Why is it that some brands continue to inspire loyalty, while others keep fading in and out?
Product quality aside, why do we keep buying from the likes of H&M and Coca Cola? What makes someone buy a product?
We’d say it’s the brand’s story, and thus its value, that drives people to buy from one company over another. Something about the brand’s message needs to resonate with a large group of people to keep the sales coming.
In their bestseller on marketing called ‘Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind,’ authors Al Ries and Jack Trout give us several examples of how a brand’s message has managed to tip the scales in their favor and displace a bigger player.
Apple’s ‘Think Different’ campaign was no advertising accident. Until then, they were selling a product: computers. But, with the new campaign and a new product line to boot, they began to sell dreams. As we all know, we cannot put a price on our greatest ambition. That is the power of good branding.
However, not all of us have the marketing genius of Steve Jobs. Many companies make the mistake of thinking that branding is just the logo, type, and design. But, all of these are derived from something much deeper; the values that the brand stands for.
What problem is the brand trying to solve? What is it that the brand is genuinely selling? Figuring out the answers to these questions is much more challenging than one would imagine, which is where the experts come in.
A good branding agency has experience working across domains and industries, thus giving them the ‘bigger picture’ perspective that is so essential to being successful today.
Here’s why we think a branding agency is every company’s best bet when it comes to developing a personality for themselves.
1. The Outsider Perspective
This reason is the toughest one to come to grips with. Most companies shy away from hiring a branding agency because an agency ‘can never know enough about the brand to make it work.’ However, it is often easy to confuse the founders’ vision with the company’s strategy, and in such cases, a branding agency can provide the much-needed outsider perspective.
Branding and design agencies have the tough job of turning someone else’s business into a resounding success. So, we can be sure that they take this task very seriously. A good branding agency will push not just themselves but also their clients to truly think through their value proposition.
2. All The Experts In One Location
Every good branding agency has the best minds in the industry working on everything from design and strategy to copy. One would be hard-pressed to find or even hire such a diverse array of creative professionals.
Also, agency employees bring with them years of experience working on projects that are both similar to, and different from, their current engagement. What this brings to the table is rich knowledge, a new way of thinking and possibly the kind of campaign that can propel the brand into the big league.
3. Consistency In Branding
For a design agency, there could be nothing more blasphemous than two successive creatives that look completely different. It may seem harsh but branding agencies are sticklers for consistency in messaging. Once the brand identity has been agreed upon, it is their job to implement it across various media channels.
The only thing we’d say in this regard- with all of those fonts, logo representations and design standards to consider, this is a job best left to the experts.
4. Branding Alignment Over Time
Much like the growth and evolution of an actual human being, a brand is rarely ever constant once it has been developed. This isn’t to say that logos and type should be changed every other day. But, as the brand evolves and begins to represent a new set of values, the messaging needs to change accordingly as well.
This long-term alignment is where the greatest benefit of hiring a branding agency lies. An agency is attuned to market shifts that are likely to influence you and can suggest the best time for a rebrand, as well as a rethink in brand strategy. For example, a brand’s launch strategy is going to be very different from their communication two years later.
By virtue of continued association, a branding agency can help brands make this transition smoothly and communicate the correct message to their customers. The make change easier to manage both for the company’s internal stakeholders and its customers.
Why Choose Proof Branding?
“Leave it to the experts”- that’s an old adage, and in the case of Proof Branding, you can see that it is sound advice. Their work ranges from comprehensive branding for commercial properties, packaging design for breweries, robust brand campaigns for cities and municipalities, and web design/development throughout the education and nonprofit sectors.
The team at Proof Branding comes with decades of experience in the industry as well as their specific focus areas. Distill, Develop, Deploy sums up their approach to branding, and you can read more about their overall approach and culture in their transparent and inspiring Playbook.
Oh, and did we already mention that they have the best taste in music?
Arka - Because Big Dreams Need Great Packaging
The best branding efforts need to translate into a great experience for the consumer, and packaging plays a huge role in putting a smile on the buyer’s face.
Arka is a one-stop custom packaging solution and we offer low volume packaging orders at very competitive prices. Our team of designers and packaging experts can help you decide just what you’d like your brand to say with its very first impression.You can even create your own design on our website!
Get in touch with Arka today for the best custom packaging deals in the industry!
Need packaging?