Do you know how people perceive your brand? Have you ever stopped to think about what your company represents to all its stakeholders? Both these questions beg the question: “What is the difference between image and reputation?”.
Although many people believe that the terms “image” and “reputation” are synonymous, they actually have different meanings. Throughout this article, we will address the main differences between the concepts, and how they complement each other.
Brand image is something specific and individual, established from the very first contact. It is the user’s perception after they have taken the first step in interacting with the company – be it asking a question, completing a purchase, or signing a contract.
The expression “First impressions never have a second chance” is fitting for the meaning of brand image, highlighting the importance of paying attention to even the smallest possibilities of communication and building relationships.
Brand reputation is the impression that the public has of a company over the course of a long-term, collective evaluation. It is a set of perceptions that are built up over time, a sum of images.
Contrary to what one might think, a company’s reputation is not formed by customers alone. In practice, it also depends on the evaluation of all stakeholders and employees, since people are becoming more and more loyal to brands that they identify with, taking into account personal tastes, values, and references.
While a brand image is individual and momentary, reputation is the consolidation of several factors over time, including the totality of the image in a collective conception.
An image can change in a matter of minutes or hours, while a reputation can take years to build. However, both depend on internal and external factors to transform in the public’s eyes.
Both concepts go together and complement one another, contributing to the definition of the company’s growth strategies and helping decision-makers to define the brand’s identity. All of which directly impacts the relationship with your consumers.
The Purpose Premium Index Brazil 2021 (PPI), published by InPress Porter Novelli in partnership with the Brazilian Institute for Research and Data Analysis (IBPAD), reveals that:
This increasingly conscious and attentive behaviour towards social, ecological, and economic issues is becoming a trend among consumers all over the world, and especially in Latin America.
The need for strong reputation management is increasingly obvious in business, regardless of the type or size of brand. This strategy aims to ensure a better level of notoriety compared to competitors and a greater value for the company in question.
While image concerns itself with a portion of all corporate actions, reputation is about the bigger picture, and a deeper, more immersive facet of stakeholder impressions.
A good reputation means that a company delivers on what it promises, in all aspects. It also guarantees a greater market share and gives the company the opportunity to circumvent crisis moments, masterfully solving public affairs issues.
Reputational management encompasses organisational communication, strategic management, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and a host of other factors that can help companies to set better goals and build stronger customer relationships.
Reputation is your company’s signature and, when well crafted, can generate positive long-term results and determine how successful your brand will be both internally and externally.
In the words of American researcher Rachel Botsman, “the currency of the new economy is trust.”
This task takes time, patience and persistence. As mentioned before, when it comes to brand image, the slightest contact or interaction matters to the customer.
As for reputation building, the construction of strategies and the definition of goals and objectives based on the company’s mission must be taken into consideration. This calls for an effort that begins from the inside out.
Now that you know the main differences between reputation and image, why don’t we take a look at the next steps? Below, we listed below a few tips on how to build and manage a good image and reputation:
Before any planning takes place, it is important to analyse what the story and purpose of your brand is. These are directly linked to its organisational culture. Remember that human beings connect better with stories.
Establish where you came from, who you are, what your purpose is, and what you will do to accomplish it. This is a daily exercise that starts with the company’s leadership and employees, and is naturally disseminated to the public.
Audience research is fundamental to understanding how consumers perceive your company. Going beyond the hackneyed post-sales questions, social networks are a good thermometer for analysing:
Following this research and analysis, it is important to engage with your audience empathetically and cordially. Loyalty is generated not only by the quality of your products or services, but also in the way you connect with stakeholders.
A Marketing and Public Relations agency can be the bridge to establishing a relationship between your brand and wider communication channels, generating greater reliability and transparency, and reaching an audience which you may have considered to be out of reach.
Here at Sherlock Communications, our professionals have all the necessary skills to work on your brand’s image and reputation in Latin America, developing strategies and solutions that diminish negative impressions and increase positive visibility, especially during times of crisis.
Our attractive and creative work is based on the authenticity and originality of each brand, and we seek to fully understand, experience and delight each of our clients. Contact us to request a personalised proposal.
