This chapter presents a short overview of core branding values and provides a description of how to capture them in a business-tobusiness (B2B) context. However, the reader should keep in mind that the value of branding is a broad term consisting of different aspects, which makes it challenging to capture and present them all in one chapter. For this reason, the authors have chosen to introduce diverse facets of brand identity and image, customer values, and sustainability issues, which are part of the core values of branding in a B2B context. These issues are also elaborated in more detail in Chapters 2, 5, and 10. In addition, the authors present brand-building tools for managers, such as personal selling, direct marketing, public relations, trade shows and exhibitions, as well as advertising and sales promotion. Finally, the applicability of these tools is demonstrated through the practical example of Axel Technologies and their Fuugo service.

Introduction

A brand can be described as the distinguishing feature of the company, and the reflection of its qualities is intended to attract the customer (Kotler & Pfoertsch, 2006). A strong brand is perceived to be focused on building and maintaining strong and positive perceptions in people’s minds about the company in focus. However, the phenomenon is, according to Cretu and Brodie (2007), largely exploratory and they state that there has been little systematic testing of the topic. Until recently, the main concepts, theoretical models, and empirical research on branding were unclear, vague, and blurry as regards industrial brands. Due to the lack of sufficient research, especially in terms of corporate branding, we agree with the argument of Ind (1997, p. 2) that: “Corporate branding is one of those things that everyone believes is important, yet there is very little consensus as to what it means.” The corporate brand is in reality the story we are told about the company, that is, the story that makes the customer prefer one company over another (Kotler & Pfoertsch, 2006). On top of obvious aspects such as the company’s history, products, and so forth, the brand includes expectations, promises, emotions, and social cues. In order to attach certain value to the brand, according to Kotler and Pfoertsch (2006), the company needs to discover what values can be demonstrated in the brand itself. A strong brand needs to intertwine the product with its identity and value and successfully convey them to the customer. The total brand equity is, in its essence, the value that the brand provides for the product or a company (Mudambi, Doyle, & Wong, 1997).