Establishing a company’s identity amid a sea of others takes creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. But as competitors perform similar work and initiatives, how does a company set itself apart from the pack? “A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers intensifies day by day. It's important to spend time investing in researching, defining and building your brand,” said Laura Lake, a marketing consultant and author, in a piece entitled “Learn Why Branding Is Important in Marketing.” Marketing in print publications remains standard for many, according MarketingSherpa, a research firm powered by MECLABS Institute in Florida, as it provides a sense of permanence, legitimacy and credibility. But going online with distinctive websites can also be effective in building and maintaining the brand as this has the potential to reach an expansive worldwide customer base. Advertising online can further supplement a marketing brand campaign. Branding is key to utilizing internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing, as well. Chicago-based MAX Digital, a developer of cloud-based digital marketing and retailing software, notes that organic web traffic typically comes in part from those who searched a company’s name specifically, “which means they were familiar with [the] brand.” From attention-grabbing logos and striking ad copy in print to sharing a company’s message in a compelling way, branding in today’s increasingly competitive marketing world should be tactical. This begins in understanding the target audience, as well as its wants and needs. It can take a bit of research to find out which marketing platforms customers are using, how they’re using them and what other ways they are getting information. Consistent brand promotion via many different outlets, notably in print publications, can establish tangible intimacy and comfort in decision-making. “People tend to do business with companies they are familiar with,” according to Strategy, a marketing and technology strategic development firm. “A brand that is consistent and clear puts the customer at ease because they know exactly what to expect each and every time they experience the brand.” Promotion can be done by utilizing all potential marketing avenues based on how target customers find information, and what their previously determined needs are. Video can be an effective outlet, MarketingSherpa notes, and complementary to print. This can be a quick and easy way to grow the company’s profile, as “people get to connect with you face-to-face.” Video establishes trust and more interest in the content. Social media is another channel that can be used in creative ways via compelling posts, photos and interaction. As hundreds of millions of people use the internet frequently, this is a strong way to reach a vast audience of customers and clients. Regardless of the outlet used to share the message — print, online, social media — the more information based on the brand that is shared and the more engaging the company is with that information, the more people it will attract. This leads to referrals among potential customers. With 95,000+ subscribers worldwide, Photonics Spectra magazine boasts the industry’s largest print and digital circulation. More than half of these subscribers have opted to receive only the print edition, which is nearly double that of the nearest competitor. Photonics Media offers more in its print magazines than the competition, too. Numerous issues of the print magazines (including BioPhotonics and EuroPhotonics, in addition to Photonics Spectra) feature a special section on different realms of the industry. These can include information from focused news articles and interviews with experts, to some history about various fields of photonics. A targeted audience can help companies focus on very specific customers via more narrowly focused ads. They are included inside (but set apart from) the rest of the magazine, making ads within it easy for readers to find and view. Focused advertiser directories are also featured in these sections, making companies very visible to that given targeted audience. Print publications can drive readers to a website, thus promoting a married ad campaign. A hefty percentage of Photonics Spectra readers visit an advertiser’s website after seeing a product of interest in the magazine, proving that print is alive and thriving. With such a large print subscriber base, the chances of someone viewing and absorbing advertisements in Photonics Spectra and Photonics Media’s other print publications are huge.