Branding & Identity

People define “Brand” in a myriad of different ways, ranging from visual marks identifying a product, service, or company, to “an intangible asset that helps people identify a specific company and its products.” While I believe most of these definitions capture important aspects of what a Brand is, I define it a little differently. To me, a Brand is the overall narrative, both explicit and implicit, intended and unintended, that shapes the perception of company or product within the marketplace. It includes everything about how a company is perceived, the story they tell about themselves, the stories told about them, and what people believe about them.  Being able to capture, shape and direct that story is what Branding and Brand Management are all about. This means that a company or product’s mission, values, visual and verbal identities are all critical tools in achieving that goal. A brand identity starts with your values and mission. Who are you, what do you stand for, and what do you want to achieve. From there, a brand’s visual identity includes all of the symbols, logos, colors, fonts, and imagery used to communicate and encapsulate that brand narrative. Over time these symbols come to carry the Brand narrative in a concise and powerful way. (Think of all the ideas and values you associate with Nike’s “Swoosh” or Coca-Cola’s wordmark.) Partnered with visual identity is the verbal identity, how you write, speak and verbally communicate the brand story. Are you formal or in-formal? Do you use slang, tell jokes, or use emoji? All of these choices affect how people perceive the company and what they associate with it. Once you’ve crafted your Brand it’s time to live it. No matter what story is told “on paper”, one of the biggest aspects of a Brand’s credibility are the actions, behaviors, and choices that a company makes. These will critically impact the brand’s public perception and can either reinforce they desired narrative or significantly damage it. You need to deliver on your brand promises and find balance between ideals, needs, and business goals. At the end of the day it is not enough to tell the story, you have to live it.  Shall we get started?