BRAND DEVELOPMENT
For most business owners, it can be overwhelming to think about everything that is involved in building a brand.
Getting it right is crucial as your brand influences your customers' perception.
A brand that is consistent puts your customer at ease, they know what to expect each and every time they interact with you.
WHAT IS BRANDING AND WHY DOES IT MATTER
Beyond making a memorable impression, your brand allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your business.
It distinguishes your company from the competitors and clarifies what you offer that makes you the better choice.
Your brand exists in the mind of your customers - it is not something tangible. It is a feeling that is created by the sum of all the interactions they have with your company.
Your brand represents who you are as a business and goes far beyond just your logo.
Purchasing is an emotional experience and having a strong brand helps people feel good when they engage with your business.
A brand represents the perceptions about a business – a combination of the customer experience, your reputation, brand story, as well as the creative elements such as the logo, color palette and visual identity.
When all of these parts of the business are consistent and work well together a brand is effective and customers are not only loyal but become advocates.
THE ELEMENTS OF BRANDING
THE BRAND STORY
Your brand needs to tell a story and creatively connect your business to your target audience.
It needs to communicate the ‘why’ behind your business (beyond selling a product or service) to evoke a desired response from your customers.
BRAND STRATEGY & POSITIONING
As with all great strategy, knowing where you currently are and where you would like to be are crucial.
Understanding where you sit in the market, who your competitors are, as well as identifying opportunities for growth and how to realise them are fundamental to the brand strategy and positioning.
BRAND IDENTITY
A brand identity is the outward expression of a brand and influences how people feel and respond to it.
Beyond the visual identity (the logo, fonts and color palette), the brand identity also includes tone of voice, communication style and brand personality.
A brand has the ability to change over time, to react to world events, and to adapt - the brand identity guides this process, ensuring consistency and providing familiarity to existing customers as the brand evolves.
VISUAL IDENTITY
The visual identity starts with the logo but extends beyond to create a cohesive and consistent design language across all aspects of marketing collateral and advertising.
A strong, recognisable visual identity communicates the brand values across every aspect of the business and speaks in consistent and clear voice.
BRAND MANAGEMENT
The visual identity has to be aligned and incorporated across all marketing and communications collateral, delivering brand consistency across all touch points.
The brand is then able to live and breathe its values, mission, vision; ultimately building trust with consumers.
At The Ignition Group, we can work independently or alongside existing teams to ensure that all aspects of branding and visual identity are consistent and are strategically aligned to the broader business objectives.
WORKSHOPS
OUR PROCESS
In our customised workshops, your team will be guided through the process to define your brand strategy, positioning and identity to cover the essential steps of establishing a compelling brand.
Below is a top-line overview of one the processes we employ to deliver this for clients.
STEP 1: DISCOVERY
Definition of the brand, including internal & external stake holder perceptions.
This creates the baseline for the current brand and aligns the key stakeholders'.
STEP 2: IMAGINE
Re-imagining of the Brand Vision and Identity.
The gap between your current and desired brand identity acts as a challenge that propels your organisation forward.
STEP 3: CREATE
Once we have determined ‘who we must become’, we can then identify ‘how to get there’.
Creative expression of your desired brand story and positioning, and creation of visual identity.
STEP 4: REALISE
Through the implementation of strategic imperatives, we can then align the future brand image with the desired brand identity.
Brand Style Guide creation and roll-out of visual identity across all collateral.