It’s simple enough to understand why branding is important. This marketing strategy and overall goal for a company is the foundation for building a strong relationship with customers and gaining the attention of future clients.
However, unlike in the past, the message about what a company stands for can’t just be shouted from the rooftop for success, in the increasingly chaotic marketplace, yelling louder isn’t the answer. A marketer with a modern resume understands this and knows the importance of creating a unified brand.
The importance of branding
Businesses today can’t rely just on what they do or sell, they have to create a brand image about what they are, what they stand for and about the people who come to work every day.
“The simple truth is that a brand isn’t a logo, an advertisement, or a poster hung on the wall in a corporate office,” wrote David Galullo, CEO, Rapt Studio, for Forbes. “It’s a gut feeling about a company, and smart companies know the power of a brand done right. This happens when everything connects through design—from virtual environments like websites to built environments like office spaces—and it all starts with an understanding of why a company matters. Whether designing a company’s headquarters or field office, their website, or developing a new brand strategy, start by asking two key questions: who are you? And: Why do you matter?”
These questions may seem simple to answer, but upon reflection, the messages are much harder to convey in marketing mediums, which is why many companies fail to succeed at their branding efforts. For the purpose of branding, some businesses have had to completely overhaul their entire message and create a new culture from scratch. Forbes reported that large names like Google and Apple are at the forefront of the branding game and have managed to build a concrete image in the minds of consumers. Another agency that is not in the tech industry that took its company brand image and worked marketing renovation magic is Purina. The dog food and pet supply company completely shifted its culture and revamped the brand from simply a business that sells dog food to an organization that loves dogs of all shapes and sizes.
Creating a unified brand is part psychology and science. A good brand will outlive products, services and even ownership. For example, when Tata Motors or India purchased Jaguar and Range Rover from Ford, did people immediately begin thinking of this autos differently? The answer is no. When the brands were sold to Tata Motors, there was more at stake than parts, schematics and employees, there was an image that had to be maintained. Forbes goes on to compare this exact scenario when Kraft bought Cadbury. The company didn’t just buy the recipes and candy makers – they purchased the overall brand, which people have a connection to.
Key tips for building a brand that matters
So, it’s easy to understand why building a brand is important, but how does a marketer go about this process? There are a lot of steps that go into constructing a brand that customers will fall in love with for a lasting relationship.
As a marketer, it’s important to have a passion for the product, company or service that is being provided. A marketer needs to be the number one brand ambassador for a company, with all of the passion this position can provide to fuel future endeavors. Passion not only helps build a brand, but it helps a company attract more stakeholders and investors – especially important for entrepreneurs.
“Industry fit investors will understand your industry, but in order for you to have truly good investors, you need a cultural fit – you need to feel very comfortable interacting day to day with an investor. I would date any investor like I dated my wife before popping the questions,” Ido Leffler, co-founder of the cosmetic brand Yes To Carrots, told Forbes.
After bringing on a team of people who are passionate about the company, it comes time for a marketing team to use that energy and drive to engage an audience with a diverse platform of materials. The unified message must connect back to the brand, but that does not mean that what is read off a script for a television commercial is going to work in a blog. Diversifying content marketing materials to engage an audience to pursue more information or even comment about an industry trend is a great way to build better brand engagement.
