Brand reputation refers to the general sentiment, associations, and perceptions of a brand among all who regard it, including customers, stakeholders, partners, employees, and competitors. A positive brand reputation is critical to an overall healthy brand strategy. As the saying goes, it takes years to build a good reputation and just minutes to lose it. This is why brands take crisis management so seriously, and it is also a common reason why brands choose to go through a rebranding process, changing their name, logo, and look.
Every aspect of a business has an impact on its reputation. Things as disparate as employee relations, customer service protocols, pricing, PR, product development, and corporate responsibility all contribute to the brand’s overall reputation. While brand reputation can afford the small, everyday ‘nicks’ and ‘bruises’ typical of regular business activity, it is important not to fall into a loop in which a series of negative events damages a brand reputation beyond repair.
The fashion brand London Fog is a great example of a solid brand reputation, its name having become synonymous with raincoats. While London Fog brand reputation is inspiring, it is important to note that this kind of reputation takes a very long time to build – the brand has been in existence since 1923! However, it also proves that brand reputation is a long-term project, and every positive step forward goes towards strengthening brand reputation in the future.