By Deroy Peraza, Partner at Hyperakt
"Brand" and "branding" are big, squishy words—people define them in many ways. Originally, a brand was a mark of ownership, like branding livestock. Over time, it evolved to represent gods, tribes, families, guilds, and, later, teams, products, and organizations. The invention of the printing press and the Industrial Revolution accelerated the spread of logos and slogans. With the advertising boom in the 20th century, branding shifted from being about ownership and representation to creating emotional connections with people.
Illustration by Merit Myers
Today, one of the most common definitions nonprofit leaders are trying to move beyond is that a brand is a logo or colors—elements of a visual identity. Others describe a brand as a mission statement or a tagline—elements of verbal identity.
None of these definitions truly capture the full scope.
Before deciding why branding matters to your organization, and whether it’s worth investing resources in the process, your team needs a shared understanding of what a brand is.
A World of Associations
I asked my 7-year-old daughter what she thinks a brand is. Without hesitation, she said, “If there was no brand, then there wouldn’t be a company. The brand is what makes the company.”
Without realizing it, she touched on something profound. A brand isn’t just a logo or a name—it’s the entire identity of an organization. As historian Yuval Noah Harari explains in Sapiens, brands, like companies and even nations, exist because of the stories we tell and the shared beliefs we place in them. He calls them “legal fictions of our collective imagination.” When enough people believe in the same story, it allows strangers to work together toward common goals.
A brand is a set of associations—ideas, feelings, images—that shape perception. The strongest brands distill those associations into a single, powerful story.
From the moment you wake up, you interact with brands—your coffee, shoes, car, and neighborhood all carry meaning shaped by your experiences. A brand isn’t just a name or logo; it’s the sum of every interaction, memory, and feeling connected to it. A brand is a vibe.
Try visualizing this with a mind map. Pick something you love—a product, band, or place—and write its name in the center of a sheet of paper. Surround it with everything that comes to mind: memories, colors, values, emotions, and experiences. You’ll quickly see how easy it is to fill the page with associations.
Café Bustelo brand associations
Now, put your organization at the center. The good and bad associations people have with it shape their perception—your reputation. That perception determines whether they trust you, support you, or whether they would put their own reputations on the line to vouch for you.
How Brands Are Created
Whether you actively shape it or not, your brand exists. The moment your organization interacts with the world, people begin forming associations. Some come from direct experience—your website, your programs, your events. Others come from word of mouth—what people say about you when you’re not in the room.
Branding is the act of intentionally shaping associations for your brand. It is the quest to define and express your organization’s true soul.
Some nonprofit leaders default to the position that taking control of your brand is inauthentic. “Our actions and our work should speak for themselves.” But brands are about getting groups of people who work together to agree on a collective purpose, values, and set of actions. They’re about finding a unifying story everyone can rally around. An authentic brand—one that is not just seen but lived through behavior and actions—requires a collective effort.
Brands are defined by a powerful, cohesive story anchored in brand strategy, and expressed through verbal identity and visual identity, with the aim of creating clarity, resonance, distinctiveness, and influence.
These building blocks form your brand’s foundation. When aligned, they create confidence, clarity, and authenticity, leaving a lasting impact. But if your actions don’t match your words, people will feel the disconnect. A polished brand without integrity loses trust and credibility. Authenticity means consistently reinforcing your identity in every action and building real connections—that’s how loyalty is earned.
Why Brands Matter
Your brand is one of your most valuable assets—it tells the world who you are, what you stand for, and why you matter. If you don’t shape it intentionally, others will define it for you, often in ways that don’t reflect who you really are. Without a strong brand, organizations become fragmented. Messaging feels scattered. Opportunities are missed.
A strong brand isn’t just about a polished image—it’s a tool that strengthens your organization. It builds trust with donors, attracts the right people to your team, and helps engage your audience. A clear, well-defined brand makes it easier to stand out, connect with supporters, and grow in a meaningful way.
Inside your organization, your brand acts as a guide. It helps everyone make decisions that align with your mission, so programs, partnerships, and communications stay consistent. It helps you determine whether new initiatives are worth pursuing—or not. Stong brands create a sense of unity, helping staff feel connected to a shared purpose—they’re the glue that holds everyone together.
Need help figuring out if it’s the right time for a brand refresh or a rebrand? Start here.
