Brand Identity Development

At Element Three, we often work with mid-size organizations to help them develop their brand create and implement marketing strategy and develop creative brand communications. Sometimes, our clients are new to these processes or to working with an Indianapolis marketing firm. Often, moving through the creative process is the most challenging part for those who are new to working with an outside creative resource.

To make things easy, we take a step-by-step approach. Once the key differentiators of the brand are identified, we create a series of potential brand boards that show how your brand might look and sound in type, copy, image and color. Once a directional board is chosen for the brand, everyone feels more confident as we develop brand identity. Next, for instance, many Indianapolis marketing firms may jump right to tight, comprehensive layouts to show creative concepts. We prefer to show several rough sketches so that the client has an early chance to give feedback. Once a rough sketch is selected and feedback is given, the entire team has a plan of attack agreed upon before moving into a tighter executional stage.

Checkpoints are good because they offer a chance for communication and clarity for the marketing partner and for the client. They also make for great creative executions.

Today in Adage, they published an article entitled: Ten Signs the Worst of 2009 is Behind Us... and 10 Reasons to Remain Worried about 2010.

So which is it?

Truth is, none of us know for sure.

I encourage you to read the article in its entirety, but a couple of macro themes stuck out to me.

1) Consumer confidence remains low. Until people are certain their jobs are not going to go away and they become certain they are not going to need to support additional family members or friends - people are going to do without and pull back on discretionary spending.

2) The available housing inventory is decreasing as a result of the 'first time home buyer' tax credit and crazy low interest rates - but whether or not we can continue to outpace the number of foreclosures and defaults coming into the market has yet to be seen.

3) Ad spending is down for what could be the third consecutive decline, unprecedented since the Depression. People are certainly consuming less, but they are also becoming more focused in their spending. At our marketing firm in Indianapolis, Element Three, we have encouraged our clients to spend less building general awareness (these would be ad dollars) and shift that spend towards client retention, penetration and creating brand awareness in target markets. This is a time when companies should become more focused in the products they offer and the customers they service.

What are steps your company is taking to become more focused in their marketing efforts in this economic period?

I teach at Herron School of Art and Design in the Visual Communication Program. As well as teaching student designers how to be create great brand communications, we also have classes that focus on the creative problem solving process or what we call 'design thinking'. The idea is that there are many ways to use the creative process. Some of them end up with tangible designed objects or artifacts like brand identity, advertising, or other design outcomes. But other problems may not necessarily lead to the creation of brand communications. They may lead to a new process, a new product idea, a new organization, a new system or concept. Innovation, a highly prized possession in corporate America, doesn't happen automatically. So if you have a problem in your organization, your marketing or your process that you'd like to have us address in an innovative way, let us employ design thinking on your behalf...and with you as an active participant. E-mail Tiffany at tiffany@discoverelementthree.com to learn more.

We use Compendium for our blogging partner. Of course, the purpose of (most) blogs is to let people know a little bit about the "real" you, whether an individual or company. In many instances, the way bloggers are found is through online search for a particular subject or item. For instance, maybe you're a fan of the "Arizona Cardinals" (hey, why not?) or "Native Americans living in Cleveland", or "talentless unemployed actors" (to save time, one could also type in "Carrot Top").

On to my point: when writing in Compendium, they provide targeted keywords, which help the bloggers (moi) keep on track. The more keywords used, the stronger the post. In true 21st century coolness, there's even a keyword strength indicator, where red means "Steve, stop writing about the Arizona Cardinals" and green indicates "you're the best blogger, ever."

Today, I'm going for the green. This will be the strongest, keyword-heaviest, blog post. Ever... So, if you were looking for any (or all) of the following, sit back and enjoy (alpha order for your viewing pleasure):

Best Marketing Plans, Brand Chemistry, Brand Communication, Brand Consulting Companies, Brand Consulting Group, Brand Development Services, Brand Development Strategies, Brand Identity Development, Brand Marketing Consultants, Brand Positioning Strategy, Brand Strategy Agency, Brand Strategy Company, Brand Strategy Consultants, Brand Strategy Firm, Branding Consultancy, Business Communications Indianapolis, Business Logo Creation, Certified Brand Strategist, Corporate Brand Strategy, Creative Brand Development, Develop Brand Identity, Developing Brand Strategy, Indianapolis Ad Agency, Indianapolis Advertising Marketing, Indianapolis Brand Consultants, Indianapolis Brand Development, Indianapolis Brand Management, Indianapolis Brand Marketing, Indianapolis Business Marketing, Indianapolis Corporate Branding, Indianapolis Marketing Agency, Indianapolis Marketing Communications, Indianapolis Marketing Consultants, Indianapolis Marketing Firms, Indianapolis Marketing Plans, Indianapolis Marketing Strategy, Indianapolis Marketing Tools, Indianapolis Strategic Marketing, Logo Creation Services, Marketing Brand Development, Marketing Integration, Marketing Launch Strategy, Midwest Marketing Partner, Online Brand Strategy, Return on Marketing Investment, Strategic Brand Consulting, Strategic Brand Development, Strategic Marketing Planning, Successful Marketing Plans

There. I've officially made Code Green with the strongest blog post, ever! Call Element Three today if any of that interests you. Or, if you'd rather talk NFL football (especially the Arizona Cardinals) or wish to debate who the best hair metal bands from the eighties are, I'm ready.

It's easiest for us to think about brand touchpoints like logos, stationery, advertising, brochures and Web sites. These are the controllable things. Many organizations do a great job developing brand identity. And their brand consulting groups typically advise them (as we do) to create a set of foundational rules for the use of these tools so that they are used consistently.

Yet the most influential and memorable brand touchpoints of all is your people.

A recent airport experience highlighted this for me. I arrived at the gate of a well known airline that touts its friendliness and warmth. My colleague and I came up to the gate agent with our boarding passes. She said, "What do you want?", in a less than warm and friendly way. Taken aback, we said we wanted to check into the flight. She said, "Sit down. I'm not ready for you yet." in a brusque voice, thus undoing all the brand's communications to date.

In summary, make sure you train your people in the way you want your brand to be delivered so that what you SAY aligns with what you DO.

For a recent brand positioning project, the Element Three team was asked to clariify the structure of the brand. If you haven't heard of brand structure, it is not the same as your org chart. Brand structure determines how your brand faces the outside world. Do you lead with your overall brand name or with your products? Do you divide you messages by product line or by work process? Typically, these decisions are based on the place from which your brand derives its equity.

For instance, General Motors, leads with Chevrolet, Cadillac and its other product lines. The GM brand backs up the product lines but the product lines themselves drive equity to GM. GM adds a level of comfort to those product lines. So too is Proctor & Gamble a product-driven brand structure. These mega corporations can afford to market multiple brands unlike most organizations. Each brand you send to market represents a substantial investment in marketing costs to create awareness, credibility and intent to purchase.

Our brand consulting group can work with your organization to help you understand your brand's structure before you launch into marketing strategy, brand identity development or other strategic marketing investments. This assures that you are spending your marketing dollars in the right way by facing the market most advantageously.

Recently, a .jpg was making all the rounds via email and blogspots that showcased how the Pepsi brand identity/logotype has constantly evolved  while that of rival Coca-Cola had remained unchanged.

The reality is that both Pepsi and Coke have evolved over time, which should come as no surprise to anyone who understands the differences between advertising in the 1880's and marketing today.

For a glimpse into the Coca-Cola trademark evolution, click here. For the real Pepsi story, click here. Special thanks to the always-informative blog underconsideration for uncovering the truth behind these iconic cola brands. 

A recent Newsweek article, "What's in a New Logo?" by Blake Ellis and Josh Glasser, discussed refurbished brand identities and included these images of Apple Computer's first logo mark alongside its most recent brand mark.

Honestly, would you buy a computer or even a hard drive from the company that created the mark on the far left? Apple has become such a symbol of innovation and technology that it's hard to imagine this was once its logo mark. Strong Brand Chemistry is created when your visual brand communications truly represent your people, products and services.

To develop visuals and brand communications that truly represent your brand, contact tiffany@discoverelementthree.com.

Have you heard of TED? TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an invitation-only event where the world's leading thinkers and doers gather to find inspiration. You can learn more about it at http://blog.ted.com/

As designers, we can create amazing brand communication assets. We can also use the design process to solve problems for your business in innovative ways. TED is evidence of the power of the creative process. If you think your organization is beyond help, go and read the TED blog for inspiration. Then give us a call. Whether you need help with brand identity, brand communications or more indepth business problems, our processes can help you get there more quickly.

Once again, I'm inspired by blogpost by British designer David Airey, comparing various brand identities side by side to show similarities. 

One example. As an avid sports fan and follower of identity and logo design from around the world, I'm surprised I'd never before noticed how close the LA Lakers and LA Clippers logos are:

Tom Petty remarked many years ago, "You know, all the songs have been written." While that's not entirely true, there is little doubt that designers and artists have been ripping off other designers and artists since Thag and his nemesis Thor started painting in the caves of Lascaux.

Certainly, it is possible for a single, simple idea or concept to be rendered similarly, particularly today, where more tools and online "research" are available to an ever-growing number of designers. Even more plausible is the concept of subliminal reference. It's only logical to assume that if something has been seen, even admired, that it would influence a designer's future work.

In designing corporate identity, it's critical that the logo be noticeable, memorable and – most importantly – appropriate for the business or entity. 

Back to the NBA logos above...Given the Lakers (originally from Minneapolis, thus the lake reference) logo existed long before the Clippers, I'd say the Clippers should attempt to be more relevant. Having a basketball in the logo isn't unique...so, what about the name? How could the Clippers come up with an identity that says "basketball and clipper ships"? 

Given the other differences in the franchises (Lakers with 15 NBA championships, the Clippers with 4 playoff appearances), perhaps the Clippers could simply tweak their logo by deflating the ball... Just a thought. I don't have a monopoly on all the good ideas!

Check out some of the other similar logo pairings at David's blog found here.

My inbox features a daily e-newsletter, SmartBrief from AAAA.  It always contains subject matter that is relevant to the marketing and advertising communications industry. Today's article, Zappos Review Ignites Agency Ire, touched on the often sticky subject of RFPs.

Apparently, Zappos, posted its request for proposal on Adweek.com and 104 agencies responded to the opportunity to participate in the agency review process with the hopes of landing (or at least making the first cut) a $7 million account. For some, that meant two weeks of intensive effort on creating spec work. Keep in mind Zappo's original list contained 16 agencies; companies they pre-defined as qualified.  The posting process added another 6 to the list. In all, 22 agencies will have the opportunity to pitch for the business.  Can you imagine how exhausted the client will be after that exercise? I can see heads spinning now.  I only hope they have a detailed set of selection criteria pre-established before embarking on the daunting task of sitting through a 22-participant agency review process.

From Element Three's perspective, we are not a big fan of RFP process.  We are a strategic marketing firm that specializes in brand development, marketing strategy and creative execution. To fully understand a current or future client's needs, we believe in the importance of developing a relationship and fully understanding a client's business objectives BEFORE we get involved in pitching ideas.  To do our best work, the creative design and execution needs to be grounded in solid strategy. As strategy consultants, we owe it to our clients to have that understanding before we begin to do the work. Equally as important, we get paid for our thinking and to give it away freely through the RFP process is less than desirable.

That is not to say we do not do it. As a rule, we shy away from RFPs. If we do decide to participate, it is because the proposal is clearly written to a specific strength such as brand development or developing brand identity. We always follow up with a phone call and ask key questions before making the decision to go through the response process. Our goal is to gather as much information as possible using the proposal to guide our questions. We also like to know if an incumbent agency is participating in the process. Armed with this key information, we then decide if we will respond.

Sometimes the RFP process works, but I wouldn't build my relationship development strategy on the odds of winning, which are usually less than favorable.

This past Friday our offices were all a buzz with positive energy. We have a client that desperately needs a new company name and brand identity; and Friday was the big reveal of our recommendations.

It was fantastic. Our creative process produced some very strong recommendations that we were excited to present, but that wasn't what made the day so great. It was the client.

I learned a lot on Friday about the key to getting kick-butt creative from your agency. Our client has a gift with people and he used that gift to get every individual at our Indianapolis marketing firm to give him their best work.

Here's what he did.

• He came in to the presentation excited and open to new ideas
• He listened and then he spoke
• He respected their expertise and asked their opinions
• He asked fair, tough questions in a non-judgmental way
• He didn't glance at his Blackberry during the presentation, he was completely present

It seems simple enough, doesn't it. I started thinking, these items apply to a list of life situations much longer than brand identity development and business logo creation. What would you add to the list?

We're currently in the midst of a brand identity development project for one of our clients. After going through our Brand Chemistry process (which includes a detailed competitive analysis and forward positioning strategy), our client was in agreement that a name change is in order. 

Brand identity is my passion, but more often than not, the company name is off limits and we develop a corporate identity, brand visual and brand strategy makeover. Developing a powerful name for a company is, for me, the ultimate challenge (and quite the process).

For starters, what do you want your name to do? A powerful name can:
. demonstrate your company is different (for now, we'll assume your company is different!)
. achieve separation from the competition (most check this one)
. be unforgettable (like AAA Vacuum Supplies – only better)
. be emotionally engaging (versus cold and sterile: Agilliant Technologies anyone?)
. provide a deep well for marketing (in other words, it's got legs...)
. dominate a category (or at the least, change the landscape within your industry)

More on corporate naming strategies in future posts.

For now some questions for you: how does your company's name rate? Does your name tie into your company's vision? Is it forgettable? Is it easy to say? Does it rise above the goods and services you provide? Does it make sense to your customer base? Can you and your employees tell a story around your name? I'm interested in your comments.

The confluence of smaller marketing budgets, increased ability to track and target customers, and the further penetration of social media into the daily awareness of buyers speak to the reality of the two reports here and here, which say that traditional ad revenues are down this year and measurable returns are a must have for budgets in 09.  

They also speak to reality that marketing strategies will have increasing opportunity cost for employees.  This article correctly points out that the paramount demand to make social media successful is time.  Unlike ad campaigns of days of old or for large national brands, a "campaign" will become less in the hands of the marketing partner or ad agency, and more in the hands of the employees that service the customer.  To borrow from Milton Friedman, we're all marketers now.  In the sense that the cost structure and accessibility of communication tools has tore down the barriers of entry, allowing everyone take part in the marketing process.  

So if sales and operational staff is gaining greater control, what value do marketing firms and ad agencies have?  Not much if they don't change.  While creative ideas will continue to be essential to viability, a shift in thinking and capability is necessary in that marketing partners must know how to effectively support organizational change within client companies.  Effective business communications can't have 50 employees saying 50 different messages in the marketplace, destroying any brand alignment created through traditional marketing messages.  

In the same way a new product has a marketing launch strategy, the adoption of a new method of communication like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn within your firm must be thoughtful and choreographed, or it can do more damage than good. 

First thing's first, your employees have to know who/what is your unique position in the marketplace, in order for them to communicate that.  Train your staff on your brand identity development and brand positioning strategy.  Demand that your marketing firm provide continuing education, oversight, accountability, and support.  

Firms all over the country, including Indianapolis marketing firms and Indianapolis ad agencies, can no longer afford to be hands off creatives.  We need to become true partners, and develop the discipline of execution.  And, that sometimes requires we get our hands dirty. 

  

For years, we’ve preached that companies must be the brand, or to borrow a line from Denny Green, companies “are who we thought they were.” (Even as a Cardinals fan, I still get a kick out of Green’s infamous meltdown.)

Pepsi’s new brand identity development and marketing launch strategy has been in the news for months. What’s less reported was the massive internal marketing push with their employees that took place prior to the rollout, including webinars, town hall meetings and intranet updates leading up to the designated Rally Day, where the new logo and marketing was unveiled. “It was critical to get information to every person [as to] how they could bring [the brand’s new marketing message] to life in the marketplace.”, says Bill Wyman, senior marketing manager for Pepsi.

“If we were going to be successful in the marketplace, we were going to have to live and breathe the Pepsi brand with all of our employees,” Wyman says. “We set out to find every opportunity to communicate what we are doing, and why and how we are doing it.”

As developers of brand and marketing launch strategies, this seems obvious. Yet each day, companies large and small roll out new corporate identities, brand messaging or ad campaigns with plenty of background research, customer insights and C-level input without even a thought about getting critical buy-in from one of their greatest brand stewards – their employees.

To read the entire article on Pepsi’s internal relations rollout, click here.

All the big brand identity agencies must be shouting "hallelujah!" It seems like a parade of major consumer brands has been getting some kind of face lift. By now, surely everyone has noticed the new Pepsi "smile" that I've been none too kind toward. Now Kraft is getting in on the come-on-everyone-let's-get-happy act. In this case, they've unveiled an identity treatment that will be used at the corporate level only. This one won't make it to the packages on the shelf, so they say.

To me, the logo looks like a big red smile under the word "foods" in Kraft Foods and ends with a sort of flowery color burst. And it comes with the tagline "Make today delicious."

From the outside looking in, it seems Kraft set out to develop brand identity aimed at their own employees and channel partners. And, honestly, I like the direction. Those groups carry the enthusiasm to deliver on the overall brand promise to the consumers. I frequently advise that you can make things as pretty as you want and promise the moon and the stars, but if you can't deliver on it, the money won't follow.

I wonder what big brand will be the next to unveil some new brand element.

Let's hand it to the Cardinals. Not a soul would have picked them to even make it into the NFC championship, much less the Super Bowl. And, even though they lost to the Steelers last night, they put their hearts and souls into that game and emerged winners of a different kind. Enough about the game. What about the commercials?

I have to admit that I didn't see all the commercials. Of the few I caught, I really liked the Careerbuilder spot with the creepy coworker. Why? Because it was funny while still identifying with a number of reasons a person might want to be seeking a new job. They made a clever emotional connection. Even better, today I remember who that ad for for. And when I signed in to Facebook today, there was creepy coworker up in the corner just begging me to click on him. I like the integration going on here.

We had a gathering of Cardinals supporters in the living room. And while I stayed close to the kitchen to keep the thousands of calories freshened up for the fans, one conversation I overheard made me perk up my ears. My father-in-law, a retired mechanical engineer, talked about Coca-Cola in terms of its brand. He noted that it is probably the most well-known brand on the planet. There was talk about why in the world such a prominent brand would even spend money "in this economy" (this will be one of 2009's most popular phrases). My father-in-law astutely remarked that even strong brands need to keep brand-building.

Kristen (account lead here at Element Three) heard another brand conversation at the party she attended. The group discussed Gatorade going to "G" as their brand identity. People said things like, "Gatorade is such an established brand, they shouldn't depart from it." Kristen thinks that it is a positioning strategy. The name Gatorade still appears on the packaging. But the design has been freshened up to communicate "we're hip and cool, not old and outdated" as an answer to the flood of energy drinks and vitamin water in the market.

So, as I sit here looking at a magazine cover headline, "The Big Question for 2009: Is Branding Dead?" I'd have to say no. Consumers are talking about brand and using the term. And they don't just mean logo anymore. They - we - are getting smarter and smarter about brand and marketing. What are you doing to keep up?