What exactly is a brand? How do you build a brand? Is it just placing your logo everywhere? Is it reputation? Is it your story? Is it color? Is it feeling? What all is involved in brand?
The answer is all of the above. I was in a training course recently where the instructor said “the most important thing you will spend your money on is your logo.” I couldn’t disagree more, and I am in the business of creating logos. Many people think a brand is your logo. That is not true. Brand is all encompassing.
Brand is many things. Brand can start with a logo, but if you don’t have the product, the story, the reputation, the feeling … you don’t have a brand. People spend oodles of dollars on brand campaigns, but here’s the thing, if you don’t have the product to stand behind the image, the story, the brand really has no leg to stand on. A nice logo can represent you, but the story of how you got here, what the goal of your company is, what is the feeling of your environment, why you believe in your product, color scheme, representation … all come into play.
Matter of fact there is a movement of unbranding. People are starting to try to be more fluid and real with how their companies are communicating and trying to get their story out and their products to the customer. Where the logo is the last thing they would put on their brand. It has become more about the story less about the logo/imagery. Social media has heightened that movement. Motion graphics, video, stickers, filters, geofilters, stories with the ability to literally tell your brand’s tale has taken over from the old plunk a logo on everything and call it a brand.
And of course there is a belief that your logo should be on everything. Sometimes I agree with that, but it depends on what you are trying to get across. That is the easy part. There are so many things you can customize now:
- logos
- flyers
- posters
- billboards
- t-shirts
- towels
- utensils
- water bottles
- mouse pads
- phone cases
- sports equipment
- pens
- booths
- stickers
- decals
- vehicle/trailer wraps
- clothing
- and on and on and on!
That part of branding your company is easy. It is the story, the product, the marketing plan, the research, the customers, the feel … that make the brand.
One 10 Graphics can help with building your story. Building your color scheme. Building your imagery. Helping you communicate your strengths and why you believe in your products. A foundation that can keep your business strong and moving forward.
If you are just starting out and need help with how to build your brand, I can help build a foundation and tell your story. A logo is just the face, your story and believing in what you offer, is the body of your brand.