Hi!
So, what is branding?
It happening whether organisations are conscious of it, or not.
It’s the meaning of an organisation, it’s the feeling when you see their logo or hear about them, it’s your reaction to them.
How do people respond when they hear ‘Bluelight’? Do they recognise us? Most general population won’t. Not like global brands like Nike or Coke. But Bluelight has some recognition among people familiar with psychonaut and drug nerd history. Unfortunately we won’t grow and attract young people with only this!
So to answer your question, branding is not just about for profit companies or just about selling stuff. Non profit orgs have brands, too. Charities have brands. Even government departments have brands. Heck, even entire countries develop brands, eg to attract tourism. It’s about communication with your audience and ensuring you have the effect you want on them. For us, that means being appealing so that they join our community, post content, follow our socials, etc.