Imagine you’re at a party with some friends. Everyone’s having a good time, enjoying a few cocktails and having fun. Then a fight breaks out between one of the couples you’re with. They start screaming at each other. One of them storms out. Awkward moment ensues and you think to yourself, there they go again. Whether that couple likes it or not, they have a brand.
Everything has a brand. Your grandma has a brand. Think stale smelling knitted blankets and doilies who continues to give you Peeps as a treat even though you hate Peeps. People who drive a Subaru have a brand. Think environmentally conscious, liberal who tries to make you feel like shit because you don’t eat all of your food raw. Couples also have brands. Couples that fight, couples that over-parent their kids, couples that over-share details of their lives.
A brand is a promise of what to expect from something or someone. It comes from your past experiences of that particular person, place, etc. Regardless if you like McDonalds or not, the experience is very consistent, I know what I am going to get. Just like when I hang out with a couple who fights, I know that an argument will ensue at some point.
Most businesses mistake their branding for being their logo, stationary and promotional items like bic roller pens or coffee mugs. These things are extensions of your brand but your true brand identity starts from within your organization. Branding starts with mission, vision and values, the internal culture, how employees are treated and how products are made. Have you ever had bad service at a restaurant or retail outlet? That’s true branding. A will designed logo can’t overcome that.
Think about the details of your business for a minute. Where can your systems improve? Are there breakdowns in communication that need to be addressed? How is your relationship with your team? Visuals for your brand are important but when the wrong action is taken around those visuals, it  makes any design work you do irrelevant.
What is your brand? Are you creating the experience that you want them to have?
We created 10 essential points to creating an experience for your following. You can download a copy of that here. No e-mail address needed. Just click the link.
Very true. The difference between your true identity and who you want to be, is what you do.
Great point. Thanks for commenting.