Branding Like a Boss
Your brand is your organization's essence. It doesn't matter what you believe your organization's essence to be because, if you're not effectively communicating that concept to the public, you're wrong. If you aren't able to control your story, the public decides what you're known for, and that's rarely a good thing. So take your branding seriously. There's a lot of information available about how to brand like a boss, but we'll give you the basics here:
1. It All Starts With a Great Logo:
Every other part of your brand is going to revolve around your logo and your logo has to somehow say everything that is most important about your organization in the blink of an eye. Much of what is important about logo design is also important in the overall branding process, so we'll go into branding in general below instead of talking about it only in terms of the logo. But here are some great articles about what's trending in logo design at the mo:
2. Simplicity, Personality, and Consistency:
Ever heard the acronym KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)? Well, while that's not the most polite means of getting a message across, it's definitely an important message. Your logo, business cards, website, letterhead - everything connected to you - should embody the elegance of simplicity. Even if you're selling lumberjack paraphernalia, your branding must be elegant: concise, to the point, and easily recognizable. Usually, this means sticking to a set of a minimal number colors and fonts and maintaining one concept or theme throughout every aspect of your branding.
But don't mistake simplicity with drab monotony. If you don't have something to say - something you're passionate about - what are you doing in the public eye anyway? It's our firm belief that every creation under the sun should have it's own perfect balance between elegance and attitude. Sometimes there will be much more attitude than elegance, or vice versa, but there always needs to be both. Remember: Elegance = Simplicity; and Attitude = Personality. Let your freak flag fly, but do it with just enough sophistication.
Lastly, you absolutely must be consistent in your branding. People should be able to look at anything that has anything to do with you and instantly know that it's yours. As previously stated, you should stick to one concept or theme throughout your branding, and make sure it expresses the essence of what your organization offers, whether that's elitism or utilitarianism. The aesthetics of your concept can change to a certain degree when you roll out a new marketing campaign, but the essence of what you offer should still be recognizable as yours. The only time you should go “off-brand” is if you're completely overhauling your existing brand with a state-of-the-art, 360 degree face lift. And once that’s done, embrace that new, pretty face and stay on-brand like your life depends on it!
There are some great sites where branding geeks speak their geek loud and clear. Look at those and do internet searches of your own to find even more great branding resources. Also note that the design process goes a lot more smoothly if you bring examples of what you like to your designer at the start. So be sure to explore and collect. Maybe even start a Pinterest board about it.
Also, be sure to check out the branding of your competition. Try to figure out what is successful about their branding and get your designer or other experts to chime in on that as well. Everywhere you look, there is branding, so start to notice what others are doing and that should help you form ideas to shape your own brand.
3. Get Emotional - Tap the Ego:
Your brand, and therefore your website, should evoke some kind of positive emotional response from your viewers. Maybe you'll make them feel like they're part of an exclusive club, or maybe your target audience actually wants to feel like they belong anywhere - like they're an Everyday Joe, with no fuss or pretension. Like it or not, most of us are led around by the nose by our very own li'l (or huge) egos. That's not necessarily bad. Our egos help us to know what we want, who we are, and it's what allows us to feel connected to the rest of the world as a whole.
Knowing that people generally want, more than anything, to feel like they are special, that they belong to something bigger than themselves, and that what they love is important has been at the core of advertising from its conception. This, again, is where researching your target audience is a huge deal. You don't want to assume you know what would feel good to your target audience and then miss the mark completely or, worse still, unwittingly offend them.
Here are some more great resources for learning the ins and outs of branding well:
If you're ready to take the plunge, SPEAK YOUR GEEK, and develop a first-class face to show the public, contact us now for a consultation!