A flagship product needs a flag. Branding gives your offering a face, allowing customers to have a closer, more intimate relationship with your product. Nearly 4 out of 5 marketing leaders considers their brand a critical part of their success.
The word "brand" comes from the Proto-Germanic word "brandaz", meaning "to burn". Initially used in term "branding iron", meaning to burn a mark of a ranch onto its livestock. Then used to claim authorship of artwork, then product origin designation, and now a symbol of the experience of a product.
The word "brand" comes from the Proto-Germanic word "brandaz", meaning "to burn". Initially used in term "branding iron", meaning to burn a mark of a ranch onto its livestock. Then used to claim authorship of artwork, then product origin designation, and now a symbol of the experience of a product.
Having an indelible mark on your product implies that you are proud of it and stand behind it. Brands have a personality in the style of communication as well as the style of the visual design and colors. Many brands have a mascot, and/or a backstory as well, to add depth of character and help customers relate to the brand. They are a symbol of the product, and as such, become the object of love for those who enjoy the product. The single most important aspect of a brand is what is known as the brand promise. It is the total experience that customers who love the brand expect to get when consuming the product. Brands are about connection, and our focus when designing brands is to find a combination that resonates with the target market.
Branding does not just attract, engage, and retain customers, leading to higher profits and greater market share, but also have a positive effect on employees and investors. Some interesting brand related statistis are:
There are two main types of products, commodities and differentiated products:
These are products that are sold based on a standardized price per pound, or unit of volume (grains, coffee, gold, etc.). The perception of the market is such, that it does not recognize a difference between one ounce of 24 karat gold from one source or another. Having a brand is not relevant to the buying decision if the only reason people are buying a product is price per unit of measure, because the next time, the product purchased will be the lowest price again.
Products that have unique features that deliver benefits to customers, providing a superior experience when consuming the product are known as differentiated. Highly unique products come to mind. We would never compare the price of a Ferrari to the price of another car based on the weight of the car. But differentiated products include all the brands in the supermarket as well. Even a low price product with a consistent mid-level of quality, could be a unique value proposition, and as such, could differentiate the product from the competition. Commodities are often sold in differentiated marketplaces. For instance, gold may be sold in an exchange that guarantees the purity of the gold they sell, offer safe and convenient transactions, and have a reputation for integrity.
Differentiated products that have a consistent appeal to a target audience, can obtain enormous gains by developing an attractive, engaging, and memorable brand. When customers experience the product, they associate that experience with the brand. When seeking the product again, they may recall the brand and know where to purchase it, or can recognize the brand instantly on a shelf or listing among competitors, and the likelihood of a repeat purchase is much higher. Brands also facilitate recommending products to friends and family. Simply put, brands produce traction, attracting new customers, retaining existing ones, and increasing the total market share and stability of a company. Creating brands that resonate with the target market, is one of our specialties.
Being pretty is one thing. Being attractive to the target market and inspiring confidence in taking a decision to buy, is a completely different thing. Our work speaks for itself.
Being pretty is one thing. Being attractive to the target market and inspiring confidence in taking a decision to buy, is a completely different thing. Our work speaks for itself.
When a business logo is well designed, it is not just art. Logos must be flexible enough to comply with a variety of needs. A logo must look sharp and organized, and have an element of wittiness. Customers are more likely to take a purchase decision from brands that have those qualities. The design itself creates credibility and sets a tone that is positive to promote customer engagement. A logo must also highlight an aspect (or more than one) of the brand name, in order to synergize with the name to enhance memorability. There are situations, where logos must be used in a single color, and others where the logo will be rendered minimized to a favicon of 16 x 16 pixels. A good logo has the ability to adapt to those business needs.
Designing a brand is much more than creating a logo that is appealing and memorable to the target market. It involves a story, state of mind, and satisfaction that goes beyond the need for the product as a solution to a problem.
Ultimately the target audience should see themselves reflected in the brand. Research, testing, and development are the key to get there, and are therefore essential, at the same time, each business has a different budget, which will provide access to different tools that may improve the results.
We cater to small to medium sized business entrepreneurs, to help them avoid making early mistakes in branding that may cost them dearly down the line. Our customers do not have the budget to hire a staff of marketing professionals, so we are aimed at being a high value hybrid. Results that approximate a top level team at a fraction of the price.
Our Visual design process begins with an in-depth interview with the customer regarding the dynamics surrounding their target market. We explore industry trends, competition at various levels, demographics and psychographics of the target market, and the brand strategy.
The initial aim of the design process is to develop a logo that will resonate with the target audience, producing a sense of familiarity and comfort, improving memorability, and promoting engagement with the business interests of the brand.
A branded marketing message must have continuity with all other assets of the brand in order to reinforce the experience and make the experience more memorable. Some important brand assets to look into are:
"A brief, catchy, and witty phrase used in communications that sets a tone for interaction."
"A set of 3 or less colors that together produce a suitable business setting, per color psychology."
"Lettering that is clear and simple, while supporting the message and setting the right tone."
"A catchy riff with a pleasant rhythm intended to enhance memorability of the brand."
"A cartoon or other fictitious character that adds personality and humor to the brand interaction."
"Products delivered in brand packaging tie the excitement into the brand experience."
"Visual continuity across advertising and other points of contacts reinforces the message."
"Window displays, building signs, and all other printed media should tie into the brand message."
In the early 2000s, Volkswagen launched a super sedan called the Phaeton, with specs that rivaled the Bentley Continental at half the price. It was the very best VW could offer. But sales fell very short of expectations... You would think that an established brand like VW, at a far lower price, would take away Bentley’s business. But Bentley’s sales were relatively unaffected. The reason is because Bentley is a very strong brand in the segment of luxury cars, where VW is not.
Kraft Foods was sued over the trans-fat content of their Oreo brand cookies. They agreed to change their recipe to remove the health-risk in their product, only to find an enormous outcry from their loyal customer following, who did not want any alteration whatsoever to the product they loved so much.