With so much competition in the business world, having memorable, consistent and up-to-date branding is a must. Old, dated branding creates connotations of being out of touch, with potential clients likely to associate old-fashioned branding with an old-fashioned approach and, basically, a product or service that is below par.
Digital presence and social media mean that a businesses brand or profile can be seen thousands of times a week, and with an increased number of users seeing this visual, aesthetic side of things; it is absolutely essential to get right.
If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘branding’, or perhaps haven’t given it much consideration, read on to learn what it is, and why it is now time to start thinking about it.
What is branding?
The term branding can be confusing. It is a marketing concept that, at times, can come across as a little vague. The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘branding’ as, ‘The activity of giving a particular name and image to goods and services so that people will be attracted to them and want to buy them’.
A brand, or branding, is a way for a company to communicate their vision and what they are about. So, name, logo, colour palette, tone of voice, typography and tagline are all part of branding.
Where a product can be mimicked, or out-right copied, branding cannot. We all know that Coca-Cola and Pepsi taste the same. Yet a lot of people are fairly steadfast in their commitment to one or the other. Most of this is down to successful branding.
Coca-Cola is arguably the best branded product in the world, and a great example of the power of good branding. It is predicted that 94% of Earth’s entire population recognise the red and white logo. And that logo creates an expectation of a certain taste, but also a certain feeling, vibe or memory.
However, even the best brands need to be updated and freshened up to stay ahead of the curve.
Why fresh branding is important?
It isn’t hard to see that the world we live in changes and develops rapidly – this is as true for business as it is anything else. Audiences, markets, trends and expectations across most industries aren’t the same as they were a few years ago. To keep up with this movement, fresh branding is essential.
As we’ve briefly touched upon, out-dated branding can give potential clients and customers negative feelings about a company; with these feelings amplified if your competitors are particularly up on their branding game.
But the benefits of improved branding aren’t limited to this, there are multiple reasons to undertake a brand refresh.
For example, a change or tweak to a company’s branding can be a great way to reconnect with some old customers, or to appeal to a new line (or new age) of customer.
A change in branding can also help you refocus on the fundamentals of your business. As businesses grow, they inevitably develop and change. The branding that was appropriate for a business five years ago might not be appropriate for what it has grown into – this is an important aspect to consider.
And lastly, a re-brand or refresh provides a great opportunity to generate some excitement and give a marketing campaign some real direction. Increased exposure from a campaign launching the changes made to a brand can then result in increased sales and reaching a new audience.
How to Keep Your Brand Fresh?
Whether a larger, more radical re-brand, or a smaller brand refresh is required, this is undoubtedly something that requires professional and expert involvement.
It requires seasoned designers and experience using a range of different programmes and software.
However, there are things a business can do before approaching an agency that can make the process a little easier.
Reviewing key areas of your industry and your own business can help the team undertaking the branding work develop ideas that are in-line with your product and your sector. Whilst analysing competitor branding can ensure that you are offering something alternative to them.
After this, think about the visual identity that you want to create. Colour tweaks and image changes all count towards a brand variation. Finally, think about the tone of voice across your tag-lines, social media and any other communication platform. Tone of communication can play a huge role in how potential customers and clients remember a business.
As you can see, re-working a brand requires a lot of work. With time being money, have business owners really got the time to attempt this on their own?
Examples of how brands have changed
https://turbologo.com/articles/coca-cola-logo/
https://www.pnclogos.com/google-logos-throughout-history/
WADEDIGITAL are experts in brand work and have undertaken multiple large re-branding and smaller brand refresh projects. If you think your brand is a bit out of touch or outdated, please contact us and see if we can help.
