We’ve all heard the saying that a picture is worth a 1000 words – I guess it’s probably a fair statement. But why leave the audience to their own devices, let their imaginations run wild? Why not choose your words carefully?
I see it all too often, a company embarks on a branding project because they want a new hip logo, want to refresh their colors or want a tag line that is going to save the world. While these are all noble objectives they overlook the most important component of the brand – how it is represented in words. The brand in its most simple form is a word or phrase that encapsulates what the brand stands for, what it promises to deliver. What do you want people to think of when they hear your company name? What word do you want to own in the customer’s mind? It’s called your brand essence. Start there, figure out your brand essence first and everything else will flow.
Sounds easy enough – right? Well, it isn’t something that should be dreamed up and voted on over lunch in the boardroom. Defining your brand essence is a process. It requires a thoughtful approach that takes into account both internal and external perspectives and dynamics. If done correctly, the process will yield a well thought-out brand framework that can serve as a roadmap for all internal and external communications and help define your culture. A well defined brand will drive strategic decisions about what types of customers you target, how your business is run and what types of people you hire to name a few. The list is endless and so are the benefits.
There’ll be plenty of time for the fun stuff: What does the logo look like? What should the color palette be? What is the tag line? These will all be much easier to create with a well developed brand essence and messaging framework. So start with the words – it may not be as glamorous as the graphics but it will take you a lot further.
My next post: Defining your brand essence – it’s not just for new companies.
Great blog, Lisa! I like how you defined ‘brand essence’ (as opposed to just a company brand) so clearly.
Can’t wait to read more.
All the best, Julia
[...] findings and brand strategy implications to a client. We started talking about pinpointing his brand essence as a next step (you know – the word that finishes the phrase, “when customers think [...]