Corporate branding can be taken to means

According to American Marketing Association “the word ‘brand’ means a name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of these intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.”

Corporate branding can be taken to means the strategic exercise, by managerial decision making of creating, developing, maintaining and monitoring the identity, image and ownership of a product/corporate entity. Among various intangibles such as goodwill, patents, copyrights, brands etc., brands comprise an important item in that they greatly determine the corporate market value of a firm. Brand achieves a significant value in commercial operation through the tangible and intangible elements. Brands may be that which is acquired from outside source while acquiring business or may also be nurtured internally by a company, which are known as “Home-grown brands”. By assigning a brand name to the product, the manufacturer distinguishes it from rival products and helps the customers to identify it while going in for it. The necessity of branding of products has increased enormously due to the influence of various factors like growth of competition, increasing importance of advertising etc.

Power brands make such a lasting impact on the consumers that it is almost impossible to change his preferences even if cheaper and alternative products are available in the market. Brands have major influence on takeover decisions as the premium paid on takeover is almost always in respect of the strong brand portfolio of the acquired company and of its long-term effect on the profits of the acquiring company in the post –acquisition period.