Nowadays, it is generally understood that a brand is not created by you, but by your customer. How to make this fact work for your brand?
What exactly is a brand?
Above all, it is crucial to understand what we are actually talking about here.
Thinking about a brand is easy if you imagine that your company is a real, living person. Their face is the logo; what they wears and their hairstyle represent the brand's colors, fonts, and overall visual style. They undoubtedly have values and ideological traits that drive their actions. They communicate in a certain way, and all of this, along with much more, creates a certain feeling about them in others. That feeling is the brand, and you can influence it, but you cannot create it yourself.
Unfortunately, many designers and agencies do not see the brand in such a holistic way, and they simply sell logos and advertising materials and call it "brand design". This leads to a misunderstanding of the brand in the client, who is not a specialist in the field and is therefore susceptible to influence (sometimes intentionally and sometimes due to incompetence).
The designer says, 'I'll create a nice logo for you and add a catchy slogan to the website' and for the client, this is a tangible result. However, what happens is that a gap is formed between these visuals and the rest of the company, and this design solution simply does not work. Why? Because the brand is hollow inside, and in the worst case, it is in conflict with itself.
Well.. there are limits to what a designer can reasonably do. After all - it's the company who needs to be something more.
Brand is more than a logo!!
True - the logo is important. A good logo encapsulates the essence of the brand and places it into a memorable symbol.
True - a meticulously crafted design system creates a cohesive and appealing appearance.
Also true - a quality product and a pleasant attitude help create a good user experience.
But these are not your brand. These are just some tools that you can use to shape people's opinions about your company.
Well, how to go about designing a brand?
It's completely understandable why many designers and agencies sell logos and other visuals and call it a brand – it's much easier. True brand design requires a deep dive into the company. For the brand to eventually work, the designer must speak the same language as the client, and the company must consistently invest and be open to significant changes. Most companies simply aren't ready for that. Nevertheless, with goodwill and enough time, any brand can be successful.
But how?
I'll highlight the five important values originally outlined by Marty Neumeier (renowned brand designer and author):
Differentiate
It's in human nature to mostly notice things that stand out. So... stand out! How to stand out? Offer something specific, stand for certain values, and always think about how your product/service aligns with everything else you do. This way, you create a niche for yourself, where you can excel. This allows you to say, 'We are the market-leading provider of X!' or 'Choose our Y because it has a unique Z feature!' This way, you are easily understood, and your message is easy to convey.
Collaborate
A village is not built alone. Strong brands emerge when your entire team, and more, come together and stride towards a common goal. When everything happens in-house, you have quite a bit of control over the course of things, but this might leave you with little time for the next important value. Moreover, maintaining a marketing/design team on the payroll is often beyond the means of most companies.
This is where agencies and freelancers come in handy - but when hiring them, it's crucial to know exactly what you want from them and why. Communicate this as precisely as possible because many of them (especially the low budget ones) may not see the bigger picture.
Innovate
Innovation is like the bones that hold the whole thing up. Even if your product is practically the same as your predecessor or competitor, you can innovate. You can innovate the packaging to stand out from competitors, or you can make the purchasing process simpler. There are opportunities in every field.
Many companies innovate with strong straregies, but brand is very human, very emotional and you can't really strategize that. Good innovation happens when you combine strategy and creativity. Don't do what is expected of you and you will be noticed.
Validate your ideas
Validation means bringing your customer into your product/service creation process. Tests don't have to be incredibly complicated to be valid. Often, a simple answer to a straightforward question is enough to understand if the idea has potential. The key is to get answers to three questions:
- Does the customer understand who you are?
- Does the customer understand what you're offering?
- Does the customer understand why they should choose you?
Cultivate your brand in and out
A brand should not be just a layer of style. Its roots should extend deep into the company. This gives it the opportunity to grow its branches far and wide. People don't trust a duck that swims like a dog. If you're a duck, then be a duck.
In conclusion...
If you implement these five tips, you should reach a positive feedback loop that makes your brand increasingly charismatic with each iteration.
Got any questions or a consultation seems reasonable? Hit us up!