Branding

kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like:
the best brand of coffee.
a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.
a mark formerly put upon criminals with a hot iron.
any mark of disgrace; stigma.
branding iron.
a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic:
The movie was filled with slapstick—a brand of humor he did not find funny.
a burning or partly burned piece of wood.
Archaic. a sword.
to label or mark with or as if with a brand.
to mark with disgrace or infamy; stigmatize.
to impress indelibly:
The plane crash was branded on her mind.
to give a brand name to:
branded merchandise.
to promote as a brand name.
Contemporary Examples

Meet Brian Schweitzer, the ex-Montana Governor Who Wants to Replace Max Baucus in the Senate David Frum April 22, 2013
The Other Side of Stephen Hawking: Strippers, Aliens, and Disturbing Abuse Claims Marlow Stern November 5, 2014
Zodiac Beast: April 17-24 Starsky + Cox April 15, 2011
Napa’s Earthquake Is Not The Only Thing Shaking The Vineyards Clive Irving August 30, 2014
Are the Oscars Finally Cool? Nicole LaPorte February 24, 2011

Historical Examples

The Passing of the Frontier Emerson Hough
Brand Blotters William MacLeod Raine
Curious Punishments of Bygone Days Alice Morse Earle
The Twins of Suffering Creek Ridgwell Cullum
The Wreck of the Grosvenor, Volume 3 of 3 William Clark Russell

noun
a particular product or a characteristic that serves to identify a particular product
a trade name or trademark
a particular kind or variety: he had his own brand of humour
an identifying mark made, usually by burning, on the skin of animals or (formerly) slaves or criminals, esp as a proof of ownership
an iron heated and used for branding animals, etc
a mark of disgrace or infamy; stigma: he bore the brand of a coward
a burning or burnt piece of wood, as in a fire
(archaic or poetic)

a flaming torch
a sword

a fungal disease of garden plants characterized by brown spots on the leaves, caused by the rust fungus Puccinia arenariae
verb (transitive)
to label, burn, or mark with or as with a brand
to place indelibly in the memory: the scene of slaughter was branded in their minds
to denounce; stigmatize: they branded him a traitor
to give a product a distinctive identity by means of characteristic design, packaging, etc
noun
Russell, born 1975, English comedian and television presenter
noun
Examples
Word Origin
n.
v.