8 brandingmistakescompaniesmake

T H I N K O F B R A N D I N G A S Y O U W O U L D L I F E I N H I G H S C H O O L .

Once you get a reputation, it’s hard to live it down, and depending on the situation, it could potentially follow you into adulthood. Know who you want to be today, tomorrow, and 10 years from now. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to design a brand for the first time, a small business owner who’s wanting to rebrand, or a large corporation in the process of adding to your collection of brands, you want to get branding right the first time so you don’t move forward with an unfortunate albatross around your neck. Represent your company well by avoiding these common branding mistakes.

1complicated brandingWhoever came up with the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) may have been a slightly insulting individual, but they were on to something. Creating a brand with too many colors, gradients, bells, whistles, and starbursts may draw attention but not the kind of recognition you want. Consider timeless brands like Coca Cola or Apple. They are simple and identifiable enough to be considered iconic.

ICONS ARE NOT: Overly complicated montages or hieroglyphics.

ICONS ARE: Simple symbols that quickly communicate a product or service.

2inconsistencyYour brand should look the same no matter where it’s seen. Having one typographic style on social media, a different one on print materials, and another for your website is confusing and makes your brand appear unprofessional.

The best way to ensure that your branding remains consistent is to have and adhere to a branding guide. Branding guides set the standards for everyone across departments and platforms. Adhering to the guide ensures consistency for the logo, typography, layout, and photographic styles. Once the brand guide has been established, do not allow people who say they’re creative to “adjust” your brand. Little tweaks here and there chip away at the integrity of your brand identity.

HERE’S WHAT WORKS:

The key to brand consistency is to have one individual or team become the voice of your brand in order to keep the message fresh and relevant.

not archiving a high resolution version of your brand markMake sure there is a vector file of your final logo on hand at company headquarters and with your design firm. This keeps the quality of your image from being compromised as it’s scaled.

BE PREPARED FOR ANY SITUATION:

A high resolution image maintains quality whether it’s printed for use on a billboard or uploaded as a thumbnail image online.

using unlicensed online fontsA great way to add value to your brand is to purchase a custom font that isn’t free to the public. This ensures the font will be more unique to your company. When cost is an issue, the go-to place is Google Fonts. Google Fonts are well designed, usable in print and digital formats, and (best of all) free.

4 WHY NOT ANY RANDOM FREE FONT:

Most unlicensed fonts are untrustworthy, corrupt, leave the market, become overused, and (because of their trendiness) date your brand.

not using a color standard like pantoneWith all of the technological devices on the market, color matching has become more of an art form than a science. The best way to address color variation is to establish a standard that provides the formula for each color:   PMS, CMYK, RGB, and HEX.

5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

• No color will look the same on every surface, but a standard (PMS, etc.) gets it as close as possible.

• A color standard takes computer screen variances out of the equation.

not knowing your marketEvery market segment consists of leaders, followers, and niches. Wherever your company lands, remember that you’re unique. Build to your strengths. Make sure your true brand personality shines through and connects with your target audience.

6 BEWARE OF THESE PITFALLS:

• Trying to be something you’re not.• Choosing your brand based on personal preference

rather than strategy or market research.• Focusing too much on trends. The best brands

are timeless.

not having somebody else review the logo for unintended meaningWords and symbols often carry multiple meanings. You don’t want your brand to inadvertently become synonymous with inappropriate content like phallic symbols, innuendo, or misrepresentation.7

Not recognizing the brand value of customer serviceGood customer service ensures your brand survives well beyond the idea phase. Being a strong brand means consistency, not only visually, but also in your ability to live up to your brand promise in the marketplace.

8 IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU:

• Ultimately your brand is how you treat people. It’s your overarching story.

• Make sure your customer service matches your brand values.• There should be substance to back up the words and images.

T H E E F F E C T S O F P O O R B R A N D I N G

• Impacts client trust. People don’t know what to expect from you.

• Unrecognizable/incognito. The company basically functions in disguise.

• Dilutes authenticity. Mixed messages come across as two-faced.

• Communicates poor quality.

• May indicate you don’t pay attention to detail.

• Loss of brand loyalty. Customers don’t know how to find you.

• Misrepresents who you want to be.

• Inconsistency may convey dishonesty.

H O W T O P R E V E N T B R A N D I N G B L U N D E R S

• Hire a professional

• Use the branding guide and make sure everybody else does, too

• Market research

• Establish your identity first, not the other way around

• Do your homework