a mature brand is not one that never changes, but one that knows how to evolve without losing what makes it recognisable.
Building a brand is a never-ending process
Perhaps that is the main takeaway from this episode: building a brand is not a project with a beginning and an end, but an ongoing process.
Unveiling a new name or visual identity can be a significant milestone, but it is only the beginning of the journey. Brands are built over time through consistency in their actions, their ability to deliver on their promises, and the experience they create in every interaction.
Ultimately, that is the major shift in branding over recent decades. We have moved away from creating symbols and towards creating meaning. And meaning, unlike a logo, is not designed once and for all: it is demonstrated, reinforced and built up, decision by decision, every single day.
At Incognito, we view branding precisely from this perspective: not as a one-off design exercise, but as a strategic tool capable of aligning purpose, communication and experience. Because a relevant brand is not merely one that manages to attract attention, but one that builds a coherent identity, generates trust and succeeds in occupying a meaningful place in people’s minds and lives.