Food For Thought: The importance of Brand Building
Apr 28, 2017
So many companies fail to see that having a strong brand is one of the fundamental aspects of the business to get right; it’s the reputation and the heart of the company. When it’s executed right it can have a knock on effect to improving the business itself.
The word ‘branding’ is thrown about a lot, but what does it actually mean? A brand is essentially someone’s perception of a company, from their customer service and reputation to their logo and much more! Branding is a process that needs to be planned out to successfully create a memorable logo and overall brand style that incorporates the core business values.
How can a strong brand impact your business?
First impressions are key. Did your parents ever tell you ‘not to judge a book by its cover’? Yes? Well, as humans we can’t help to. This is no different to the way people view your company. The human brain can process images around 60,000 times faster than it processes words and, we can spend less than 10 seconds on a website before deciding if we are interested in sticking around, with these initial 10 seconds being made entirely of visual first impressions, explains Leighton Interactive. So, how can you give a great first impression? We’ve compiled a list of components that you need to think about.
- Colour
Colour can increase brand recognition by up to 80%. It’s important to look into what colours mean in relation to the psychology behind them. Certain colours can provoke a certain reaction or feeling. Take red, for example. Red is an active colour, causing excitement and a sense of urgency. In comparison to, the colour green which gives off a peaceful and harmonious feel, keeping in line with its relationship with nature and health. Whilst purples and blues are trustworthy, wise and connote creativity.
It’s important to think about your customer in this stage and how you want them to react.
- Trend
You need your brand to not only fit you as a company and the message you want to give out, but to also be up to date with current design trends. This is key, as you don’t want to look out of date compared to your competitors. Look how often Starbucks update and change their logo to keep in the ‘now’. If big brands are regularly updating their logos, why shouldn’t you?
Not sure where to get inspiration? Or find the latest trends? Here are a few places you can turn to –
- Fashion- it is ever evolving and no two years are the same. It’s a great place in terms of colour and pattern inspiration, especially in high fashion.
- Pantone – great for picking out a unique colour to your logo.
- Trend Forecasting sites can be found on Google, too. ‘Just Creative’ is a website with a complied list of logo design trends for 2017- among them are minimalism, hand drawn and negative spaces. We found these by just typing in ‘Logo design 2017’ into Google.
There’s so much inspiration at a touch of a button! However, it is beneficial to also be inspired whilst you’re going about your day to day routine; put your phone away whilst you walk from A to B and visit local art galleries…you just don’t know when inspiration will hit you.
- Imagery
Imagery used in your logo can help explain what your company does. It acts as the answer, especially if the name of your company doesn’t give any clues. Think about how simple Instagram’s new logo is. It’s a simplified Polaroid camera which relates back to their idea; taking photos and being able to instantly share them! Try and stay away from using stock images for your logo, as this can come across lazy, and let’s be honest, a bit boring! You want to be original!
Recognition
One of the major components to the overall branding is your logo. It may seem like the fun part of the process but designing and finalising small details on a logo can be frustrating when things don’t go your way. So, before you rush into the design stage, take a step back and revisit your brand and your goals. It’s important to invest time and effort into creating a recognisable logo; as the acting face of your company, it deserves it! Think about how recognizable the Nike ‘Tick’ is and McDonald’s Golden Arches are. These companies have simple logo’s that are easily read internationally. It doesn’t have to be too intricate, nor does it need your company name in it, but it does need to have a message and a meaning behind it which links it to your company.
Custom
Creating a strong brand that is consistent over all of your outlets is imperative. It can be the deciding factor on whether you gain a strong following, as customer loyalty can be worth ten times as much as a single purchase. Once you have thought about all the components of your company and your branding goals, but have found the execution of your idea’s is something you want professional assistance with, why not give us a call on 0800 644 7070 or even tweet us @thecreationlab. Here we can offer help in design and website building.
Add Pingback