Pam Walters
Branding isn't new. It's been around forever... ever since there was more than one sandal maker for gladiators to choose from. Building your business (brand) used to have more to do with your reputation. Then, as more and more products and services began vying for the same customers, it became critical not only to offer a superior product or service, but also to differentiate yourself from your competition.
Brand identity is the three-dimensional image of your product or service that reminds consumers of who you are and what you stand for. It's your silent salesperson representing you out there. It performs via words, pictures, logos, color scheme, font style... even font size. Do you think I'm kidding about font size? If you're over 45, what goes through your mind when someone hands you a business card that's printed in mouse type? Better yet, what do you assume when you see a business card with big, easy-to-read print?
Here's a brief overview to help you create a brand identity for you, if you're an individual or independent professional, or for your business, if you're a small business owner or manager of a company.
1. HOW TO THINK LIKE A COPYWRITER The Tagline/Theme/Slogan/Promise
There's a saying that the pun is the lowest form of humor. Unfortunately, it's a huge part of our culture's style of communicating. Puns, double entendre, plays on words... they're all basically the same thing.
The trick is to have it be relevant to your story. The double entendre should say something positive about you or your product. And you want it to tap into a concept or experience that people can readily identify with and visualize.
For this next part of the process, it will help if you're right-brained.
A right-brain thinker will come up with images of Cinderella sweeping the attic, Vampires who only come out at night, Oscar from the Odd Couple, obsessive-compulsives, Mr. Clean, etc.
Try to think of all the objects, tools, experiences, fears, joys, folklore, results, disasters, etc. that have to do with what you do or offer. And if you're having a tough time with this part, grab a creative person and have an ideation session.
Example: Let's say you're an Administrative Assistant.
To cut through the clutter and stand apart from your competition, say it simply. Don't hide behind a bunch of technical, generic, sterile terms. Are you extremely organized? Great at creating systems? A problem solver? A multi-multi-tasker?
seeks a challenging position within
a marketing, PR or advertising agency.
What if you're a sports/fitness trainer, and you're brand new. How about coming up with an angle where you offer different packages. Two months, lose 10 inches. Or one month of boot camp training. Or pay in advance, and get a discount.
"I stretch you... and your dollar."
2. HOW TO THINK LIKE AN ART DIRECTOR The Design/Look/Logo/Icon
Effective brand identity packages create a good impression with clients and customers... without saying a word. And that requires finding a graphics person who can create a concept using design elements.
In big, brand advertising agencies, art directors are teamed up with copywriters. For projects, they are given a briefing that includes:
And when the copywriter and art director sit together, sometimes the art director takes the copywriter's lead and sometimes it works the other way. If the art director has an idea for a strong visual to demonstrate an aspect of the product, then the copywriter writes to underscore or enhance the visual concept.
Here are some examples of how art direction can play a key role in a static tag line or corporate theme line:
In the old days, advertising relied heavily on icons and spokespeople: The Jolly Green Giant, Little Sprout, Pillsbury Doughboy, Tony the Tiger, Mr. Whipple, The Loneliest Repairman, etc.
Those were/are fairly flat-footed (and corny) ways to create an emotional connection with your target audience. But they still work. Think of the Geico gecko.
Today, most identity packages are more sophisticated, and less emotional. But there are many ways a visual element can portray a company's personality and help anchor that logo or picture in a customer's mind.
If you're that Sports Trainer, you could incorporate a dumbbell or big balance ball into the letters.
Hang a pair of running shoes, tied together at the laces, over the top of the T in Trainer. Or have a tiny figure doing chin-ups on the T. Just take your category and think up as many word or symbol associations as you can. Then see how you can implement them into the name of your company, or your slogan, or packaging.
THE BOTTOM LINE (Literally and Figurately)
Even if you can afford to have a brand marketing team come in and do the project for you, you'll have a better end product if you think through some of the above steps.
Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into how to put together a brand identity package. But this is the fun part. There's much thought and hard decisions that need to be made before you get to the creative part:
For these and many more questions and answers, contact me. If you'd just like a professional opinion of what you've come up with creatively before you commit to Web designers and printers, contact me. Perhaps all you need is a couple hours of my time. I'm not cheap, but I work fast. Contact me.
(What do you think my "most wanted response" is in writing this piece? If you haven't figured it out by now, contact me.)
About the Author:
PAM WALTERS
831-625-1560
pam@pamwalters.com
http://www.pamwalters.com
Pam Walters is a professional coach and marketing consultant who helps people launch new ventures. She has 15 years of experience in traditional brand advertising and 10 years of experience in direct response. Contact Pam at http://www.pamwalters.com
