WHAT IS BRAND ANS. A brand is a product, service, or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. A brand name is the name of the distinctive product, service, or concept. Branding is the process of creating and disseminating the brand name. Branding can be applied to the entire corporate identity as well as to individual product and service names. Brands are usually protected from use by others by securing a trademark or service mark from an authorized agency, usually a government agency. Before applying for a trademark or service mark, you need to establish that someone else hasn't already obtained one for your name. Although you can do the searching yourself, it is common to hire a law firm that specializes in doing trademark searches and managing the application process, which, in the United States, takes about a year. Once you've learned that no one else is using it, you can begin to use your brand name as a trademark simply by stating it is a trademark (using the " TM " where it first appears in a publication or Web site). After you receive the trademark, you can use the registered (?) symbol after your trademark. Brands are often expressed in the form of logos , graphic representations of the brand. In computers, a recent example of widespread brand application was the "Intel Inside" label provided to manufacturers that use Intel's microchips. A company's brands and the public's awareness of them is often used as a factor in evaluating a company. Corporations sometimes hire market research firms to study public recognition of brand names as well as attitudes toward the brands. Here is the famous advertising copywriter and ad agency founder David Ogilvy's definition of a brand: The intangible sum of a product's attributes: its name, packaging, and price, its history, its reputation, and the way it's advertised. WHY BRAND IS ESSENTIAL IN OUR LIFE ANS. One of the most important parts of your personal brand is identifying what makes you different, unique and memorable from the vast amount of people out there. No two people are alike and you need to show why. There is so much noise out there these days and it is impossible to listen to all of it. People may hear your message, but you want them to attentively listen to it. This is done through seperating yourself from the noise with your unique twist and viewpoint. HISTORY OF PUMA ANS. Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces athletic shoes, footwear, and othersportswear. The company was formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. The relationship between the two brothers deteriorated until the two agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Puma is currently based inHerzogenaurach, Germany. The company is known for its football shoes and has sponsored acclaimed footballers, including Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruijff, Enzo Francescoli, Diego Maradona, Lothar Matthäus, Kenny Dalglish, Didier Deschamps, Robert Pires, Radamel Falcao, Ryan Giggs, andGianluigi Buffon. Puma is the sponsor of the Jamaican track athlete Usain Bolt. In the United States, the company is known for the suede basketball shoe it introduced in 1968, which eventually bore the name of New York Knicks basketball star Walt "Clyde" Frazier, and for its endorsement partnership with Joe Namath. Following the split from his brother, Rudolf Dassler originally registered the new-established company as Ruda, but later changed to Puma.[3]Puma's earliest logo consisted of a square and beast jumping through a D, which was registered, along with the company's name, in 1948. Puma's shoe designs feature the distinctive "Formstripe",[4] with clothing and other products having the logo printed on them. The company offers lines of shoes and sports clothing designed by Lamine Kouyate, Amy Garbers, and others. Since 1996 Puma has intensified its activities in the United States. Puma owns 25% of American brand sports clothing maker Logo Athletic, which is licensed by American professional basketball and association football leagues. Since 2007 Puma SE has been part of the French luxury group PPR. Puma SE Type Societas Europaea Traded as FWB: PUM Industry Clothing and consumer goods manufacture Founded 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (registered in 1948)[1] Founder(s) Rudolf Dassler Headquarters Herzogenaurach, Germany Area served Worldwide Key people Jochen Zeitz (Chairman) Franz Koch (CEO) Klaus Bauer (COO) Products Footwear, sportswear, sports goods, fashion accessories Revenue €2.706 billion (2010)[2] Operating income €306.8 million (2010)[2] Profit €202.2 million (2010)[2] Total assets €2.367 billion (end 2010)[2] Total equity €1.386 billion (end 2010)[2] Employees 9,310 (average, 2010)[2] Parent PPR Website www.puma.com 1920: Rudolf Dassler and his brother Adolf start making sports shoes 1924: Foundation of Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, Herzogenaurach, Germany 1948: Foundation of Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler (1 October), Introduction of the ATOM, Puma's first football shoe 1949: Rudolf Dassler has the idea of football shoes with removable studs. He begins working on their development and production. Many football experts, like Sepp Herberger, are involved 1952: Introduction of the SUPER ATOM 1953: Development of ATOM's successor: the BRASIL 1958: Introduction of Puma's signature "Formstripe" at the FIFA World Cup in Sweden 1959: The company is transformed into a limited partnership named Puma-Sportschuhfabriken Rudolf Dassler KG 1960: Introduction of the technologically advanced vulcanization production technique 1966: Launch of the WEMBLEY, the predecessor model to the Puma King 1968: Launch of the legendary KING. Puma is the first manufacturer to offer sports shoes with Velcro fasteners 1968: Launch of the SUEDE 1973: Launch of the CLYDE. Designed for basket player Walt "Clyde" Fraizer, as a wider-fitting version of suede model 1974: Rudolf Dassler dies. His sons Armin and Gerd take over the company's management 1976: Introduction of the S.P.A.-Technology 1986: Transformation into a stock corporation 1989: Launch of the TRINOMIC sport shoe system 1990: Introduction of INSPECTOR, a growth control system for children's shoes 1991: Launch of the DISC SYSTEM sports shoe 1992: Capital increase by DM 20 million, share capital reaches DM 70 million 1993: Jochen Zeitz is appointed Chairman and CEO, Proventus/Aritmos B.V. becomes majority shareholder 1994: The first profit since the company's IPO in 1986 is registered 1996: Puma is listed in the German M-DAX index; introduction of the CELL technology, the first foam-free midsole 1997: Launch of the CELLERATOR 1998: Puma starts a cooperation with designer Jil Sander 1999: Puma becomes an official on-field supplier of the U.S. National Football League (NFL) 2000: Production of fireproof footwear in partnership with Porsche and Sparco 2001: Acquisition of the Scandinavian Tretorn Group 2002: Launch of the SHUDOH 2003: Majority shareholder Monarchy/Regency sells its shareholdings to a broad base of institutional investors 2004: Collaborative partnership with world-renowned designer Philippe Starck 2005: Mayfair Vermögensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh acquires a total of 16.91% shareholding 2006: The company is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index; Introduction of the S.A.F.E. concept, a specific tool developed to continuously improve social and environmental standards. Shoe collection in cooperation with Alexander McQueen. Italy would go on to win the 2006 World Cup. Due to Puma's sponsorship of the Italian national team, many of the teams' players wore Puma cleats 2007: Voluntary public take-over by Pinault-Printemps Redoute; Prolongation of the contract with Jochen Zeitz by five years 2008: Melody Harris-Jensbach is appointed Deputy CEO; Designer and artist Hussein Chalayan becomes Creative Director, Puma also acquires a majority stake in Chalayan's business and Hussein Chalayan 2010: Signs two year deals to make the kits of Newcastle United, Motherwell, Hibernian, Burnley & Preston from the 2010–11 season 2011: Signs a deal to make kits of GNK Dinamo Zagreb from the 2011–12 season. Signs a three year deal with A- League champions Brisbane Roar [40] PROFILE OF BRAND (COMPANY PROFILE) ANS. .