The world’s most memorable brands tend to distinguish themselves in the connotation – not just the denotation – of the value proposition. Brand builders strive to create just the right meaning for the brand in the mind of its target audience. Success in this endeavor is rare and precious.

While the idea of corporate reputation is nothing new among public relations and marketing professionals, linking diverse brand initiatives across media for a cumulative psychological effect on target audiences is the complicated work of brand-building today. It starts and ends with what people think – or, more accurately, what a brand can inspire people to think.

The psychology of brands overlaps how people think about themselves as individuals and in groups. Brands are an aspiration to people. Customers ask themselves: Am I the kind of person who does that kind of thing? Brands are a choice made consciously and by default. They are an expression of identity and intention.