English: Branded objects are mainly goods and services. As far as corporate brands are concerned branded objects are e. g. the staff or the architecture of a company. The branded objects bear trade marks and can therefore be assigned to a brand name (which is a trade mark itself). The trade marks are held by the trade mark(s) holder.

Branded objects have properties:

• actual properties,
• pretended properties (according to the trade mark(s) holder) and
• putative properties(according to the target group members and stakeholders).

In some of these properties branded objects differ from competitive objects of other brands. These competitive edges (= brand level 2), along with the trade marks (= brand level 1), make up a brand (as is defined by marketing).

The trade mark(s) holder perceives the major portion of the actual and the pretended properties of the branded objects. These properties shape the brand identity.

The target group members and stakeholders perceive portions of the actual and the pretended properties as well as putative properties of the branded objects. These properties shape the brand image.

An essential goal of brand management is to align the brand image to the brand identity which was shaped by the trade mark(s) holder.

Text by User:LepoRello