Simply put, brands are perceptions. A brand is the mental and emotional perception people have of a company, product, service, organization, etc. It’s how they picture it in their minds, and how they react to that picture. What they think and how they feel about it. A good brand can mean different things to different people, they are dynamic and connect with people in different ways. Jeff Bezos once said “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
So you might ask is building a brand important? Simple answer… yes. If you want your business to succeed, branding is non-negotiable, it helps you stand out from your competition, starts that emotional connection with your consumer and turns them into loyal customers.
But how then do you build this thing we call a brand? Truth is building a brand doesn’t happen over night, it’s a process and starts with strategy. You wouldn’t build a home without blueprints, why would a brand be different? A strategy needs to be built around the people you will be presenting your brand to, what do you want them to think about when they interact with your brand? Once you know this, you will always have a clear vision of how you want to build your brand. This is your brand compass, and shows the direction your brand is going and WHY.
The next step is your visual elements and marketing efforts, this is where your brand identity comes alive, and like everything else this should represent the vision you have for your brand. There is no one size fits all approach to this and different companies in different industries will all use different approaches to reach their clients. Visual components are important and are often noticed most, but you can’t afford to ignore the rest of what’s involved in creating an effective brand. The key here is consistency, consistency, consistency.
The way your employees interact with consumers, the tone of your marketing and social media, the places people find your brand… everything you do should all be consistent with the vision you have for your brand. Businesses that present a consistent brand across platforms can boost their revenue by 23%. (https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/branding-statistics/#gref)
In short building, a brand takes organisation, planning, and process. It’s a way for you to tell your story and build long-lasting relationships with your consumers. But can be a daunting process, one that takes a team to build and move forward. At Rebels Playground we love all things brand, explore your business and its surroundings to examine the implications of every visual choice, and create new experiences based on thorough analysis. So you’re unsure if you have a brand? Get in touch and together we will open the door to opportunity, and make your business outstanding.