Use discipline to define your brand

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Use discipline to define your brand

By John Foligno

January 11, 2009

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John Foligno

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Use discipline to define your brand

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Business | Marketing | Product Management

John Foligno is managing director of Cubism Branding (CubismBranding.com), a branding, design and integrated marketing communications firm.

Remember that old catch phrase, "You only get one chance to make a first impression"? This is a good way to think about your brand's identity and how your customer thinks of you.

When a person passes by your store or trade show booth, views your magazine ad or Web site, sees someone carrying your shopping bag and so on, they are being exposed to your brand's identity. Within each of these consumer "touchpoints" lies an opportunity to make a deeper impression of your brand.

But if these touchpoints are taken lightly or are lacking consistency, vibrancy and discipline, they can end up as white noise. Or worse: You'll lose that valuable piece of real estate in the consumer's mind.

Consider also that today's competitive environment is more crowded than at any other time in our industry's history. If the lines of differentiation between your brand and a competitor's are becoming blurred, change is needed.

When a competitor's brand is known for one thing, your brand has to be known for something else; otherwise, you're forcing the consumer to make choices based on price and other "cost-to-play" factors that aren't in your brand's best interest. Quite often, a competitor's built-in weakness is the something else that you can exploit. To do so, start with your brand identity.

Use a little strategy

Developing a brand identity is one of the most arduous tasks an organization will face. First, you need to defend it within your organization. Great brand-building requires patience and a focused, long-term plan. Great brands don't skimp or sell out to get that quick sale that every company is under pressure to make.

Next, don't fall prey to the temptation to dive right into brand design. While the design phase is the fun part, pause before you leap into it and consider that these changes will have a tremendous impact on the consumer.

Begin by developing a game plan of how you will construct and execute your brand identity. Formulating a strategic approach can mean the difference between a little idea and a big idea. Little ideas die out after a few months; big ideas can carry and build the value of the brand for years. The most respected brands have an undeniable essence that shines through all of the time in their brand voice and visual style, from product design and packaging to retail environment and communications.

One of the best ways to start is via qualitative research to gain direction and insight into who you are targeting and how they perceive you. Research isn't about listening for answers, it's about hypotheses and new ideas. Not what is said but how--and sometimes, it's about what isn't said. Research also doesn't always have to be considered cost-prohibitive. For example, one-to-one interviews can be conducted at a relatively low cost, especially if you conduct them via phone.

The most obvious brand identity components are the name, logo and maybe brand line, or tag line. But the identity includes much more: It includes type styles, symbols, colors, brand voice, audio sounds, spokespersons, product design, package design, etc.

Once you've developed your brand's identity, work with a reputable intellectual property lawyer to protect it. All too often, companies rush to market, only to later get slapped with a lawsuit for trademark infringement.

Building a great brand starts with finding and being true to that essence that separates you from your competition; then, building a riveting identity to match.

Editor's note: John Foligno's "Behind the Brand" column first appeared in the May 2008 print edition of National Jeweler in the Your Store section.

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