https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3kEu0HmfaI&feature=youtu.be
Brand development is discovering your brand’s authentic brand promise and then developing communications to bring that message to life with your target audience.
Brand development for your business should recognise that your business is already unique. But more often than not, those qualities get hidden from the people that matter: the people who already share your values. We see it repeatedly; companies twist and turn to be what they think consumers want them to be. But as they chase a moving target, they lose the authenticity that made them brilliant, to begin with.
Don’t try to be the next Apple, Uber or Netflix. Be you because nobody else can. You need the people who share your values to see your product or service and know there’s no choice except to choose you. Bringing out brilliant in your business has the power to turn a like-minded customer into a raving fan.
Because beige brands don’t inspire raving fans, It’s time to show your true colours.
Find your brand’s voice and then shout it proud.
Where do I start with developing a brand?
Many people assume that branding is either the “logo” or something that falls somewhere between the creative and marketing departments. It’s a CEO-level initiative that drives the momentum of an entire organisation.
We help define what makes you unique because we believe that you need two ingredients: uniqueness and authenticity to build a successful brand. Both come from honestly expressing your purpose and values, which means that you won’t just get customers, but you’ll be loved by those that share your beliefs.
Phase 1: Goal Post Alignment
Surprisingly, most companies don’t have a well-articulated understanding of who they are.
Imagine your brand on a single page so everyone can understand it
This phase aims to gather existing knowledge about what’s at the heart of your brand, then refine that into five concise statements.
Purpose: A great purpose at the core of a brand has the power to unite an organisation.
Vision: What does the future look like for your business? What are the short, medium and long term goals?
Values: What truths underlie the way things get done in your business? What are your principles? What governs your existence?
Positioning: What will your business be famous for?
Promise: Finally, what phrase captures it all?
As the Goal Post name suggests, this will ‘move’ as your brand develops through the process but serves as our valuable starting point.
What is the best approach to Brand development?
Phase 2: Discovery
We now immerse ourselves in your brand and the broader world in which it will live—stepping into your customer’s shoes to see how they encounter your brand before, during and after engaging with your product or service.
We audit your brand to find the “brilliant” that’s at the core of your business, including reviewing existing assets and previous activity to build an understanding of what’s working, what’s not and most importantly, why. All this provides insight into how you are currently positioned versus how you will be set in the future. It’s also imperative for us to evaluate the broader market from a brand perspective. We do this via a particular graphic, positioning, messaging analysis of competitive products and their design equities and merits.
This phase serves as an opportunity to discover underutilised or even under-discovered touchpoints for where the most significant opportunities lie for building momentum in your brand. We then stress test and adjust the Goal Post Alignment accordingly.
Phase 3: Building your brand World
Now we begin to create your brand world, developing a look, a tone, a behaviour that’s indelibly branded and instantly recognisable. Because the strongest brands live in a world of their own creation. We build familiar cues and communication devices that will become synonymous with your brand. Design strategies are agreed upon among all stakeholders before moving to the design phase.
Phase 4: Design development and production
We now create a sweet of brand assets in line with your brand strategy, allowing us to develop unusual yet practical solutions to real previously defined opportunities. Throughout the design process, we use a prototyping model, allowing all stakeholders to scrutinise concepts as close to ‘near life’ as possible. Design development is shared with all stakeholders, enabling them to sense how an idea will work in the real world. Problems can be identified and solved early with this staged design development process. Suppliers and other project partners are introduced into this process as required; meaning specialist expertise is introduced early, resulting in a team that’s already up to speed before final production.
Centrally managing your brand development through a platform like Basecamp Can help centralise your brand development, meaning a single point of quality control that ensures consistent feedback and updates across all elements.
What are the benefits of brand development?
A practical and clearly defined brand strategy gives you a significant edge in increasingly competitive markets.
Defines uniqueness
The clearer your brand is attracts employees and customers to your brand.
Time to stand out from the crowd?
Drives Choice
Because you stand out and are clear about who you are and what you believe. Your audience becomes engaged and United because they share the same purpose or the internal talent, lowering recruitment costs.
Creates Premium
Employees get more value through nonmonetary incentives, creating a lower base salary. Customers can be charged a higher price as you offer additional emotional benefits.
Engenders Loyalty
Fosters retention for employees and hence lowers the cost of training. Fosters repeat purchase recommendations and overall loyalty.