Branding is the process of creating a specific strong, memorable image and identity for your business. Besides utilizing good design and media that will help sell your product or service and stick in consumers’ minds, a good brand should inspire loyalty and confidence in your company by emoting specific responses and associations in your target audience.
In order for this to happen, make sure whomever you hire to help you develop a brand carefully considers your target market. Although any research you do in the process of developing a brand can be done through various sources, it’s a good idea to try and find a company that you want to create all of your materials as well as develop your brand. That way you know the designers and editors working on your materials have a firm understanding of your brand. You can often receive a discount from the sheer volume of work, as well.
Once you’ve developed your brand, it’s crucial to utilize it as universally as possible so that it can succeed at being instantly recognizable, memorable and so the associations it inspires will truly become one with how the consumer views your company, products and/or services. In fact, your company should literally become your brand, and every aspect of your look, behavior and business philosophy should exude it.
To ensure that your brand is as cohesively applied as possible, it is again helpful to enlist the aid of a single design and media house for producing all of your advertising and promotional materials, as opposed to going to multiple sources. Different studios can have very different styles, and if the way your brand is presented fluctuates too greatly, it will be more difficult for it to effectively serve its purpose. Be careful of advertising firms that look like they might handle everything in- house, but actually end up outsourcing much of their work. Also, try to find a company that has been around at least a good decade, as well, so that you know they’ll be able to keep creating your materials into the future and won’t just disappear as so many recently have.
Here are some materials you should apply your brand to:
Print Design and Development:
Corporate Identity
A Corporate Identity is representative of the core essence of your business. It should therefore truly be the visual expression of what your business does as well as the philosophy by which it operates. It includes elements such as Logos, Stationary, Letterhead, Envelopes, Business Cards, Labels, etc.
Advertising and Self Promotion
Product or service advertising and self-promotional pieces should also work as elements of any brand marketing campaign for your business. These pieces may do nothing more than increase awareness of your brand identity (the recognizable look as well as the concepts you wish associated with your company) or communicate a distinct and specific message about a product or service to your target market. No matter what your goals may be, however, these elements are arguably the most crucial part of a branding campaign because they will often be the first or only impression that you leave with most of your future clients.
Advertising and Self Promotional Pieces could include Magazine, Newspaper, Billboard, etc. Ads; Brochures; Flyers; Direct Mail; Posters; Point-of-Purchase Displays; etc.
Packaging
Package Design is the final chance your company has to make a lasting impression before a consumer purchases your product or service. You can waste a fortune in advertising if the consumer looks right over your product or isn’t convinced it will do what’s promised because of inadequate presentation.
Packaging includes all Boxes, Cartons, Bags, Blister Packs, Clam Shells, Wrappers and Labels, CD Cases, etc.
Publications
When I say publications, I’m not just talking about a company who publishes magazines. This could be as simple as a paper or email newsletter. Whether the publication is used Business to Business, Business to Consumer or Internally, many companies forget that every one of their publications can leave important impressions on all who view them. Publications may include Newsletters, Catalogs, Books, Magazines, etc.
Make sure to read Part II of our guide to branding your business for more crucial ways to implement your new brand…
Copyright CVP Productions 2004
Michael Millhollen is the Head Graphic Designer at CVP
Productions, an award winning full service Design, Animation &
Video Production studio based out of The Kansas City Metro Area
but servicing the entire U.S. Visit http://www.cvpproductions.com
to see if they’re the right company to assist you with all of
your promotional & advertising needs.
