The power of branding

The power of branding - how to transform your business identity

Branding isn’t just about a logo, a catchy slogan, or a colour palette, though these are all important components. Branding captures the very essence of who you are as a business and how you choose to express yourselves to your audience. It’s your personality, containing your values and promises.

What comes to your mind when you hear the iconic chime of a MacBook starting up, see a swoosh on a trainer, or taste that distinct cola flavour. Apple, Nike, Coca Cola. These aren’t just random associations; they result from deliberate and well-executed branding strategies.

A strong brand isn’t just focussed on the name and logo, it’s your overall proposition. Take for instance Apple. A lot of people argue that there are better products out there, but the branding of Apple as a designer of luxury and innovative technology products allows it to charge higher prices and build loyal fan bases.

Look at the coffee market, there are 1000s of companies that sell coffee, but Starbucks promise of a consistent, cosy and a community focussed experience turns occasional visitors into regular customers. Dyson don’t just sell Hoovers they sell a promise of product excellence which has allowed them to diversify their product range and move into other crowded markets selling Heaters, Hairdryers and other products.

When customers in the UK see the iconic green of Waitrose or the emblematic orange of Sainsbury’s, there’s an immediate sense of reliability. Such recognisable brand elements signal a promise of consistency and quality.

Whether you are a new start up, or an established business, understanding the importance of branding will help you gain a competitive advantage in busy marketplaces and differentiate your product/service offerings from others.

The key components of building a successful brand identity are:

The Logo: This is often the first visual mark associated with branding. A logo is a symbol or design that represents your business. It is the outward image of your Company for all external communications whether it be B2B or B2C. It should be designed in a way that can be used in lots of different formats with clear rules around usage documented in the brand guidelines.

Colours: Choosing the right colours to associate with your brand is key in increasing brand recognition. Colours can be used to influence emotions, for example red can convey excitement, whereas blue can portray trust. Most brands have primary and secondary colour palettes that can be used across a variety of marketing channels, from brochures to social media and websites. The colours and the references should be documented in your brand guidelines.

Fonts: The fonts you use can be a huge part of a Company’s visual identify. Most businesses have different fonts for offline and online marketing. Using the same typefaces across all internal and external communications ensures consistency for the brand image.

Imagery: Photography, illustrations, icons, graphical devices can all play a key role in a brand identity. These visual devices also communicate to your audience and if used correctly become an essential part of a Company’s branding. Some businesses choose to use employees in their imagery and others use actors and outsource the photography. It is important to have a clear strategy and image bank from the start to ensure that the imagery used around the brand becomes another key differentiator. 

Tone of voice: Every brand has a voice – a tone in which they communicate with their audience. This voice can be formal, playful, authoritative, or in any other manner that aligns with the Company’s ethos. For example using humour can break down barriers and has been proven to enhance and secure audience attention for a longer period of time. Your tone of voice is another good way to set your brand apart from the competition.

The most important part of designing a brand is the brand guidelines. This is a document that contains all the above and the rules on how all elements of the brand should be used and work together to create a strong brand identity. This document is critical in helping your brand work effectively both internally and externally and drive consistency across your marketing communications. If this is done correctly then your brand identity will transform your business and drive future growth.

At Amplified we can help with all elements of branding. Contact us today to find out more.