Many people believe that a brand begins and ends with a company name and corresponding visual elements. However, a brand is much more.
In today’s vastly evolving marketplace, the concept of a brand and how we use it is ever changing. The power of a brand lies in its ability to remain constant across all platforms — from traditional sources, such as print, television and radio, to emerging media, such as websites, smartphones, apps and social media.
The consistency of your brand’s message is how consumers will remember who you are and recognize you later. If people can distinguish your name, logo and message from others, they are more likely to connect with you and your business.
But, what is a brand? Is it the visual elements? Is it a message? The answer: All of the above.
Visual elements have always been important in brand recognition. Today they are more vital than ever. The basic graphic elements of your brand, such as your logo, typeface, colors and graphic style should stay constant and consistent. If your brand is visually recognizable, your company will have more room for creative and distinctive advertisements aimed at your target audience.
But a brand is much more than just a logo and colors. Your brand should include a clear description of the product you are selling, the story your product is telling and a call to action to the consumer. Your company’s mission, principles and personality, a message to the consumer and the people who are communicating that message are part your brand, as well.
Creating consistent themes and a voice that can transfer across all platforms will help maintain a cohesive brand message. Consumer trust is maintained when a brand is standardized, because consumers see an identifiable message and visuals making them more familiar with the business, thus creating positive, memorable associations.
In today’s cluttered marketplace, branding is more complex and more important. With so many different platforms, a company’s brand must remain consistent in order to maintain consumer recognition. Because of its ability to share information quickly and easily, social media has become a very important marketing component.
If your company has Facebook and Twitter pages, make sure that you are updating the Facebook cover photo, posts, and profile images. They should match the theme and voice with your tweets, photos and background image on Twitter, and other social media sites you are using. No matter where a customer sees your brand, they must recognize it.
But having brand consistency across all platforms does not mean that the creativity of your marketing efforts has to be limited. You can be as creative as you want with your brand, just make sure that your message is consistent. You must establish how you want your company to be perceived and keep it consistent throughout all marketing efforts.
