One, two, three: a practical brand anatomy

The purpose of this article is to integrate the multiple facets of the concept of the brand in a simple and intelligible theoretical model. The article begins with the juridical definition, which considers that the brand is a sign. Subsequently, semiotics, the science of signs, is used as a basis for a model that considers the different components of the sign and the relationships among them. The triadic sign concept developed by Peirce, one of the great founders of semiotics, allows us to define three main dimensions of the brand: the identity sign itself; the marketing object to which the sign refers; and the market response to the sign. With this model in mind, the brand researcher can better focus his research and comprehend the potential implications of his findings on the field as a whole. Teachers of branding may obtain a clear framework to integrate the different subjects that branding involves, ranging from linguistics and design to market research and finance evaluation. Finally, managers can avoid the all-so-common reductionist visions of brand practice, the so-called branding myopias.