Nancy Anderson | Brandstorm Creative

Why Brand Consistency Matters

Nancy Anderson — Wed, 06 May 2020 18:16:40 +0000

Why Brand Consistency Matters

When someone interacts with your brand, the experience should be positive and familiar each and every time. Whether you’re handing someone a business card, talking to them on the phone, they see the packaging for your product or go to your website, the experience should always be the same. You brand will be strengthened or weakened at every point of contact. This is why consistency is so important.

Keep in mind that in order to increase your business, you need to increase your awareness. And in order to become a recognizable brand, you’ve got to be consistent. Consistency is important for several reasons:

It Avoids Confusion

The first and most obvious reason is that your potential clients are being introduced to your business and you don’t want to confuse them. As a small business, you want to make it easy for someone to remember you by being consistent with how you present yourself. People can only remember certain elements, forgetting most of the details. For example, you meet a potential client at a networking event and give them your business card which shows your company’s blue and green Universal Health logo. That person later googles Universal Health and is directed to your website. If they see your logo, they feel confident that they’re at the right place. If, on the other hand, your website shows your logo (even the same graphic design) in red, they will question whether this is the same person and company they were searching for.

People Trust Things That they Know

Every time a potential client hears your business name or sees your logo it gets registered in their memory. The stronger a memory—and connection—someone has to a brand, the more likely they are to want to do business with that brand.

Consumers are more likely to choose brands that are familiar, because they seem known, established and therefore trustworthy.

For more information or a better understanding of branding, brands and brand identity, take a look at some of our previous posts. Be sure to check back soon, we’ll be diving into Brand Guidelines next.

Looking to create a new brand or revamp an existing one? Contact us at info@brandstormcreative.com

It Increases your Roi

Business owners don’t make their brand identity inconsistent on purpose. Most of the time, it’s done because they don’t know any better. For example, a business owner might hire a website designer to create their website and ask a printer to design their print work. Without having an established brand design upfront, the result is an inconsistent product. The business owner has now paid for two marketing pieces that can’t, or at least shouldn’t, be used together. This is why the first step in designing your brand identity should always be to define the brand and create Brand Guidelines that explain your brand and how it works.

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The post Why Brand Consistency Matters first appeared on Brandstorm Creative.

Branding vs. Brand vs. Brand Identity

Nancy Anderson — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 18:03:56 +0000

Branding vs

Brand vs

Brand Identity.

Branding, Brand and Brand Identity are terms sometimes used interchangeably by our clients but they’re actually very different things.

What Is Branding?

Branding is the process of creating and shaping a distinct brand. It’s a marketing initiative designed to create a certain image of your company. When we create a Brand Identity for a client, we have to first define who they are as a Brand. That process is what we call Branding.

So What Is A Brand?

In its simplest form, a brand is the way a business is perceived by those who experience it. But a brand is also a feeling. It evokes an emotional response by those who engage with it. It’s a promise to deliver the expected.

A brand’s promise is conveyed to customers and encompasses everything

they can experience and observe – the name & logo, website, advertising, the way they are treated by representatives of the brand, signage, stores, displays, shopping environment, news articles, social media…

Every brand is either strengthened or weakened by every point of contact. This is why consistency is so important. Not just consistency to deliver the expected product or service, but also consistency across all forms of communications… at every touchpoint. When someone interacts with your brand, the experience should be both positive and familiar each and every time…at every point of contact.

Because a brand is intangible, it’s sometimes hard for a client to fully grasp until they see their brand come to life through the Brand Identity.

So What Is Brand Identity?

Brand identity is the collection of all tangible brand elements that a company creates to portray the right image of itself to the consumer. Your Brand Identity is what makes you instantly recognizable to your customers.

Brand identity is what you can see, touch, hold, hear, watch and experience. It begins with colors, typography, a logo, a look & feel and an identity system and then evolves into social media graphics, website design, packaging and much more.

Your Brand Identity creates a connection between you and your customers, builds customer loyalty and determines how your customers will perceive your brand. Most importantly, your Brand identity reflects who you are as a brand.

We believe that brands are living beings with hearts and souls and it’s important to invest time and effort in developing and nurturing your brand. Looking to create a new brand or revamp and existing one? Contact us at info@brandstormcreative.com

The post Branding vs. Brand vs. Brand Identity first appeared on Brandstorm Creative.

Brand Identity

Nancy Anderson — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 21:10:23 +0000

The Building Blocks of brand identity.

To create a strong Brand Identity, you have to first understand what the term Brand Identity means.

What is Brand Identity?

Brand identity is the collection of all tangible brand elements that a company creates to portray the right image of itself to its customer. Your Brand Identity is what makes you instantly recognizable to your customers and creates a connection between you and your customers.

The Foundation – Make Sure You Stand for Something

Before we can create a Brand Identity, we need to first define who you are as a brand. This is what we call Branding and is the process of creating and shaping a distinct brand. We believe that branding should be the foundation for all of your efforts as it’s an essential piece of your marketing puzzle.

Once we’ve identified who you are as a brand, the brand begins to come to life through the brand elements. These brand elements pave the way to what eventually evolves into the look feel of your brand.

The Building Blocks

When we talk about the brand elements, we’re essentially talking about the building blocks that make up your brand identity. Colors, fonts, design elements… There’s a reason why we choose particular colors and fonts or create a certain design element for a given brand.

Color

Colors have different meaning and can affect how people think or feel about your brand. They trigger a psychological response that influences the way we perceive something, including a brand. Everyone has psychological ties to colors. Using the right colors can make a huge difference in the way potential customers perceive your brand as well as how easily they remember your brand.

Red

Excitable – Energetic – Arousing – Loving – Fast – Passionate – Active – Loud

Red grabs consumers’ attention and wakes the senses. It stimulates arousal levels and whets the appetite. Red is the perfect choice if your brand identity is exciting, loud or youthful.

Orange

Creative – Friendly – Outgoing – Cheerful – Freshness – Health – Energy – Youth – Happiness – Adventure

Orange is often referred to as a “friendly” color. It’s a high-energy, creative and playful color used less commonly than red which allows brands to stand out.

Yellow

Imagination – Youthfulness – Happiness – Joy – Optimism – Enlightenment – Intelligence

Yellow is the color associated with warmth, sunshine and happiness. Its cheerful, optimistic vibe makes it a great choice if you want to elicit a fun, accessible response or stand out.

Green

Nature – Calming – Environmental – Fresh – Growth – Healthy – Calm – Peaceful – Quiet – Relaxing – Life – Youthful – Energy – Safe – Kind – Generous – Money

The ultimate in versatility, green is one of the most calming colors. Green is the easiest color for the eyes to process and brings to mind health, freshness, serenity and of course, money.

Blue

Reliability – Respect – Loyalty – Integrity – Classicism – Confidence – Protection – Trustworthy – Integrity – Dependability

The most universally appealing color in the spectrum, blue is the king of colors for brands and stands for being trustworthy, dependable, fiscally responsible, and secure.

Purple

Regal – Mysterious – Royal – Luxurious – Passionate – Sensuous – Spiritual – Dignified – Extravagant – Magical – Cutting Edge

Purple is a strong color with strong connotations. It’s the color of royalty so it works well for luxury brands. It’s also a great go-to for portraying brands as creative, imaginative or wise.

Pink

Fun – Modern – Youthful – Luxurious – Romantic – Delicate – Soft – Feminine

Pink is culturally tied to femininity but it’s more versatile than that. From pastel rose to neon magenta, pink is good choice for a modern, youthful, luxurious look.

Brown

Earthy – Home – Durability – Warm – Comforting – Approachable – Common – Sincere Masculine – Rugged – Natural

Brown is the most underutilized color by brands which means it will help you stand out. Brown is down-to-earth, simple and makes brands appear more rugged or masculine.

Black

Authoritative – Overpowering – Elegant – Classy – Conservative – Dignified – Serious -Dramatic – Oppressive – Powerful

Black means business, luxury and expense. If you want your brand to be viewed as modern or sophisticated, there’s nothing as classic and effective as black.

White

Youthful – Clean – Simple – Transparent – Pure – Quiet

White is actually the absence of all color but some of the strongest brands use it to stand out and create with a sense of transparency and cleanliness. White can work for almost any brand.

SERIF FONTS

Classic – Elegant – Formal – Sophisticated – Confident – Established – Traditional – Trustworthy – Old School – Reliable – Practical – Stable – Respectful – Timeless

(Examples: Times Roman, Times New Roman, Rockwell, Georgia and Baskerville, Didot, Garamond)

Serif typefaces can be identified by small divots on the ends of letterforms. These small strokes can be short or long, straight or angled or have varying weights

SANS SERIF FONTS

Modern – Sleek – Clean – Minimal – Clean – Direct Precise – Friendly – Humanistic – Geometric – Universal – Simple – Sensible – Straightforward – Easy To Read – Neutral

(Examples: Avenir, Helvetica, , Veranda, Arial, Futura, Franklin Gothic)

Sans serif typefaces lack any embellishment on the ends of letterforms, taking on a more simple shape.

SCRIPT FONTS

Elegant – Classic – Formal – Sopisticated – Stylish – Luxurious – Feminine – Personal Fancy

(Examples: Quickpen, Allura, Pacifico, Buttermilk, Edwardian, Zapfino)

Scripts refer to the class of “handwriting” fonts and can be identified by the curve of letterforms and connecting strokes, which imitate cursive handwriting.

SLAB FONTS

Bold – Contemporary – Trendy – Friendly – Solid – Important – Evident – Impactful – Attention-Grabbing

(Examples: Clarendon, Copse, Josefin, Museo)

Slab fonts refer to almost any style of typeface with super thick stroke weights for all of the letters.

Form & Shape

Form and shape are also, subtle, but effective design elements used to create the desired response from your customers. A logo that is sharp and square will inspire a very different reaction from a logo that’s all circles and soft edges.

Vertical shapes are seen as strong.

Horizontal shapes are seen as peaceful.

Curved shapes offer rhythm and movement, happiness, pleasure and generosity. They are seen as more feminine than sharp shape.

Sharp shapes which offer energy, violence and anger. They are lively and youthful and viewed as more masculine.

People may not consciously realize a brand is using a certain shade of blue, serif font or shape in their Brand Identity but they will recognize your overall Brand based on the identity created.

Looking to create a new brand or revamp and existing one? Contact us at info@brandstormcreative.com

The post Brand Identity first appeared on Brandstorm Creative.

Company Holiday Cards

Nancy Anderson — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 17:30:04 +0000

Should you send a Company Holiday Card?

The most wonderful time of the year is also often the busiest time of the year. Like most business owners, you probably have a long to-do list to complete before ringing in the New Year. You may be tempted to either cross off sending holiday cards from your list or choose an easier to execute, digital option like an email or social media post. Let’s face it, holiday cards can be a hassle but they’re always worth the effort.

If you’re not sending annual holiday cards to your clients, you’re missing a golden opportunity. Not only are they a tradition, by sending out a holiday card, you’re accomplishing several things at once:



Show Appreciation

We all want to do business with people we feel value us, and holiday cards are a great way to express your appreciation. Sending a holiday card lets your clients know that they are important to you and you appreciate their business.



Create a Personal Connection

We live in a digital world and communicate largely through email and text. A holiday card provides an both an alternate medium and more personal way to communicate with and engage people.

Get Your Business Noticed

Everyone opens holiday cards. While an email or direct mail piece may not be read, most people will open a holiday card. This gives you the opportunity to showcase your brand, remind past clients of your business and ensure that you stay top of mind.



Make Your Business Standout

The holiday season is the perfect time to spread both joy and creativity. A great design coupled with quality paper and printing will go a long way to differentiate your business. Quality shows and the quality of the card reflects on the sender.



Show a Different Side

Throughout the year, companies are focused on their business and how clients and prospects view their brand. Holiday cards give you the opportunity to show your clients more of your brand personality or a completely different side of your company.



Prove You Care

When a business takes the time to send holiday cards it shows that they value someone enough to make the time to wish them the best during the holiday season. Clients remember this type of gesture in the future.



Generates Goodwill

As the season approaches, gratitude and goodwill become more and more of a prominent theme. Holiday cards are a great way to greet your clients, vendors and other contacts in a non-salesy way. They give you an avenue to provide a gesture of goodwill that is likely to resonate with them for the rest of the year.



Differentiate Your Business

When you send holiday cards to your clients, you’re sending a tangible expression of goodwill they can hold, touch and feel. You’re also providing recipients with an experience and opportunity to engage with your business.



Showcase Your Success

A quality holiday card tells the recipient that your business is doing well. People like to do business with successful people. A business sending a low-quality card or no card at all makes people question your company, erodes trust and gives a poor impression of your business.

Sending holiday cards is the simplest, cheapest, lowest-risk and highest-reward way to show current and former clients how much you care. Looking to create a holiday card for your business? Contact us at info@brandstormcreative.com

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