Corporate Branding in Botswana: A Content Analysis of Visual Brand Elements

Abstract

The topic of corporate branding has stimulated immense academic attention. However, as the thrust of research on corporate branding concentrates on the West, little remains known about how firms in developing nations in Sub Sahara Africa deal with the challenge to communicate a sustainable image through branding. Therefore, the current study investigates specific corporate brand visual elements utilised by firms in Botswana as tools for communication, identification and differentiation. A sample of about 350 brands from different industries was collected from the local print media and content analysed. Overall findings demonstrate that a majority of firms in Botswana utilize a combination of full names, colour, logos and taglines in their corporate brands. Most frequently used being the full names that represent the background of the firm, blue or black colours that correspond to national colours, symbolic logos and taglines that emphasize the personality traits of competence and sincerity as well as the industry in which the firm operates. The significant use of a combination of visual elements signifies the importance that local firms attach to corporate branding. However, there is a need to improve on the use of taglines and consistency in the use of visual elements to exploit the advantages of corporate identity.