If, like me, you were thinking of buying a vacuum cleaner last week, the chances are there are a few brands that will instantly have sprung to mind first. Dyson, Hoover, and maybe GTech for example.

Why? Because they’ve all done a great job of creating their brand. Easy to identify and with a clear purpose, they’ve nailed the art of defining their brand. Arguably one of the most important parts of a marketer’s job, creating a brand requires careful consideration and needs to genuinely reflect the company’s philosophy, uniqueness, character and reputation.

Done well it will be one of the most valuable assets of a business, and while there are no hard or fast rules, here are six common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

Not Having Clear Brand Guidelines

 These cover all the fundamentals of a brand; colours, messaging, typeface, imagery. Each of these elements go towards making the brand what it is. Guidelines are there to be adhered to. Every time you step outside of those guidelines – adding another colour to an emailer or changing the tone of voice –it diminishes the brand’s strength. Consistency is key here. Your aim is to create a brand that’s instantly recognisable and familiarity is an essential factor. Apple, in particular, has turned this repetition and reinforcement into an art form – even their charging cables use the same font as their adverts.

Following the Crowd

 Your client or company might well be part of an industry where a number of companies do similar things – but their branding shouldn’t. Blending in is not safe. Think about the four main supermarket chains – each of their brands is as distinct to them as a country’s flag. Take a look at what your client or company’s competitors are doing, and do the opposite. Copy too closely and run the risk of looking cheap and untrustworthy. People like brands to be distinct; they see themselves reflected in the brand’s ethos - be it aspirational, stylish or professional. Take Waitrose for instance. Its products are, in essence, the same as any other supermarket, but its customers choose to shop there because of its image. A great brand should make a customer want to be associated with that company.

Poorly Reflecting the Company

Think of Burger King’s logo. Now think of Numark pharmacy’s logo. Are the two easy to tell apart? Absolutely, and for a good reason. Effective branding should completely reflect the company’s purpose without you even having to know who they are. See it as a statement of intent. Well positioned branding needs to be able to tell the public about the company’s vision and personality. It also speaks volumes of how serious the business takes itself and what it does; taking big strides to influencing customers.

Not Identifying the USP

Every company has a unique selling point, and this should form the basis of its branding. Even if several businesses do the exact same thing, there will be one particular element which makes it different from the others. Identify this as early as possible, and then make it clear. Bottled water is a perfect example of this. There are dozens of brands of bottled water – but where it is sourced defines it.

Failing to Integrate the Brand

Branding isn’t just the look of the business, but the ‘feel’ too. The philosophy behind the brand should be reflected in the way the company presents itself to the world. How the telephone is answered, what employees wear, what the email signature says – it’s all relative. Every touch point of a company must be consistent with the public’s perception of it.

Not Building a Brand to Last

Having a brand style that fits in with current trends might get a lot of attention at the time, but it will undoubtedly have a limited shelf life. When this happens you’ll need to rebrand, and while there’s no harm is having a brand refresh – a brighter colour palette, more modern font or even a new logo – a complete overhaul can leave customers feeling alienated. Bear this in mind when planning your branding. Subtle changes every so often are fine, but make a drastic change too soon and it will have repercussions.

 

By Hannah Stringer, Head of Marketing at Moneypenny.


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