Branding, Marketing, Strategy
The definition of the term “brand” or “branding” has been debated on for many years. What began as a company name, slogan, and logo has become a complex marketing strategy that defines who you are and what your company represents. Good branding increases the overall value of a company, provides direction, and makes working with other businesses easier. So, what’s stopping you?
IDENTIFYING A BRAND
Deciding on the direction of your brand can be intimidating and very time consuming. It is easy to get stuck on a specific idea for your brand that might not be the best option. This is when it’s beneficial to step back and look at your company from a consumer’s standpoint. Consumers decide whether your brand is worth remembering, so their opinion is key in the development process.
- Identify your positioning.
- Establish company values.
- Determine target audience.
- Where do all of these develop? That is your brand.
CREATING A BRAND BOARD
Putting together a brand board for your company is arguably one of the best ways to develop a visual brand. Brand boards allow you to lay out all aspects of your company so that they are accessible to your employees. They also serve as a reference point when working with other companies, ultimately ensuring consistency and error-free work. Sometimes when something is laid out, it is easier to see elements that don’t belong, or cause friction instead of harmony.
When designing a basic brand board, we are always sure to include:
- Logos & Tagline – Including all renditions and how to properly apply them.
- Colors & Elements – Including Pantone colors if applicable, and any design elements like patterns, textures, or other visual motifs.
- Fonts – Including body, title, and accent text.
- Photography – Including photos that are regularly used, providing a few examples of the style and mood to help with maintaining consistency.
IF YOU’VE GOT IT, FLAUNT IT
Once you’ve developed a brand, it is important to get people talking about it. People love to tell their friends about the brands they like, but they can’t tell someone about a brand they can’t remember. That said, do you ever wonder how companies show up out of the blue and suddenly become the only thing anyone can talk about? Well, besides being in the right place at the right time, there is a strategy behind this mysterious phenomenon:
- Create an awesome website
- Have a strong social media presence
- Be unique
- Build relationships with your customers
- Know your brand and stay committed to it
REMEMBER
A strong brand is crucial to generating referrals and creating viral traffic, but proper decision making is critical in its success. We all know of a company that offers great products or provides excellent services, but has a tarnished brand due to poor decision making. Don’t be one of those companies. Take the time to identify a brand and maximize its potential.
Branding, Marketing, Social, Strategy
Looking back on what people thought 2017 might look like 100 years ago, most people probably imagined flying cars or teleportation. I think it’s safe to say that didn’t happen. Instead, we reinvented something even more amazing: rompers for men.
Yes. You read that right.
For those of you who have never heard the word “romper” before, a romper is a one-piece garment that looks similar to a dress but has shorts below the waste instead of a skirt. They are as convenient as they are fashionable, a true American treasure.
The newest clothing line called RompHim, by ACED Design, was launched last week as a Kickstarter campaign. The four male founders set a goal of raising $10,000. Clearly, they underestimated the demand for chic male onesies, because they surpassed their goal by over $355,000. Not too bad for still having 21 days left in the campaign. Bravo, gentlemen.
Been there, done that.
The Kickstarter pledging process is simple, but unique. Unlike the old school, magazine-ordered bodysuits, RompHim customers can choose their price. Starting at $5 and capping off at $1,250, the company offers anything from online updates, to the opportunity to hand select your own RompHim fabric. Your $1,250 pledge also buys you a night on the town with the ACED Design team, making your evening as unique as the onesie you rode in wearing.
Tweet about it.
Twitter seems to be the social media platform of choice for both praise and disapproval, resulting in several millions of #RompHim tweets. Whether people see it as a fashion statement or a frat-inspired gag gift, it doesn’t matter. Either way, the tweets and memes are considered “the best thing on Twitter”, and I have to agree.
Two thumbs up!
So where does that leave me? Besides paying $1,250 to go on a bro-date with the founders, I think RompHims are fantastic. Anything that can make me laugh out loud and still look that good has my vote. Also, I’m quite pleased that men will finally understand the struggle of having to completely undress to use the restroom.
As for the next 100 years, I can only hope that men will still be coming up with ways to masculinize products that were originally designed for women. That said, I’m all for gender equality, but some things are better off unaltered. They can have their Mandles, Brogurt, and RompHims, but I’d like to keep my high heels and over-priced handbags.
Branding, Strategy
Brand is often spoken of, and frequently misunderstood. However, it is the single best way to create a business that can gain loyal customers, ask higher prices, and make business decisions simpler.
What is a Brand?
It’s not your logo or advertising.
A brand is made up of two distinct factors:
- How you present yourself – Your image, actions, attitudes, reliability, trustworthiness, professionalism, etc.
- What others think and feel about you – Based on their experience with you, interactions you have with each other, what they hear about you from others, how they are treated, etc.
Ultimately, people will form their own opinions about your brand based on the tangible assets you provide, and the things that they see, hear and feel about your brand.
The old model of brand was based on the logic of factory management. The company created the brand, the brand attracted customers and customers supported the company. The new model of branding is similar, but with one important difference: the order of events. Instead of creating the brand first, the company creates customers, the customers create the brand and the brand sustains the company.
This model takes into account a profound and counterintuitive truth: a brand is not owned by the company, but by the customers who draw meaning from it. Your brand isn’t what YOU say it is. It’s what THEY say it is.
– MARTY NUEMIER, The Brand Flip, 2016, p. 5
Learn more about why Brands are so important by watching this video by Marty Nuemier. Much of the material is derived from one of our favorite books, The Brand Gap.
What is a brand identity?
A brand identity is the visual and sensory elements of your company. The logo, design of your web site or print marketing, the material of your products–everything you can see, hear, smell, touch or taste. Your brand identity will influence the way people feel about your brand in a good or a bad way.
Well, then what is branding?
Everything that affects a person’s gut feeling about your brand is a customer touch point. The management of those customer touch points is branding. The difference between great brands and mediocre ones is the wise management of every customer touch point. Every possible point of contact with a client or potential client affects the way that person feels about you, and helps them determine whether or not to trust you, hire you or buy your product.
Why should I care about my brand?
You have a brand, whether you know it or not. If you manage your brand well, you will have loyal customers, make more money and have a long term strategy for success. If you manage your brand poorly (or not at all), it will lead to inconsistencies in customer experience, design and marketing messages that will keep you struggling to not only succeed, but to also survive in a marketplace filled with companies and services just like yours.
Strong brands make higher profits, can ask higher prices, and make the life of their competition harder. Building a strong brand by combining great business strategy with great design will help you grow your business, lead to more sales, and help you to leave your competition in the proverbial dust.
A strong brand can earn higher profits, can ask higher prices, and make the life of their competition harder.
