Brand Elements and the Development of a Brand

For a long time, consumers thought a brand was just a way you could identify a product or service you were buying. If you saw a logo or service mark, you knew something about the product you were getting.

What had been invisible for so long is the ‘impression’ of the product or service you were buying included elements of a brand.  Was the product reliable? Did it make you happy? Could it help you during an emergency?

With the rise of personal branding in the social media age, there is a much bigger understanding that brand is a more encompassing entity.  It isn’t just a logo, but a reputation.  Not a reputation carved in stone, but one that is fluid in the digital age.

So if we know that branding is a more encompassing task, what are the elements of brand and how do you develop a brand?

To simplify the task, we can think of a brand as how a business or individual is perceived by others. This perception is shaped by:

• Visual Identity: From the name itself, brand will develop a mark used for the company or product. however, it includes the design and the style it evokes.
• Values and Personality: What does the brand stands for – luxury, affordability, eco-friendly, trustworthy, or fun.
• Customer Experience: The feeling evoked when interact with the brand. That experience includes buying a product, engaging with a product, interacting with online and offline brand channels right down to using customer service.
• Reputation: The trust and credibility the brand builds over time through action, quality or unique products /offerings.

Brand Design & Visual Identity

Brand Design and Visual Identity creation are the elements that most people think about when they talk about a brand. These visual elements are usually the first way a company communicates to a consumer.  It is how a company can tell their brand’s story and values without words.  There are several elements that need to be taking into consideration including colors, cohesion, purpose, and trends.  However, there are also outside forces like accessibility that need to be considered to help support the long-term goals of brand development.

The articles from our Partners cover a variety of these topics and give insights into how to look at different aspects of brand design and visuaal identity.

• Brand positioning: How to stand out from the crowd!
• Branding with a Purpose
• The Colour Effect in Branding Strategy
• Interesting Reads: Set Your Brand Up For Success With A Cohesive Visual Identity
• Key trends in branding and brand communication
• The Psychology of Colors in Marketing and Branding: Colors That Capture the Mind and Cultural Nuances
• Why Ignoring Accessibility Hurts Your Brand

Brand Messaging

How does a company communicates its value, mission, and personality to its audience?

It  it not just through a logo, slogan or tagline.  Brand messaging encompasses all the words, tone, and stories used to convey what the brand stands for. By crafting strong messaging, a brand can build an emotional connection with its audience.  The elements of brand messaging should address customer expectations and a brand voice, which reflects the company’s personality. By outlining these elements, companies and products can differentiate itself from competitors and create consistent messaging across all touchpoints, including advertising, social media, and customer interactions.

Messaging can be executed in many different way for a brand, our partners have put together insights that help to see many places and way to understand this critical element.

• 3 tips to improve reputation management
• Creating a Writing Style Guide for Your Brand
• Elements of a Rebranding Strategy 
• From Random To Viral – Retuning Your Brand’s Social Media Strategy
• The Crucial Role Of Effective Messaging In Building A Strong Brand Identity
• The Industry Consolidation Wave: A PR Pro’s Guide to Messaging
• The Power of Effective Communication and Reputation Management

Brand Building

Once you have established a brand, there is a perpetual task of protecting and growing the brand.  The development of a brand can take on many forms and be influenced by the geographic market, industry and competition.

One of the more recent developments has been the need for individual brand identity in the sphere of social networks.  No longer is there one person who is an advocate for a brand.  From the CEO to the customer service team, personal brands need to be considered under the brand umbrella.

From person to CEO branding, our partners have provided incredible insights on the importance and execution in brand building.

• Building Brand Value
• Crafting an Authentic CEO Brand: A Guide for Impactful Leadership
• Diversity and communication: building a socially responsible brand / Diversidade e comunicação: construindo uma marca socialmente responsável
• Evaluate and improve your personal brand / Evalúe y mejore su marca personal
• From Random To Viral – Retuning Your Brand’s Social Media Strategy
• How to Build Your (Podcast)
• How to Position Your Brand in the Real Estate Sector in Spain [Download Our Free Guide]
• Why Community Engagement is Your Brand’s New Best Friend

Brands in Action

So what happens when you build a brand and put it out there?  Our partners have written about brands in action.

• 3 Essential Tips for Your Brand Immersion Trip
• Employee advocacy – when employees become brand ambassadors
• How to Enhance a Sports Partnership to Reposition a Brand on the Italian market?
• How to Navigate Increasing Polarization – Advice from the Women of Worldcom
• San Antonio International Airport Rebranding
• The Art and Science of Successful Brand Collaborations
• The Importance of Ethical Brand Management in Influencer Partnerships
• We created a brand system for a new restaurant from scratch. Here’s how.
• Why Automotive Brands Need Digital Marketing
• Wiki Marketing Fails: 7 Brands Who Messed With Wikipedia and Lived to Regret It