People like brands. Why? Because they help us navigate the world we live in by accelerating our decisions. We no longer purchase goods, we buy into an ideal; an image defined by our brand and we all have our favourites. Whether it’s Holden, Ford or even Volkswagen, we select our brands based on the way they reflect our individual persona. {Zoom, Zoom}
Your brand is not your logo. Your brand goes far beyond the corporate logo. The logo is an integral and vital component of the business but your brand is much, much, more. {It’s the real thing}
Your brand is the enterprise in its entirety; the company, its products, its people, its consumers and its suppliers; the impact it has on society, the environment, culture and politics. It is a constantly evolving perception, both internal and external, of what your business is.
Brands are the currency of today’s business and if your brand image is inconsistent and confusing, a competitor can easily encroach your market by simply presenting a dynamic alternative, thereby seducing your customers into switching allegiance.
It’s important to remember that brand development is not about fashion, although it sometimes uses techniques and ideas emanating from the visual zeitgeist. It is not about getting it done quickly or cheaply, although a clearly defined brief based on strong research and an intelligent approach will increase your brand value and protect your investment. It is ultimately about putting your enterprise at the forefront of the consumer’s mind and setting the standards for the rest of your industry to follow {Where do you want to go today?}
It takes a lot of courage to be the market leader and making bold decisions defines strong leadership. Leading companies commission brand consultants at the earliest possible stage and provide them with detailed objectives. They also allow for the brand to evolve with the audience because they know that a consumer driven brand is a successful one.
Visual identity design is not for CEO’s or Marketing Managers and it is definitely not for the designer. Ultimately, it is for the consumer. They determine what is appropriate and what is not and will do so emphatically and without compassion. It is often the case that a company’s perception of what their brand should be is very different to the consumer’s.
Speaking to the market prior to any development of a brand image allows for an effective solution to evolve that will create a point of difference from the competition. An enterprise that allows its image to evolve based on constant communication with its audience will excel in today’s brand saturated environment.
How does your brand speak to the market and what does it say?