Stand out from the competition with these 5 steps to creating a
winning brand platform.

By John Williams – Entrepreneur.com

There’s a lot of buzz these days about having a “brand platform.” Perhaps you’ve heard the term, but aren’t sure what it means. Rest assured — you’re not the only one! Even within the advertising industry you’ll find disagreement over its definition. What one guru calls a “brand platform” another calls a “corporate image.” Don’t be confused. Regardless of what you call it, you need it. A brand platform serves as the springboard for all branding decisions.Simply put, your brand platform is what your brand stands for. It’s a strategic statement or set of statements that encompasses who your company is, what it does, how it plans to succeed, and why it’s unique or different. Although brand platforms vary from business to business, most consist of the following basic elements: