When an individual evaluates a company (corporate image), a brand (brand image), a product (product image), or a person (personal image), they are making a value judgment. This evaluation is a crucial element of a brand’s added value, combining tangible values, shared perceptions, emotional feelings, and objective and/or subjective, conscious and/or unconscious impressions. In short, it shapes the personality of the product, the brand, the individual, or the company.
The term “goodwill” is sometimes used to describe a company’s brand image, reflecting the level of trust that customers and consumers place in its products. It is important not to confuse brand image with brand identity. As Christian Michon explains, “Identity and brand image are two distinct concepts. Identity is rooted in a broader context, including the company and its history as a source of communication, while brand image derives its main source of perception from the characteristics of the product, its attributes, and advertising.”
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