Great brands are authentic
Authentic brands with a real story, values and reason for existence are more appealing, engaging, and generate more brand loyalty and value than simple commodity based businesses.
Every member of your organisation is a potential brand ambassador and your values should permeate everything the brand does. The positive impact that occurs to a company’s culture, bottom line and brand value when its people unite around a genuine purpose is significant.
In addition to this, trusted, authentic brands are more likely to come to mind when the customer is purchasing. Trust is established through an accumulation of impressions and dealings that accrue over time. With digital technology loosening control of brand messages through new media and social networks channels, relationships between brands and their customers have now become fluid as online discussions extend the brand experience after purchase. Gone are the days of highly controlled facades. The brand’s public face and outward actions must relect the inner workings. Be honest and be worthy of the customer’s trust and create a brand that people know they can rely upon.
We help companies define the benefits and experiences that make brands relevant and credible to customers, and develop strategies to differentiate brands through superior positioning relative to competitors.
Great brands are distinguished
Brands that are unique, bold, and walk to the beat of their own drum stay ahead of the competition. In a world of so much sameness, being different drives value. But being different just for the sake of it is not enough. Difference needs to align with the brand proposition and values. Brands need to be different with a purpose that resonates and serves its audience and must be delivered at all customer touch-points.
Our comprehensive understanding of business and modern multichannel marketing allows us to partner effectively with our clients in developing brand positioning, strategy and help provide guidance on what the business must do to provide its customers with a consistent and distinguished brand experience.
Many businesses offer a lot of products and services, with much of it having a sense of sameness. It’s in these circumstances, when people need a clear reason to choose one offering over the next that being different becomes much more important. Difference can be about product but also about brand experience and communication.
We work with organisations to develop a unique and distinct brand proposition which when combined with a well executed and creatively communicated idea enjoys better amplification and drives brand value.
Great brands deliver greater shareholder returns
The ‘BrandZ™ Strong Brands’ Portfolio of valuable brands consistently outperformed two leading stock market indexes, affirming that valuable brands deliver superior returns over time and regardless of market disruptions.
The value of the BrandZ™ Strong Brands Portfolio increased 196 percent between April 2006 and April 2019 – Outperforming the S&P 500, which grew 128 percent and the MSCI World Index, which grew 59 percent.
These results demonstrate the positive return on money invested to build valuable brands. The key takeaways for brand owners and brand marketers are: companies that invest in building valuable brands grow their topline faster; and organic top-line growth is the greatest determinant of total shareholder return.
The Rebranding Process
Branding develops over 5 phases, each a critical step in the process. Authentic brands are born from a thorough and methodical process. By taking the time to do each step right you’ll reap the rewards of rebranding for years to come.
01: Research
Comprehensive research and analysis is the foundation of any successful branding process. The gathering of evidence and impartial observations of the market landscape provide the reference points that allow us together to make informed decisions throughout the branding process. To become a market leader, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of your competitors positions, your position, where you stand in the competitive landscape and where the opportunities are.
> Market Landscape Analysis
> Internal Brand Research
> Customer Research
> Brand Audit
02: Strategy
Built upon the foundation of the research phase, the strategy phase is the evaluation of strategic opportunites and development of the brand framework. It is here we distil and define the brands core attributes, the purpose and values which become the guide and point of reference for all ongoing initiatives. The result is a formalised account of core messaging, key differentiators and strategic positioning of the brand towards future growth.
> Brand Strategy
> Brand Positioning
> Brand Architecture
> Brand Messaging
> Naming
> Tagline
03: Identity
Built upon the foundation and framework of the previous two phases, the identity development is where the brand comes to life.
Far more than just a logo, your identity must be a visual distillation of your brands DNA - an authentic, distinct and unified visual language that boldly represents your brand across all touchpoints. It should foster immediate recognition and preference with your customers. Ultimately, it’s the media that connects you to your customers, conveying your brand in a way that resonates, appeals and engages.
Colour, typography, imagery and iconography are each thoroughly explored until uncovering a recipe that perfectly conveys your brand essence and story.
> Logo
> Identity Suite
> Colour Palette
> Typography
> Iconography
> Image Style
04: Expression
Expression is the development of all of the brand assets and media through which your brand engages with its audience. It includes your website, marketing collateral, photography, copywriting, signage and so on. Every touch-point should be a compelling and engaging representation of your brand identity regardless of medium.
Your brands expression is an interplay of visual and verbal language that clearly communicates your brand’s ethos. The visual element of the brand expression aligns design components with brand personality, ensuring consistency and authenticity. The verbal component comes in the form of messaging—copywriting and content that precisely communicates your differentiating value.
Together the visual and verbal captures and engages your audience and comes to life in touchpoints across the spectrum—digital and print, photography and video, mobile and social.
> Websites
> Copywriting
> Photography
> Collateral
> Packaging
> Signage
> Environments
> Stationery
05: Alignment
Alignment is a continuous process. It’s the means of ensuring every brand expression and touch-point is continually both up to standard and true to the core of the business and brand.
Beginning with the development of brand guidelines and brand book–that summarises and captures the brand values, purpose and also covers what this means in terms of practical application–it provides quick reference and guidance to assist your team in upholding and championing your brand values and message.
Creative Dept’s ongoing services for the implementation and management of your brand ensure you get the most out of your investment. Having developed the brand, we understand it to the core, so you can be confident we’re most qualified to oversee its assets and execute its communications.
> Brand Guidelines
> Brand Rollouts
> Brand Training
> Brand Management
> Ongoing Services