What is the Difference: DAM system vs. BAM system?

It’s no secret: Digital Asset Management (DAM) software is a must-have for organizations of every size, shape and stripe. As brand and marketing content demand and output increase—by as much as 50 percent year-over-year for some teams—the need to efficiently manage, store and retrieve content only becomes more pronounced. But what about a Brand Asset Management (BAM) software?

Content is not just assets; Content is everything that gives your brand its look and feel, and shapes how consumers and employees see you—from logos and templates, to videos and graphics, to guidelines and training modules. That’s why your content is so valuable: It’s a critical part of the business process and identity When you think about managing that content and what it means to your broader business goals with a variety of audiences and stakeholders, often times a DAM isn’t enough. And that is where a BAM comes in.

Sometimes people aren’t using the brand content consistently. Sometimes they need inspiration on how to apply that content. Sometimes they aren’t taking full advantage of your brand content or even understand where to find it. However, putting data behind these challenges and uncovering engagement opportunities can be difficult, so we’re here to help.

We know that many brands today need more than a typical Digital Asset Management system; this is where a Brand Management System comes in (and why we created our own priority tool called Beam!). A BAM can help you advance and sustain your organization’s growth, strategically and holistically.

So what’s the true difference between BAM and DAM? And which one’s right for you? Weigh these considerations:

On the surface, both a DAM and a BAM are asset repositories. A digital asset management system is the ultimate way to store, catalog, manage and access a large volume of content that a select group of experts will use. It’s also great for those just-in-case, cover-your-ass scenarios. In contrast, a brand asset management system empowers users to creatively employ your assets in endless applications. A BAM doesn’t just host assets, it provides context and engagement around them so your people have the knowledge, ability and desire to drive your brand forward.

To discover how a BAM helped Deloitte unleash the power of its brand, watch our webinar Sustaining Brand Beyond Day Two: A New Approach to Modern Brand Governance.