Show your audience pictures of a DVD player by Sony and a similar one by a relatively unknown manufacturer. Give your audience the price for both and ask them which one would be their first choice if they could afford both.
Reveal that the specifications of both DVD players are similar, but most opted for the Sony product because it's a better known brand. Explain that consumers are willing to pay more just because of a name or a symbol. This is a direct financial benefit of branding and an aspect of brand equity.
Show a bottle -- or picture -- of a Burberry, Chanel or Adidas perfume. Explain that what all companies have in common is that they don't specialize in the cosmetics industry. However, their recognizable brand made it easy to extend to other sectors.
Mention that the aforementioned move is called brand extension, which helps companies limit advertising expenditures. It's another aspect of brand equity, based on the consumer's awareness of the brand.
Describe what consumer loyalty is (trusting a product or service because of previous satisfaction) and explain how consumers stick with a brand they're satisfied with. This is called attitude strength and it's another characteristic of brand equity.
Explain how a registered trademark is a protected-by-law intangible asset of the company. In the event of an acquisition, owning a successful brand automatically raises the price of your assets.