4 TIPS FOR BRANDING AND REBRANDING
navigating a branding exercise
Creating or refreshing your brand identity can be overwhelming and daunting. there are a lot of decisions to make along the way. If you're starting out in your brand identity journey here are 4 of my favorite guidelines to get you started. Follow these and be on your way to making a memorable impression.
1: Assess the competitive landscape
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to see what's out there in the industry before they get started.
Same name search
First, we're going to look at your brand /company name and see if there's anybody else out there with the same name. Do a quick Google search to look at logos and branding from anybody that shares your name, and take note of the industry that they're in.
industry players
Next, look at other companies in your industry. What does their website look like? What does their Instagram look like? What kind of fonts do they use? What colors are they using? After you take stock of your industry you can then decide if you want to fit in or if you want to stand out-- or maybe there's a sweet spot right in between.
By going through this, you'll also notice what's a little played out in your industry and can steer clear of becoming one of the masses.
One surefire benefit of this exercise is that you can be sure that you're not unintentionally copying anybody. So many people have great ideas but sometimes they end up being the same one, so you'll want to do a quick gut check before you get started.
other considerations
Do you want to stand out or fit in?
What is overplayed in your industry?
Don’t unintentionally copy somebody else
Where is the corner only your brand can occupy?
2: Find your Vibe
This one is a little more subjective-- It's what your company feels like. Deciding your company's "vibe" can be difficult to nail down. What exactly is vibe? Vibe is style, voice, and really overall aesthetics of your company. Run through these exercises to help articulate who you want to be.
Choose your Celebrity ambassador
If you had a celebrity ambassador who would it be? Let's use Rhianna for example? Write down what qualities you like about Rihanna. Do you like that She's unapologetic? Fashion forward and stylish? Do you like that she takes chances? when you break down why you think a certain celebrity could represent your brand, you can identify the exact qualities and apply them to your own brand worksheet.
use Descriptive words
Think about a few words that describe your company. Then ask a few colleagues or people who know your brand really well and ask them the same thing. Compile all these words and narrow them down to three. Three forces focus and consensus. Through this exercise, you also might see qualities pop up more than once. You can be sure that these common words are the vibe that your company is giving. And if those words don’t match up with your vision for your company, then you know that this is a great time for a rebrand.
Identify Customer takeaways
As yourself, what feeling do you want your customers to take away when they interact with your brand? This could be when they see your Instagram, visit your website, or interact with your product. Do they feel supported? Happy? Confident? Inspired? Powerful? Your brand will translate to how your customers represent your brand, so you'll want to be sure you nail down the feeling you want to leave behind.
plan the ultimate party
The last fun exercise I do with clients is to imagine an event. This is your ultimate company event where budget isn't a factor. Imagine yourself walking into this event.
What does the room look like? Is it big? Is it small? Is it fancy? Is it chill? Is it laid back?
What is the lighting? Bright? Club-like? Ambient? Soft?
Is it a party? Is it a sit-down dinner? Is it elegant?
Who's in the room? Are they millionaires or are they everyday people?
All of these factors, when you enter that room, should be the same feeling as when people interact with your brand.
These exercises should really give you a great idea of what vibe you want your company to have.
3: Design for flexibility and ease of use
When you're done with your branding, you'll want to make sure that you have enough elements and that it's flexible enough to fit something as big as a print billboard or as tiny as a social media profile picture. One mistake I see a lot of people make is they make a logo and a few colors and then they start to execute and try to make a sales deck or a website and they still don't have enough to work with.
4: Make it timeless
It is very easy to fall into the trap of what is trendy now. Don't just follow what's hot right now. Even if you like the look of something, it doesn't mean that it should be your branding forever. Stay anchored to what feels true to your brand, what feels authentic and timeless to you so that you don't fall victim to what is hot and then be out of luck in a few years.