The different types of brands - and how to navigate them in a B2B world
Do you have a clear brand identity - or are you floundering?
The word "brand" is often thrown around in meeting rooms and marketing materials, but few people really know what a brand is - and what types there are. For those of you working in a technical B2B company, it may seem like an airy discipline reserved for the B2C world. It isn't. In fact, a strong brand can be what sets you apart from the competition in a market where products and services are often very similar.
If you look at your current branding: Is it clear? Rewarding? Does it make your company stand out as the solid, reliable and innovative player it is? If not, let's dive into the different types of brands - and find out which type is best for your business.
Why is it important to know your brand type?
Before we get to the different types of brands, it's important to understand why it even makes sense to distinguish between them. When your company has a clear brand type, communication becomes consistent. Employees know how to talk about your company. Customers recognize you - and remember you.
This means peace of mind internally and visibility externally.
Especially for technical B2B companies, where the sales cycle is often long and relationships and trust are valuable, an accurate brand can be the difference between getting a meeting - or being overlooked.
The 9 most important types of brands
There are many ways to categorize brands, but here are 9 general types you should know:
1. product brand
A product brand focuses on a specific item or product line. Think of how a company like Bosch brands its power tools - even though the company makes many other things, its products have a strong brand.
Do you have a flagship product that stands out from the rest? Then a product brand could be relevant.
2. Company brand
A corporate brand is your entire corporate identity under one name. Here it is the company itself that is branded - for example, Siemens or Grundfos. Everything you do and the way you communicate contributes to the overall impression.
This is often the best solution for B2B companies with a wide product range and technical expertise.
3. Personal brand
Especially in the consulting world, but also in the B2B world, a strong personal brand can be worth its weight in gold. Do you have a technical director, CTO or similar who speaks at conferences or participates in professional networks? Then a personal brand is relevant - it builds credibility and trust.
Think of this as "front persons for your professionalism".
4. Service fire
For companies that sell a service - such as technical consulting, operations or maintenance - the service brand can be more important than the name itself. It's about the experience of working together: is the service reliable, fast or flexible?
By cultivating the service brand, you can differentiate yourself in a market where many services look similar on the surface.
5. Private label brand
Private labels are brands that are produced by one company but marketed under a different name. This is most commonly seen in the retail world, but also exists in the B2B industry - especially when subcontractors produce components for other companies.
If you are a subcontractor, you might want to consider whether you want to be stronger with your own name - or whether you should focus on being the "trusted partner behind the scenes".
6. co-branding
This is where two brands collaborate on a product or service. Think Intel and Dell - where "Intel Inside" became a strong part of Dell's brand experience.
Do you collaborate with other companies on solutions, integrations or projects? Then co-branding can be a key to leveraging each other's strengths and reaching a wider audience.
7. Employer brand
How do current and potential employees perceive your company? This is crucial at a time when the battle for skilled labor is fierce - especially in engineering and IT.
A strong employer brand can mean the difference between attracting a talented software engineer - or losing him to the competition.
8. Digital or online brands
Some companies build their entire brand digitally - such as SaaS companies, platforms or data-driven services. The visual expression, user experience and the data you offer play a crucial role here.
If you have digital solutions or portals, it's important that they reflect your brand as clearly as brochures and sales meetings do.
9. Activist brands
This brand is about values. These are brands that take a stand: on climate, diversity, working conditions - and act on it. In B2C it's a big deal - but B2B customers are also becoming more aware of who they do business with and why.
Do you stand for something? Are you passionate about responsible production, green transition or open innovation? If it's authentic, it can strengthen your position significantly.
How do you find your brand type?
There is no one right brand type - but it's important to know which one you primarily work from. And how you communicate it.
Start by asking yourself (and your team) the following questions:
- What is the core of what we sell - and how do we differentiate ourselves?
- What do our customers say about us - and why do they choose us?
- How do we appear online versus offline?
- Is our performance or our service more important?
- Who is the face of our organization?
The answers to these questions can help you sharpen your identity and choose the type of brand strategy that fits best.
How does brand type affect your marketing efforts?
Once the brand type is defined, marketing becomes easier and more effective.
For example:
- Are you a service brand? Then customer cases and testimonials are especially important.
- Are you a corporate brand? Then your narrative needs to be consistent across product areas and platforms.
- Are you highly digital? Then you should invest heavily in UX, data and online performance.
It's all about building trust - and in the B2B world, the company that best manages to be professional, technically competent and human in their communication wins.
When should you switch?
Maybe you already have a branding strategy but feel it's not hitting the mark.
Here are some signs that it might be time to reassess:
- Customers can't quite explain what you do.
- Your sales people are very different in the way they talk about the company.
- Your website speaks one language - your product sheets speak another.
- You're struggling to attract the right candidates.
If you recognize several of these points, it might be a good idea to do a brand analysis - and find out if your current type matches your future ambitions.
Everything starts with identity
A strong brand is not about colors and bold slogans. It's about trust, recognition and a clear identity. For B2B tech companies, it's not decoration - it's strategy.
So the question is: Which brand type best suits what you and your company stand for?
And more importantly, have you made that clear to the market?
Take the first step by figuring out which brand type best supports your business. It could mean the difference between being chosen - or forgotten.
