These are the key areas we consider when talking with clients about their brand:

Identity

Brands as we understand them today began as a means to identify a person or company’s property, e.g. branding cattle. The goal: to make it clear which ranch they belonged to. Very quickly though, brands evolved beyond mere labels to represent a lifestyle or distinct set of values.

Naomi Klein in her book No Logo writes, “There were those in the industry who understood that advertising wasn’t just scientific; it was spiritual. Brands could conjure a feeling–think of Aunt Jemima’s comforting presence–but not only that, entire corporations could themselves embody a meaning of their own.”

Meaning

When we think of a person’s identity, we consider everything about them including their heritage, history, family, values, beliefs, personality, profession and the people/places/ideas they associate with. Who they are is much more complex than what they look like or what their name is. The same applies to a brand. A name and a logo are just the labels to which we attach that more complex meaning. A brand is so much more than a consistent typeface or colour palette. One definition of a brand I gravitate toward illustrates how all-encompassing ‘brand’ is:

A brand is the sum of all the associations, feelings, attitudes and perceptions that people have related to the tangible and intangible characteristics of an organization, product, service or person.

Loyalty

The ultimate goal of a brand is to drive awareness and loyalty. A brand needs to be recognized, but people also need to know what it signifies. Brand strategists attach a set of beliefs, values and a very specific lifestyle to a brand because they want people to resonate with the brand at a deep, subconscious level. I often use the analogy of a series of mirrors, some which distort your reflection and some which offer a more flattering image. 

People want a mirror that will make them look good. In the same way, consumers are looking for brands that reinforce their desired self-image. They want to attach themselves to what the brand signifies ­– whether that’s health, status, belonging or independence.

At CREW we use a 5-Step Branding Process to uncover the deeper meaning of a brand and build a series of recognizable visual and experiential cues that constantly reinforce that meaning in people’s minds. If you need help articulating what your brand signifies or making your brand more recognized, drop us a line for a free one-time consultation.