September 2015 HOW LOOKS AFFECT A BRAND NEW SERVICE … · 2015-10-29 · Zappos and Tata not only...
Transcript of September 2015 HOW LOOKS AFFECT A BRAND NEW SERVICE … · 2015-10-29 · Zappos and Tata not only...
September 2015
HOW LOOKS AFFECT A BRAND
Context is important in branding. So is setting yourself apart from therest of the competition. This is second nature to great marketers. Andworldclass companies seek expert help.
So when investment giant UBS decided a change was needed to standout in the crowded financial services industry, the company soughtassistance for its rebranding efforts. The company launched a new setof commercials with a different tone of voice and what it calls an“acoustic identity” to connect with TV viewers and users on socialmedia.
The firm also scrapped all of its original branding, with the exception ofits wellknown red key logo, and introduced a new graphic designschematic. UBS’s new branding aims high without coming across asstuffy.
Most important, this firm, which specializes in private banking,investments and wealth management, wanted to shed any associationwith the clichés of Wall Street or complex banking lingo. Instead, itsrebrand is stocked with photos of real people, shot by photographerAnnie Leibovitz, plus lighter fonts and straightforward language.
Yet, it’s not just firms in the financial sector that need to consider theirlook and logos. At the other end of the consumer spectrum, burger jointShake Shack aims to reach millennials. As the fast food concern growsswiftly outside its New York City home, Shake Shack has become ahuge social media influencer, courting 20something hamburger and
NEW SERVICE LAUNCH:CUSTOM DESIGNS DONERIGHT THE FIRST TIME,EVERY TIME
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milkshake lovers through social media. To that end, Shake Shack hasbeen thoughtful about its choice of fonts for its logo and marketingmaterials.
Instead of opting for a futuristic look, the newish restaurant chain hasbrought back a 70yearold font called Neutra. Along with it comes anexciting and trendy retro character.
While Shake Shack’s lead designer, Paula Scher, said she “pickedNeutra for the branding because it complemented the (originallocation’s) architecture so beautifully,” the look and feel of the logo andfont scheme is nostalgic to bring in hints of the 20th Century and fastfood’s place in the American experience.
Another leading company in the middle of branding efforts is Google.The tech giant is reorganizing its corporate structure as Alphabet, butthat didn’t stop it from reworking the Google brand identity to introducea new logo in August 2015.
While there is — both among design folks and everyday users — muchcriticism about Google’s new logo, the firm has expressed confidentlythat the recent logo change is a thoughtful part of their brand’sevolution. Fortune Magazine notes that the new Google logo’s “neutralresponse” can actually be considered a win for their branding.
Google, Shake Shack and UBS are just a few of many branding andrebranding efforts going on now. Large corporations like these spendenormous amounts of time and money to get professional help fromexperts on everything from their logos to their digital and print materialsto their brand launches. Fortunately, there are resources like IdeaCustom Solutions that help our clients level the playing field to allowtheir small and medium sized business customers to get highcaliberlogo designs at affordable prices.
WHAT MAKES YOUR WEBSITE A WINNER?
Some companies measure their website by the volume of sales butmany businesses don’t sell goods online. So what makes your websiteeffective might have more to do with its ability to engage potentialcustomers and, better yet, speak appropriately for your brand.
Current and Relevant Design
Just over a month ago The Next Web revisited what is trending in2015, both in terms of what looks slick, and what users respond to. Forstarters, simplicity is best. Today’s design whizzes recommend “clean”and flat design with “minimal use of color, shapes and typography”.Gone are the days of popping, buzzing and spinning graphics.Generally, picking one font or a cohesive scheme of closelyrelatedfonts is also crucial to a crisp, uncluttered and professional look.
Consider Your Customer
In most cases, visitors to your website are your customers or, ideally,they should be. Even if you don’t run a true ecommerce site — sellinggoods or services directly from your site — your digital presence willhelp you win or lose you customers. It’s important to consider whatmakes your website useful to them.
According to Inc. magazine, the prominent voice of small business,everything on your website should have a purpose. Specifically, Inc.
There are cheap solutions andthen there is real valueYour time is worth a lot. A cheapdesign that you have to reject andstart over is no bargain. With us,you can deliver agencylevelcreative — SixSigma qualitycontrolled and ISO certified — toyour customers at prices they canafford.
We guarantee your satisfactionWe do millions of logos for millionsof products, year in and year out,for clients big and small. Ourmission is to build longtermrelationships with successfulcompanies. We don’t succeedunless you do.
The right help, when you need itmostIt’s timeconsuming and frustratingwhen customers just can’t decidewhat they really want. Ourmarketing consultants help bycontacting customers directly, toclarify their creative briefs for logodesign and ensure they get resultsthey’ll love. This radically reducesboth abandonment and rework,and it leads to customers who arehappy and ready to recommendyou to friends.
Done right, delivered fast
recommends choosing your images carefully to relate to what youoffer. Also, tap your web designer to set up nonverbal and calltoaction functions, while also paying attention to “where the eyewanders”.
Moreover, don’t feel pressured to get too technical. Avoid jargon andoverly wordy explanations of your company’s mission, products orservices. This goes not just for your site’s content but also for itsdesign. Certainly it is okay to design with a certain type of customer inmind. But Inc. recommends you design “a little bit for everyone”, so thatyour site looks enticing to anyone who might view it and not justexisting customers.
Hire an Expert
Finally, one of the most important things you can do to improve anyaspect of your business is to consult a specialist. While you arefocused on running your company, responding to customers anddreaming up new products, it helps to have someone that can updateyour website to reflect changes to your business.
By enlisting an expert, you gain advantages. This spring, Moneymagazine tackled the topic and revealed some simple benefitsincluding time savings, getting it right the first time and obtaining afinished product that exceeds your original expectations.
Your website is no less important to your business than the electricityin your office, or the engine in the vehicle you drive to work. Just likeyou would consult a specialist for either, or seek an attorney on legalmatters, hiring a specialist on the design and construction of yourwebsite is essential. You will free yourself to be your best at what youdo best, while getting great results.
PROMO PRODUCTS: MORE THAN JUST AN INTRO
Specialty advertising and promotional products are often talked aboutas cornerstones of trade shows and new customer engagement. Andthere is more recent evidence that this is true.
Small business book author Rhonda Abrams talks up promo productsas an essential part of trade shows. Along with choosing the rightevents and taking the initiative to talk to people, Abrams says that printcollateral is the most important giveaway. But other items bringpotential customers and important contacts to exhibitors’ booth.
“People love free stuff,” Abrams writes. “Just make sure your productname, contact info and website is printed on everything you hand out.”
The Casper Journal recently echoed Abrams’ sentiment, stating thattrade shows are all about the giveaways.
“Anything,” the Wyoming newspaper said, “can draw people in andhelp you initiate a conversation with them. Furthermore, the Journalthinks that the right promotional products — whether writinginstruments, drinkware or desk toys — make lasting impressions.
Plus, there is a practical side to many promo products offered. “Phonechargers, for example, though not cheap, are now the swag of choiceat allday conferences where phones run out of juice as the day drags
We complete custom creativedesigns within 72 hours.
For more than 15 years, IdeaCustom Solutions has beenproviding graphic production andbusiness services to companiesthat rely on us for the highestquality — promotional products,printing, awards, signs and otherbusinesses. Now you can getcustom creative design from theteam you trust for vector artwork,embroidery digitizing and imageediting.
NOTABLE QUOTES
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on.”
That being said, not all giveaways that your customers offer need to be100% practical business tools. For example, the entire computergaming business depends every summer on E3, the ElectronicEntertainment Expo. As the Los Angeles Times reports, some of theirwhimsical promo items called “abiimos” (toy figurines of computergame characters) attract enthusiastic attendees.
Yet, despite the reputation of promotional products’ as conversationstarters, they also have another role, as relationship tools with clientsand employees. For example, Entrepreneur Magazine recently coveredthe topic of employee recognition, and how companies like Groupon,Zappos and Tata not only provide recognition for individualachievements in the workplace with trophies, but also with fun desktoys and wearables like topoftheline sports jackets as rewards.
They are also options for businesses that want to recognize their mostimportant clients. This summer, Business Insider reported that aninvestment firm called Van Eck Global habitually sends noveltyneckties to its top wealth management clients. The firm alsocommissioned a special run of other coveted novelty ties with formerFed Chairman Ben Bernanke and founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Additionally, giveaways are used for product marketing. In thecompetitive tech sector, camera giant Canon issued a set of mugspoking fun at its rival Nikon, while heralding the features if its superior50.6 megapixel line of 5D cameras.
Wherever your customers are in the marketing lifecycle, choosing theright selection of branded promotional products will make an impact fortheir businesses initially and for the long haul. If you need help creatingor converting the logos and artwork that will appear on hard goods andwearables, turn to Idea Custom Solutions for the highest quality andreliable turn times.
Let Idea Custom Solutions help you find content for social media:
What does a wordclass #logo look like? Some greatexamples from innovative, successful companies.http://goo.gl/p26SCX
The #PromoProducts market continues to grow. Majorfirms and small ones are seeing demand frombusinesses jump. @ASICentral http://goo.gl/z6HJwn
NASA’s iconic #logo dates to 1959, plus #NASA has itsown graphic design style guide. http://goo.gl/VdHDPO
Tshirts are one of the most popular #wearable#PromoProducts for businesses. http://goo.gl/zqzEq8
Tweet That!
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Shake Shack, a hit with millennials, uses retro fonts toadd nostalgia to its website and marketing.http://goo.gl/pkhMh3
As Kraft Foods and Heinz merge, what’s next for the#logo? http://goo.gl/RQcH4x
Quality print marketing collateral helps boost yourmarketing, social media efforts to reach customers.http://goo.gl/FphZfb
The coffee mug may be the alltime greatest#PromoProduct. Mugshot Monday shows its variety.http://goo.gl/9Fc7Rw
A #brand helps a business establish reputation. Hiringexpert help is a great start. http://goo.gl/Ztul4O
Embroidery Digitizing
Vector Artwork
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Vikram KhanoreUnit Supervisor, Digitizing Team
Vikram has been with IdeaCustom Solutions for nine yearsand he is a supervisor monitoringdelivery, productivity and quality ofthe team. He is very proud he wasable to earn the promotion to hiscurrent role.
His advice to current and potentialemployees of Idea CustomSolutions is: “Work hard and youwill always get rewarded for that. Istrongly believe, in today’s world,the combination of hard work andsmart work is the key to success.”
While outside the office, Vikramlikes to go on outings with hisfamily. He also enjoys listening tomusic and watching movies. Hisfavorite is “Three Idiots” because itreminds him of his college daysand he appreciates the script andperformances. A very creativeperson, Vikram spends timesurfing the Internet to explore newideas and concepts. He ispassionate about technology andalways hungry for moreknowledge.
One of his goals was to settle inPune and get a home of his own.Vikram told us, “The day when Imade this dream come true wasthe day in my life I cannot forget.”Another dream he hopes to makea reality is visiting all the historicalplaces in India.
Vikram thinks people should knowIdea Custom Solutions is “the bestcompany in the creative field,where you get to learn and expandyour skills.” He would like to beknown for his talent and goodwork. His motto is: “Always thinkpositive and you will get positiveresults.”