Branding Information

By Brian Jardine

Developing a business brand can be one of the most rewarding and challenging of experiences. The rewards of a successfully orchestrated brand identity can be found in that feeling of complete accomplishment. Yet, the challenges of this brand building experience can make any business owner give up before they have even begun. So, how does one avoid the pitfalls and shame of a butchered brand that so often consumes a company's meager marketing budget?

Even the largest companies make the worst branding mistakes. However, by following these three simple steps, any size organization can build strong and lasting brands that are unique and recognizable:

• Arm Yourself

• Build Strategically

• Maintain The Brand

Arm Yourself

The foundation of great brands is those individuals who are hired to create them. So, at the start of the brand development process, an effective and experienced team should always be on board. Make no mistake. The worst thing a company can do is hire a self-taught graphic designer instead of an advertising agency to build the brand they hope will take them into the future. However, this is the first, and often most crucial error that I see all the time. Even though the temptation to save a few hundred or thousand dollars on branding might be akin to seeing that knock-off Coach handbag in the local gift shop, it never changes the fact that, at a closer glance, it's not a Coach. To put it clearly: use the best people; find the best price; trust in a great portfolio of proven results.

Build Strategically

Like any good business strategy, effective brand building is all about following the rules. One might call it a process of brand building. In this process, there are four stages: gathering, understanding, building, and creating.

First, we gather. Here, the company and its advertising agency will learn and discover what they know and do not know about the brand identity. These sessions are followed by the concise evaluation of the company's long and short term goals. Finally, based on the gathered information, a strong foundation can be built.

Second, we understand. In this step, we focus entirely on the target market of the brand. This powerful step allows the team to establish a clear objective and marketing direction for the brand. More importantly, any existing objectives can be re-evaluated for visible flaws in achieving brand potential.

Third, we build. This is the step where the excitement should start to creep in. Here, the advertising agency will take the goal, brand direction, and message, and aim it at the intended target market through an effective design strategy.

Fourth, we create. Unfortunately, this is often the step where the self taught graphic designer would start their process. Obviously, so much has to be accomplished before this step. Here, the actual visual elements that embody the brand are designed. This step would usually start with the creation of a logo. From there, print, web, and video elements would be added to result in the complete brand look and feel.

Maintain The Brand

Now that we've created the brand and all its elements, we must be committed to maintaining its consistency in all its uses. Here is where an effective and detailed style guide or standards manual comes in handy. Always keep a keen eye on how the logo is used: where it is placed; its overall size; and how much clear space surrounds it. This attention is essential in achieving the brand's potential. Remember, a great brand is as much about being recognizable as it is about being unique.

Brian Jardine is an accomplished creative director. He has worked in the advertising world for many years and has helped to build visual identities for small and large companies worldwide. Now, Brian works with Art Link Graphics, an advertising agency that specializes in branding for new and small companies through print, web, and video marketing.