Many people think of great ideas for products or services but struggle with getting it to market.
A common problem they tend to face involves creating an appropriate brand image for their product. This blog will dive into what makes a strong brand, and some pitfalls to avoid.
A lot goes into creating a strong brand. From recognition and recall to awareness and imagery. A brand is more than just a name, it includes slogans, symbols, colours, logos, mascots, and even website URLs. These are the brand elements.
When choosing elements for a brand, they should meet a combination of the follow six aspects: memorability, meaningfulness, likeability, transferability, adaptability, and protectability.
Memorability
When coming up with brand elements, it is important that they are both easily recognisable and easily remembered. Brands that have elements that match both of these are more likely to stay within a consumer’s subconscious. Think of Nike’s name and logo – a single word with just a tick. Their slogan is ‘Just Do It’. Simple but effective.
The same applies with Apple and McDonald’s. Their name and logo is kept simple but has become iconic. The Apple logo and the McDonald’s golden arches have become ingrained into our daily lives. When you think of fast-food, you immediately think of McDonald’s. The same applies for Apple and technology.
Meaningfulness
Brands benefit from their elements being meaningful in some way. Whether they are immediately known or not depends on the brand, but there should be some story behind everything.
Did you know that the Twitter bird logo found inspiration from famous basketball player, Larry Bird? Twitter’s co-founder Biz Stone was a fan of the Celtics basketball team and decided to create the logo in reference to him. Having a story behind elements helps to ground a brand in a consumer’s world, make it resonate with the audience, and as a result, make it more trustworthy.
Likeability
This can refer to whether the elements will be well-received by the audience who will view them. For example, having a horrifying looking monster for a logo may not be the best idea for a children’s clothing line. However, it may be more appropriate for a line of sour sweets.
Likeability also extends to whether how offensive an audience finds a brand’s elements. Two examples include the logos of A-STYLE, a clothing company, and Mont-Sat, a Polish satellite company. The logos are self-explanatory as to why they have caused some people to double-take.
Transferability
Depending on whether you have thoughts to extend your brand in the future, you should consider the transferability of its name. Great examples of this are Virgin and Easy. Virgin have Virgin Books, Virgin media and Virgin trains to name a few. Easy are similar but connect their name to their extensions, such as EasyJet, EasyHotel and EasyHolidays.
If you are looking to have multiple extensions to your brand, then it is best to keep the elements simple. This is so they can be transferred across extension lines but still be recognisable. Both Virgin and Easy have done this by having a one-worded name and consistent colour palette that ripples through their extensions.
Adaptability
Brands have the potential to survive a long, long time. Many successful brands are set to outlive their creators. Therefore, when deciding on your brand elements, it would be wise to plan for longevity. Pick a font style and a colour scheme, decide on what makes one element (such as the logo) unique and have that threaded throughout the rest of the brand. Having consistent notable elements attached to your brand will help it be remembered.
Coca-Cola first drafted their iconic font in 1885, and it has remained a staple of the brand ever since. The original colour scheme for Coca-Cola was black, the red colour did not come into play until 1950. However, they adapted to still incorporate their original font but with the updated colour scheme which has still stuck around after all this time.
Protectability
Once you have thought of and designed all the elements that make up your brand, the next task is to find protection. Have your brand elements registered and trademarked to offer a brand defence against competitors. We already have two blogs that explore intellectual property for small businesses, as well as a guide to trademark a name. If you are looking to protect your brand, we recommend taking a look at these blogs.
With protection, brand elements cannot be copied exactly. However, protection only goes so far and typically does not apply to mixed use classes. So, other companies are still able to have elements that are similar. Just compare the logos of Pepsi and Korean Airbelow to see how similar elements can be. Pepsi is the one on the left.
In Conclusion
The above six aspects are all important to consider when building up a brand. The first three; memorability, meaningfulness and likeability are all an offensive strategy that help to build positive brand equity. Brand equity put simply is value that derives from how consumers perceive a brand. Therefore, having elements that increase equity, increase a brand’s value.
The last three aspects; transferability, adaptability and protectability are known as a defensive strategy. This is because they can all be used to leverage and maintain brand equity. For example, having the ability to adapt your brand elements will allow you to remain relevant in a constantly changing world. Therefore, while not completely increasing your equity, it does help you protect it.
For those curious about which brands are considered the best, Interbrand produce a list of the top brands each year, with some you may expect and others you may not.
Designing a brand can be difficult, especially when having to consider all the elements and aspects that can make or break a brand. If you are thinking of creating a brand, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us. We’ll help you with each step along the way.
As a seasoned expert in branding and marketing strategy, I've not only studied the principles of building strong brands but have also applied them in various professional capacities. My understanding extends beyond theoretical knowledge to practical implementation, allowing me to navigate the complexities of creating and maintaining a brand image effectively.
In the realm of brand development, the article you provided touches upon several critical concepts that contribute to the success of a brand. Let's delve into each of these concepts:
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Memorability:
- This aspect emphasizes the importance of creating brand elements that are easily recognizable and memorable. Examples like Nike, Apple, and McDonald's showcase how simplicity in both name and logo contributes to long-lasting memorability.
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Meaningfulness:
- Brands are advised to infuse meaning into their elements. The reference to Twitter's bird logo drawing inspiration from Larry Bird demonstrates how storytelling can help ground a brand in the consumer's world, making it more relatable and trustworthy.
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Likeability:
- Likeability involves ensuring that a brand's elements are well-received by the target audience. The article highlights the importance of aligning the visual elements with the brand's identity, avoiding mismatches that might cause confusion or offense.
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Transferability:
- This concept emphasizes planning for the future by considering the potential extension of the brand. Brands like Virgin and Easy are cited as examples, showcasing how a simple and consistent brand identity can easily transfer across various extensions.
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Adaptability:
- The article underscores the longevity of successful brands and the need for adaptability. Coca-Cola's evolution in font style and color scheme over time illustrates how a brand can remain relevant by incorporating changes while preserving core elements.
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Protectability:
- Protecting a brand through registration and trademarking is crucial. The article recommends taking legal measures to defend brand elements against competitors, as demonstrated by the comparison of logos from Pepsi and Korean Air, highlighting the importance of intellectual property protection.
The article smartly categorizes these aspects into offensive and defensive strategies. The offensive strategies (memorability, meaningfulness, and likeability) focus on building positive brand equity, while the defensive strategies (transferability, adaptability, and protectability) contribute to maintaining and leveraging that equity.
For those embarking on the journey of brand creation, understanding and applying these principles can be the key to success. If you have any questions or need further guidance in developing your brand, feel free to reach out for expert assistance.
