Who invented the light bulb? Of course, you mean Thomas Edison. However, what you may not realize is that Edison did not invent the light bulb. Joseph Wilson Swan and Henry Woodward actually invented it.

What Edison did really well was commercialize the invention. But why do we always think of Thomas Edison first? Sure, he was a prolific inventor, but more importantly, he built a recognizable and resonant brand.

Edison called everything he did with his name, face and signature. He built a massive publicity machine behind him. He established close personal relationships with journalists who could be trusted to write worshipful (but not always strictly accurate) copy. He was a relentless self-promoter. He used numerous public demonstrations to highlight and promote his technologies.

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Edison not only did a lot of marketing, he built a brand that he could use. For example, his main laboratory, Menlo Park, was famous for generating more than 400 patents in just six years. But Edison worked with a team of about 14 engineers, machinists, and physicists who were rarely, if ever, mentioned, building and reinforcing the narrative of Edison as a “lone inventor.” Only those inventors who left the lab and branched out on their own (ie Nikola Tesla) had a chance to win wider recognition. While thus positioned, Edison spent over half his time dealing with customers and investors and speaking to the press.

Edison also knew what stories and sound bites would resonate with audiences. He is known to say, “I haven't failed 10,000 times – I've successfully found 10,000 ways that won't work.” But according to his records, he failed 2,774 times. We all know the quote 10,000 times, and there's no doubt it wouldn't be the same if he had said 2,774.

Or take someone a little closer to the present day – Steve Jobs. When the first iPod was launched in 2001, part of its appeal lay in its design. Before the iPod, MP3 players were clunky and unintuitive; The iPod, on the other hand, was user-friendly and looked sleek and modern. The first iPod became instantly iconic and influenced the look and feel of all Apple products.

Related: 3 ways a strong brand identity can lead to greater success for your small business

Jobs also developed a unique visual identity for himself: his iconic jeans and black uniform with a black collar. This quality translated into his presentations, where he made them unique and remarkable through his simple and compelling storytelling. This helped him stand out as a leader and communicator, unlike his competitors at Microsoft. The versatility of his brand continues to this day and has created an atmosphere around the company and the man himself.

Although Apple is praised for its constant innovation and breaking the mold, the company stumbled from one mistake to another for many years. For example, the Macintosh was a marketing genius but a colossal business failure. Trial and error was something the company has faced throughout its life, although many people only recognize victories. Jobs himself was known to say no to ideas more than yes.

In fact, Jobs began taking his top 100 people on a retreat. He would stand in front of a white board and ask, “What are the 10 things we need to do next?” People would struggle to get their suggestions on the list. He would write them down – and then crucify those he declared dumb. After much debate, the group would come up with a list of 10. Jobs would then whittle down the final seven and announce, “We can only do three.”

He also never underestimated the power of vision to drive a brand forward. In 1976, Steve Wozniak was struck by Jobs' vision to “put a computer in the hands of ordinary people.” Wozniak was the engineering genius behind the Apple I and Apple II, but it was Jobs' vision that inspired Wozniak to focus his skills on building a computer for the masses. Jobs' vision was intoxicating because it had four components that all inspiring visions share: it was 1) bold, 2) specific, 3) concise, and 4) consistently communicated.

Related: How to create a compelling brand identity

The bottom line is that while we want to believe that an amazing invention or innovative solutions it will sell itself, it is far from the case. Building a brand and identity with purpose and shaping a narrative offers the best opportunity to succeed. This does not mean simply promoting your product or company, but creating a brand around it that is attractive, unique, interesting and different.

After all, how crucial is Larry Page and Sergey Brin's brand to our perception of Google? Although many companies today are cutting back on brand and marketing investments, it's funny how the companies we admire weren't just built from new products, but achieved their level of success through great brand investment and architecture. Edison knew this – even 100 years ago.