Brand Development: A Long Journey Like Raising a Child

Engr. Mohammad Golam Hossan Farhan

What Is Brand Development?

Do you know what brand development means to me? It’s like raising a child in your arms. The way you nurture your child with love, care, education, and discipline—your brand must grow the same way.

The Foundation: Brand Identity

In academic terms, the first fundamental element of a brand is Brand Identity — its identity must be clear from the very beginning.
As marketing guru Philip Kotler said:

“Marketing takes a day to learn. Unfortunately, it takes a lifetime to master.”

A brand is exactly that — not just something to learn, but something to nurture. For long-term equity, consistent brand communication is absolutely essential.

Defining the Brand Vision

Just like when you first hold your newborn, you dream about what kind of person your child will grow up to be—your brand too needs that vision. We can compare this with Brand Vision — a brand must have a clear and farsighted goal. From the day it’s born, it needs a distinct identity and a purpose.

Brand Promise: Building Customer Trust

David Aaker said:

“A brand is a promise to the customer. It represents consistency, competence, and credibility.”

That is — a Brand Promise is the pillar of customer trust.

Creating a Brand Roadmap

You probably already know which school your child will attend in five years, which college in ten, which university in twenty. Your brand needs a roadmap like that too — where it stands today, where it should be in five years, where you want it in twenty. That’s the Brand Roadmap — every successful brand always has one.
This roadmap is your brand’s Blue Book — the very heart of your brand.In that book lies your tone of voice, your colors, and the emotions you use to connect with your audience

Brand Guidelines: The Blueprint of Identity

Brand Guidelines formalize your brand’s visual and verbal identity. According to Kevin Lane Keller’s Brand Equity Pyramid,

“Strong brands are built by moving from identity to meaning, to response, and finally to relationships.”

That means your brand roadmap isn’t just a goal — it’s a step-by-step journey toward a relationship with your customers.

Brand Relationship and Customer Loyalty

Brand Relationship – the bond between customer and brand drives loyalty and advocacy.

Often in companies, leadership changes — a new sales head, a new marketing head — and each wants to make their own mark.
But if everyone keeps changing direction, what happens?
The brand becomes like a confused child — one day in school, another in madrasa, next day playing in the field.
In the end, it has no direction, no identity.

That’s why Brand Consistency matters — leadership changes should never distort your brand’s core identity.

Brand Growth: A Long-Term Investment

Growing a brand is a long-term investment in patience. It’s not magic, not a shortcut. The work you do today may not bear fruit this year. But five or ten years later, when people smile hearing your brand’s name — that’s when you’ll know your effort was worth it.Brand Equity accumulates over time through consistent actions.

Brand Meaning: Creating Emotional Value

As Seth Godin once wrote:

“Building a brand isn’t about generating sales, it’s about creating meaning.”

Brand Meaning – successful brands express clear value to customers.Just as a child slowly earns trust — from family, society, and the nation — a brand too takes time to earn it.
And trust is something you can’t get in a day — but can lose in one. That’s why every brand action must carry responsibility, honesty, and consistency.

Brand Trust: The Foundation of Sustainability

Brand Trust – the foundation of every sustainable brand.

One of the best examples of brand heritage in Bangladesh is Akij Group.Founded by industrialist Sheikh Akij Uddin in the 1940s, this company has been a symbol of trust for nearly 85 years.Through hundreds of quality products, an uncompromising commitment to standards, and consistency, Akij has earned its place.
Today when people say “Akij means trust,” it’s not a slogan — it’s the outcome of time, quality, and values.

Case Study: Akij Resource Limited

The modern continuation of that legacy is Akij Resource Limited, founded in the 2019–20 fiscal year. Carrying the slogan “Towards Limitless,” the company has already launched around 40 business units in just a few years—spanning construction materials, FMCG, light engineering, agro, tourism, and more—opening a new horizon in Bangladesh’s market.

The core strength of Akij Resource Limited isn’t just product quality — it’s the integration of smart operations, automation, and modern office culture. This culture sends a clear message to the market: modernity and heritage together build lasting trust.Today’s consumers know — even if Akij products are priced slightly higher, behind that price lies guaranteed quality and brand legacy. Thus, Akij Resource proves that a brand can preserve tradition while moving forward with modernity.

Brand Differentiation: Standing Out from Competitors

Brand Differentiation – clear positioning sets a brand apart from competitors.A brand takes time to grow — just like you can’t raise a child overnight, you can’t build a brand overnight either. Many rush to gain quick fame, but fail to sustain it.
Because they forget: a brand is about trust, about relationships.

“Sustainability in brand strategy ensures long-term success.”

As David Aaker said,

“Strong brands are not built by ads or logos, but by years of consistent trust.”

Brand Loyalty – repeated positive experiences create loyalty.

Brand Equity and Consumer Perception

Similarly, Kevin Keller said:

“A brand lives in the mind of the consumer, not in the marketing office.”

Meaning — no matter how beautiful your logo is, if your customers don’t trust you, it’s meaningless. Brand equity is psychological, not just visual.

Brand Experience: Living in the Consumer’s Heart

A brand succeeds when people see it as a part of their lives. When a mother says, “I always buy this brand’s milk for my child,”
or when a young man says, “This phone defines me,” — that’s when a brand truly grows — in people’s hearts.Brand Experience – emotional connection strengthens brand value.

Brand Development as a Lifelong Journey

That’s why I say — brand development isn’t a product launch project; it’s a way of life.
A long journey — one you walk a little further every day, with patience and faith.

“Long-term orientation is critical for sustainable brand growth.”

Today’s sales might be small, but tomorrow’s trust is being built today.
Just as a mother knows — her child learning to speak today may one day lead a nation — a brand grows the same way.
Today you’re designing a logo, tomorrow you’re crafting a message — and one day, that brand becomes part of people’s lives.

Sales vs Brand: The Final Lesson

The most important academic lesson in modern brand management is:

“Sales give revenue, but brand gives relevance.”

Brand Relevance means keeping your brand meaningful and alive in consumers’ minds over time. Because — sales run your business today, but your brand keeps it alive forever.In other words — profit and loss may be temporary, but without relevance, no brand can survive.A strong brand makes a business meaningful, relevant, and sustainable for the future.

আমার এই লেখাটি গত ৩০ অক্টোবর, ২০২৫ এ কালের কণ্ঠ এ “ব্র্যান্ড ডেভেলপমেন্ট : সন্তানের মতো এক দীর্ঘ যাত্রা”