Difference Between Brand Image and Brand Reputation

In terms of marketing, Brand Image and Brand Reputation are two terms that explain the position that a product has earned in the market.

Brand Image is affected by the pros and cons through which a Company’s product has passed, and it’s the assessment made by the public in the past and present.

Brand Reputation is the opinion that the customers and the public pass on when enquiring about the brand.

Key Takeaways

1. Brand image is how customers perceive a brand based on its visual identity, messaging, and advertising.
2. Brand reputation is how customers perceive a brand based on its performance, social responsibility, and customer service.
3. Marketing efforts shape brand image, while brand reputation is shaped by customer experience.

Brand Image vs Brand Reputation

The difference between Brand Image and Brand Reputation is that Brand Image is a visualized image by previous experiences from the brand. In contrast, Brand Reputation is the value of a brand that its customers share when asked about the brand.

Brand Image is a visualization of a company commonly applied by the public.

When a company’s product is launched, certain expectations are visualized by the customers, and they picturise this from their previous experience with the brand and its product.

Brand Reputation is the collective opinion that a company owns due to the quality of the products they produce. The immediate thought which pops up in a customer’s mind when the brand is acknowledged is the reputation that it has earned.

---

 

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Brand Image	Brand Reputation
Characteristics	Brand Image is an image prepared by the customers by analyzing the quality, quantity, guarantee, etc.	A brand’s reputation is a long-term opinion achieved by the brand due to its service and deeds to society.
Impact	Brand image is a short-term picture in the minds of the customers.	Brand reputation is the value given to the brand from the day a brand originates.
Marketing Features	A company’s branding image can be altered by mediums such as advertising. People find it more attractive if the advertisement is beautiful.	Since reputation is judged by experience, advertising cannot wholly help alter a brand’s reputation.
Type of existence	Brand Image is superficial; this image can be varied from person to person.	Brand reputation is the average of the opinions a brand receives. Hence it affects the customer’s view towards the brand.
Factors affecting	When cultural and socio-economic scenarios affect brand spreads, image visualization can get fluctuations.	Even when such a crisis occurs, customers’ trust in the brand is tough to fluctuate.

---

 

What is Brand Image?

Brand Image is the perception of the customers towards a brand. The image the customers have set up in their minds by their experience with the brand is termed brand image.

This image can change from person to person and is not permanent. The company can alter their appearance by providing better service to its customers.

A company needs to enhance its image to survive in the market. For this, they use marketing techniques such as advertising. It is only when more and more customers believe in the brand the sales achieve targets, and the brand can expand.

Also, the customers who trust the brand never regret their choice and do not move on to other brands for similar products.

A brand’s personality is judged through the image its customers pass on. Only when the image has reached the public’s expectations do they suggest it to their circle, which increases brand value?

It is important to note that only when the brand image is persistent do customers believe the brand, and consistency is expected for a clean appearance.

 

What is Brand Reputation?

Brand Reputation is the respect/disrespect a company has earned through the products they sell. It is a long-term effect that is showered upon a brand by the impact of its products.

If products are good from the beginning of the company, the customers trust them and value the brand, which in turn changes the reputation of the brand and vice-versa.

Brand reputation is essential for a company to increase its sales. When a company’s income grows, its development turns positive.

A good reputation can sustain a brand in the market for a long time. Similar companies compete with their value and importance to achieve better results.

Suppose a company holds sales in various businesses, and the brand is known for many products. In that case, even if a single product among them retards, the brand reputation decreases, and this affects all the other products that they host.

So brand reputation is an essential aspect of marketing that helps increase trust and expand the business.

---

Main Differences Between Brand Image and Brand Reputation

1. Brand image is the visualized picture of an individual regarding a brand, and brand reputation is the trust a customer bestows with their experience with the brand.
2. Brand image can vary from one person to another and is a temporary picture, while brand reputation is due to the experience of individuals; hence it isn’t easy to change.
3. A brand image can exist for a brief period since it varies. Brand reputation tends to be constant; hence, it is a long-term effect.
4. Advertising and other marketing features can improve the brand image among the public, but it is difficult to change a brand’s reputation using a single advertisement.
5. Brand image is an individual’s choice. It is kept personal. This is not the case when a brand reputation is taken. The opinion can circulate from one customer to another.

References

1. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/106424
2. https://www.scirp.org/html/6-1530143_53297.htm