What Are Brand Consulting Firms?
Brand strategy and growth
Published: • Updated:
Key takeaways
- What: A brand consulting firm shapes positioning, architecture, naming, and identity, then builds guidelines and measurement so marketing and product tell one story.
- Why/how: Brand value ties to financial value; consistent presentation links to higher revenue; balanced brand and activation improves results.
- Keywords: What is a brand consulting firm, what do brand consultants do, brand consulting services, brand consultation.
Brand consulting firms help leaders define why they win and make it visible everywhere. Consultants research the market, set positioning and architecture, create names and identity systems, and establish rules and metrics that raise recognition, preference, and returns on marketing.
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What is a brand consulting firm?
A firm that guides brand strategy and execution across research, positioning, architecture, naming, visual and verbal systems, and governance. The aim is clarity, consistency, and measurable impact on growth and resilience. See our note on brand strategy.
What do brand consultants do?
- Research and insight. Market and customer studies, competitive scans, and message testing.
- Strategy. Positioning, value proposition, and brand architecture for portfolios and sub-brands.
- Naming and identity. Names, trademarks with counsel, identity systems, and voice guidelines.
- Activation. Launch playbooks, content frameworks, and training so teams execute consistently.
- Measurement. Dashboards for awareness, preference, pricing power, and funnel conversion.
Why invest now
- Brand value is material. Global rankings show individual brands worth hundreds of billions of dollars, underlining the link between brand strength and enterprise value.
- Consistency matters. Studies associate consistent presentation with significant revenue gains.
- Balance works. Evidence supports a brand-plus-activation split near sixty-forty for effectiveness over time.
| Finding | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apple brand value (2024) | $488.9B | Interbrand Best Global Brands |
| Revenue impact of brand consistency | Up to +33% | Marq (Lucidpress) Brand Consistency report |
| Effective budget split | ≈60:40 brand vs activation | IPA “The Long and the Short of It” and updates; WARC |
Use these as directional anchors; confirm assumptions in your market and category.
How to start in 4 steps
- Align on positioning. Choose a clear promise and proof points.
- Map architecture. Decide relationships among brands, sub-brands, and products.
- Set the system. Create names, identity, voice, and usage rules in a simple guide.
- Measure. Track awareness, preference, pricing power, and funnel conversion; review monthly.
Speak with a brand consultant
Related NMS content
Explore strategy for portfolio choices, digital and technology for design systems and content ops, and business transformation for the operating model and governance that keep the brand consistent.
Sources
- Interbrand. Best Global Brands 2024 (Apple $488.9B; method and rankings). https://interbrand.com/best-global-brands/
- Marq (Lucidpress). State of Brand Consistency report (revenue impact up to 33%). https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-finds-companies-with-consistent-branding-can-see-up-to-33-increase-in-revenue-300967219.html
- IPA. The Long and the Short of It; Effectiveness in Context (60:40 to 62:38). https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/ipa-blog/the-next-chapter-for-the-long-and-the-short-of-it
- WARC. Beyond 60:40: putting effectiveness in context. https://www.warc.com/content/article/event-reports/beyond-6040-putting-effectiveness-in-context/en-gb/124156
- NMS Consulting. The Importance of a Clear Brand Strategy. https://nmsconsulting.com/insights/the-importance-of-a-clear-brand-strategy/
About the Author
Aykut Cakir, Senior Partner and Chief Executive Officer, has a demonstrated history in negotiations, business planning, business development. He has served as a Finance Director for gases & energy, pharmaceuticals, retail, FMCG, and automotive industries. He has collaborated closely with client leadership to co-create a customized operating model tailored to the unique needs of each project segment in the region. Aykut conducted workshops focused on developing effective communication strategies to ensure team alignment with new operating models and organizational changes.
