On Brand

Posted: December 18, 2015 by Jaime Stenning

As we bastardise our logo for another Christmas card, I have a little laugh to myself… I’ve spent most of my working life coming up with clever Christmas campaigns and arguing with my clients idea of ‘can’t you just stick a santa hat on it?’

It’s fair to say that we love brand at The Directors’ Centre. So here’s a quick article from us on keeping your company ‘On Brand.’

Your brand is your voice to the world. From your web images to your Twitter account; the words in your email to the logo on the door. Every piece of communication, every customer touchpoint and anything that leaves your office forms part of the great stratosphere that is your brand.

Get it right and you’ll have consistency, instant recognition and a strong platform on which to build you company.

Get it wrong and you may end up in some hot water, looking a bit unprofessional…

When Mercedes was trying to break the Chinese market, the brand was translated a little too literally…

British Airways restored its Britishness and our faith in them, by changing the fleets tail fins back to a Union Jack design. Just four years after spending £60m on creating more globally representative designs, that was bad idea that cost a little!

 

Do you have a brand strategy? Here are a few starting points:

• What are your brand values? Teach them to everyone in your company and live them.
• Do you know your core proposition? How will new customers understand you, if you’re not sure what you’re offering?
• Be clear on customer benefits. What can your brand offer that’s bigger, better, more clever, different to your competitor?
• What does your brand look like? Do you have one logo, a set of colours, a typeface and even your own lexicon?

Never compromise it. Live it, share it and enjoy it. It is your companies soul… and if you want to stick a santa hat on it at Christmas, we will forgive you!