“Say Something! Building a Strong Brand Identity”
There’s a common refrain in brand building that we also hear a lot in our industry: Know your audience. It’s wise advice, but despite what a lot of quick-search branding guides will tell you, it’s not necessarily the place to start.
“You have to know what the brand is trying to accomplish,” said Nicole Cheifetz. “I think the most successfully positioned brands have established their identity first.”
As the founder of Aurora Marketing Group, Nicole specializes in building brands. She’s also my sister, and the person I often bounce marketing ideas off of. Recently, we discussed the value of understanding exactly what your brand has to say for itself – and how important it is to hone that into a crystal-clear message.
Whether you operate a full-fledged agency or a solo freelance company, I think you’ll find her insight on brand building basics to be as illuminating as I did.
Step 1: Define the Big Idea
Nicole advises getting a little philosophical in your brand building endeavors. Ask yourself: Who are you? What do you bring to the table? And what do you want people to think of when they hear your name? Then, whittle down your responses until you’re left with what she calls a “succinct and impactful” brand statement.
“Finding certainty in the brand statement [can be challenging],” she said. “No one wants to leave a key attribute behind, but maintaining focus and being confident in your positioning is critical. I always tell clients: the brand may (likely does) appeal to different people for different reasons, but you are who you are. That doesn't change. You cannot be afraid to own it and commit fully. If you don't, authenticity is gone.”
Step 2: Learn Your Position
Once you know yourself, it’s easier to meet other people (which neatly doubles as some wise relationship advice). With a clear brand identity sketched out, Nicole said you’re less likely to follow the leader. Now’s the time to start researching your market, competition, and audience.
Think about what services you provide or problems your company solves. Who is most likely to need – and realistically pay for – whatever it is you do, sell, or create? Who else is operating in that space, and where have they left room for improvement?
If necessary, seek out an advisor or hire a consultant to help you strategize. “It’s just as important to recognize what you know nothing about as well as what you are an expert at,” Nicole said. “Locking yourself into certain details early on can be detrimental as you move down the road.”
Step 3: Take Off Your Blinders
Even the most successful brands benefit from a second opinion.
“You can be too close to it sometimes,” Nicole said with a laugh, recalling that one time a design team handed in an unintentionally salacious-looking advertisement for a frozen banana treat…
Moral of the story? Take a step back, and ask someone: “What do you see when you look at this?”
Feedback from clients and customers is also valuable, but often requires a little more finesse. Nicole said acting on sound advice is wise, especially if it comes from multiple sources. “However, just because one [person] makes an offhand remark, you should not make monumental changes to your brand that don't align with what you’re trying to build,” she said. “You don’t want to be bullheaded or stubborn, but don't forget who you are as a brand - which should be fully vetted by the time you are at the point of presenting to your customers.”
Step 4: Make a Visual Impact
The visual style of your brand plays a critical storytelling role, but it includes more than just a logo. Colors and fonts can build an emotional connection with your audience, and they work right alongside taglines, mottos, and even your brand’s name to develop a clear personality.
Consider what types of visual cues complement your brand messaging. Bold paint strokes, tidy cubes, and bursts of confetti each convey a very different mood, as do campaign slogans written in script versus all-caps.
Similarly, a descriptive brand name that describes exactly what you do is certainly useful, but so is a really catchy compound word or short rhyme. Have some fun with the process – and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Nicole and I both chose brand identities that resonated with us personally. (Me, Kraken Cove and the octopus. Her, the aurora borealis.)
“I didn't worry about whether those things had relation to my business industry,” she said. “After all, Apple had nothing to do with selling Granny Smiths.”
Just remember, people crave authentic connections – in their relationships, in their experiences and, yep, even in their video production companies. Being real with others is an important part of the process, but so is being real with yourself. I’ve found that a genuine brand identity makes for a strong business foundation, not to mention a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.