How Brand Strategy Supports a Strong Brand Identity
Most people agree that a logo is an important part of branding, but fewer understand why brand strategy is important. Brand strategy and design help you understand the values that are the pillars of your brand, how to communicate them effectively, and how to visualize them in a way that truly speaks to your ideal audience.
What are Brand Values?
Brand values are the foundation of your brand strategy—the secret sauce that adds flavor to your marketing. They are the why behind the what and how of your brand, and can be elusive to pin down. Lots of people will tell you that one of their brand values is authenticity. This term is thrown around a lot these days, but it is not a value—it is a way of communicating that occurs naturally once you have honed in on the pillars that support your brand. Playful can be a brand value, expanded to “Our brand connects with fun-loving youth through play.” Further, the brand can communicate play through the tone of their language and the style of photography and illustration used in their advertising. They can design their office space to include colorful wall graphics, and fun activities for their staff. A brand value can become integral to how a brand operates and communicates.
“A brand is the promise of an experience.”
So, how does an organization identify their brand values? Most of us can list what we do and how we do it. But why we do it—that can be trickier to hone in on. There are lots of free brand strategy workbooks out there, but a brand strategist brings an outside perspective and the clarity to ask additional probing questions that will lead to your why—the unique combination of values that brings meaning to the whats and hows of your brand.
I will talk with you about your company’s history, audience, ideal clients, competition, and future, then use this information to craft a brand map for you, highlighting your brand values, mission, goals, and ways to communicate these to your ideal client.
How are Brand Values Communicated?
Consistent messaging connects with your ideal audience because they know what you stand for, which builds loyalty (just look at the customers that line up for the new iPhone or the athlete wearing Nike from head to toe, or hikers who hashtag photos of themselves wearing the newest Patagonia gear while climbing a mountain). Imagine being able to base every business decision through the filter of your brand values and mission. The best companies do so: Apple, Nike, Patagonia. They ask themselves when they hire—will this person support our message and amplify it? When reacting to a crisis or issue, they ask—if our brand were a person with these values, how would they react, what would they say? When looking at design, they ask themselves—would my brand “wear” that? With strong brand values and mission, decisions are easier, and communication at all levels of your organization is consistent.
Brand Strategy and Design are Stronger Together
Once you know what the pillars of your brand are, you need to translate those words and feelings into visuals that communicate with your audience at a glance. The next logical step is translating your brand strategy into a logo or wordmark, or updating your current logo to one that more accurately reflects the values you have uncovered. While a logo is not the be-all and end-all of your branding, it needs to make a good first impression, which then can be supported through messaging and additional visuals. Strategy is the foundation of your brand’s house, while design and marketing is the structure your customer interacts with.
For many years, I did not offer strategy, and designed fairly decent logos. I relied on the client to provide me with the insight I needed. Sometimes I was lucky enough to work with clients who were very self-aware, but many times I would get vague answers or none at all, and I had to rely on instinct to design something that fit. Often it would take many rounds to hone in on the right look, which was frustrating for both client and designer. Now, with brand strategy in hand, I can confidently offer one strong visual solution with minimal back-and-forth. The visuals truly fit the brand, and I provide color and typography palettes that amplify your brand values and messaging while helping you stand out from the competition.
