Advertising and branding are distinct functions. Advertising's job is to make people aware of your product. Branding is the positive or negative association that forms as a result of that awareness. An ad can be highly effective at gaining attention while being disastrous for the brand itself.
Branding isn't a vague "feeling." It is the intentional engineering of an association between your product and a positive result in the customer's mind. For example, Coca-Cola pairs drinking their product with the outcome of "yum," making customers reach for it when they desire that feeling.
A strong brand transforms a commodity by pairing it with desirable traits like "winning" or "luxury." Customers pay a premium not for the physical item, but to acquire a small piece of that association for themselves. They exchange money to feel like a winner or part of an exclusive group.
You can't erase a brand-damaging event like a public controversy. The solution is not to address it directly but to create so many new, positive associations for your audience that the negative event shrinks into irrelevance over time. You fix the brand by addition, not subtraction.
Expanding your brand by making new pairings will inevitably alienate some early fans who feel you "sold out." This is a calculated risk. The strategic goal is to bet that the new pairings will attract a larger segment of your ideal audience than the portion you lose.
Pre-purchase marketing gets the initial sale, but the customer's direct experience with the product creates a more powerful and lasting brand impression. A poor product experience can instantly negate millions spent on brand building and eliminate any chance of repeat business.
Branding success isn't about universal appeal; it's an objective financial measure. A pairing is "bad" if it causes your ideal customer base to buy less, resulting in a net loss for the business. This makes brand decisions data-driven rather than matters of public opinion.
Many assume strong brands must have passionate lovers and haters. While polarizing figures build strong brands, it's not a requirement. Brands like Taylor Swift or Apple achieve massive influence by being overwhelmingly positive for the vast majority, proving you don't need to court controversy to grow.