Branding is NOT Just Your Logo
Written by: Taylor Kerecman, Junior Account Manager
Your company just finalized the logo, put it on the website, and set it as the social media profile photos. So you’re done with branding, right? Wrong. The scope of branding reaches far beyond a logo and greatly impacts how current and potential customers perceive your brand.
What is Branding?
If not just a logo, what is branding then? According to this article by The Branding Journal, branding is “the process of giving a meaning to specific organization, company, products or services by creating and shaping a brand in consumers’ minds. It is a strategy designed by organizations to help people quickly identify and experience their brand, and give them a reason to choose their products over the competition’s, by clarifying what this particular brand is and is not.” So yes, your logo is included in your branding, but you must also consider every other component a customer comes in contact with when interacting with your brand. When done successfully, branding creates loyal customers.
Some of the main elements of branding include colors, fonts, advertisements, messaging, strategy, values, voice, and personality of a business. These should be seen on a website, social media, business cards, signage, graphics, and anything else created by your company. Without all these elements working together, a brand is not cohesive.
The Importance of Branding
We know of course that a good logo is essential for branding, but the other branding aspects are just as important. Branding keeps your company consistent in the minds of your customers. When done right, even just a color can remind an audience of your brand (ex., the teal color you associate with Tiffany & Co.). People are much better at recalling companies that have great branding. When all branded elements are cohesive and integrated, you stand out. The connection branding makes with people helps to gain the trust of consumers. When someone trusts a brand, they will likely become a repeat customer and recommend it to their friends.
Now more than ever with social media, people are being exposed to new brands daily through various channels. This means your brand has to stand out to be chosen above many other options. One example of branding on social media is creating Instagram highlight covers that match your colors and show some personality.
Where Do I Start?
Now that you know how important branding is, you're probably wondering, “Where do I start when branding my business?”. The starting place for building your brand is typically your logo which sets the tone throughout the rest of the elements. For example, the font chosen for the logo is now the font you use as the headings in your promo emails. The primary and secondary colors are now used for supplementary assets like menus, posters, social media content, etc. Your company now has a recognizable personality across any channel seen by consumers.
A great way to ensure consistency is to create a brand book. This outlines every detail of your branding and how to follow your company’s branding standards properly. The sections in a brand book are typically logo, typography, colors, and patterns/design components. Each section includes a description, dos and don’ts, and tips for correctly incorporating each element into branded materials.
Branding makes both a physical and emotional impact on customers. Taking the time to lay out all branded materials in a brand book will keep all assets consistent. This is important for in-house marketing or bringing in an outside agency. That way, everyone is on the same page and knows how to represent your brand correctly.
If you’re ready to stand out from the crowd, gain the trust of loyal customers, and visually define the look and feel of your brand, gather your creative team (or call us) and start reviewing your brand on a deeper level than just your logo.
