Branding Beyond the Logo
You've got a name, logo, business cards and a letterhead, but do you have a brand? A brand in its simplest form is a noun, a thing. It's not simply the name of your company, or a way for people to identify you against another; although it serves those purposes. A brand should make you feel something, make you aspire to be like them, identify with and trust them.
Brands have characteristics the same way people do; most, if not all major brands have brand strategy guides that are meant to be followed closely across all communications. This includes everything from the layout of a banner ad, to the social media, to the way customer service representatives conduct themselves.
A well-targeted brand is ascribed a set of related characteristics in their brand manual. This can include corporate values, keywords, examples of tone of voice, sample phrases; also included is what not to do - examples that go against the brand. But where do we look when determining the character of a brand?
You could look at your ideal customer and simply assign some of their most positive attributes, but do I want to be ‘friends' with a brand that's exactly like me? I would argue no, people seek to be like the brands they choose, and don't always look for something that matches their current aesthetic to a tee. They want something better, something to elevate their status and aspire to.
Then where do we find these values, characteristics, personalities? Perhaps it's in the people who make up your organization. A company's most valuable asset is its people; they shape the products, they know their customers, they create and live the corporate culture, and the brand should reflect them.
Maybe that influence trickles down from the top, but if you're not paying attention to what your employees are experiencing on the ground floor, you're probably missing out on valuable insights that could shape your brand for the better.
WebCanada's creative and branding arm Front60 creates insight driven communications that elevate brands. To learn more visit Front60.com
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