Earlier I highlighted the value of understanding and communicating your brand identity. Now I want to share with you a few things to consider as you evaluate how you communicate what’s at the heart of your organization.
Imagine you have a friend who acts differently depending on the situation and surroundings—you never know what to expect from him, and soon you’re annoyed enough with his behaviour that the friendship sours. A personality that changes with the wind sends the wrong message, and makes trust difficult. And trust is what creates loyalty.
At Relevention we walk our customers through a Brand Identity Framework, taking leaders through a step-by-step process of creating a memorable brand. Over the years, this framework has evolved, but one thing that has remained constant is the importance of identifying the key benefit of a product or service and developing a persona and message to effectively communicate this. So… let’s go under the hood shall we?
A great brand will exhibit the following five characteristics:
- Clearly represents benefits that are valuable to the target audience
- Accurately positions the product or service in the marketplace
- Differentiates the product or service from competitors
- Outlines benefits that are both obtainable and sustainable
- Communicates a memorable message and personality
Essentially, what we’re looking to discover is the heart of a brand. To do that we use our Brand Pyramid model – looking to develop the tone, look and feel of the visual and written elements of a brand, providing the basis for all marketing collateral and promotional campaigns moving forward.
We begin this exercise at the bottom of the pyramid and work our way up, just like the Egyptians did, I assume 🙂
Mission, Vision, and Values are the cornerstone to an organization and will be created by the founders, board of directors and senior leadership team. These determine why the organization exists, where it intends to go and the culture and type of organization it will become.
Features are the tangible elements of a product or service that the consumer buys or receives when it interacts with the brand. i.e. This phone has apps.
Benefits of a product or service are the value or fulfillment of the target audience need. i.e. These apps help me connect and communicate with my friends easily.
Emotional Connection are what the target audience feels when they receive the benefits of the product or service. i.e. This phone enables me to have a thriving social life.
Personality is perched oh-so-prominently on top of the pyramid. A brand’s personality is important because it’s essentially what your target audience will build a relationship with. The style, tone and voice of a brand voice all stem from its personality, and will greatly influence the promotional tactics of a marketing strategy. The goal in personifying a product or service is to get the target audience to really like “who” the brand is, eventually gaining their trust and influencing their decision to purchase.
Once a brand’s personality is established, it’s important to protect it and ensure that all marketing and communication media align with it. Maintaining brand consistency is key to reinforcing the clear benefit of a product or service and also helps the target audience understand you more and build trust.
Have a great day!