The biggest branding mistakes - Webcopyplus · · 2016-06-21The biggest branding mistakes and how...
Transcript of The biggest branding mistakes - Webcopyplus · · 2016-06-21The biggest branding mistakes and how...
The biggest branding mistakesand how to avoid them Valuable insights from more than 70 design professionals around the globe.
Your Brand is Your Business
A brand spans beyond your logo, words, type font, design, colours, personality and
price. It is a promise to your audience, an experience. And it’s never been more vital
and valuable to your business.
In recent decades, our economic base has shifted from production to consumption,
from needs to wants, from objective to subjective. We’re moving from the functional
and technical characteristics of the industrial era, into a time when consumers are
making buying decisions based on how they feel about a company and its offer.
Your brand creates that emotional reaction.
A heartfelt thanks to the design professionals who took the time to share their
wisdom to help businesses build better brands.
Rick SlobodaSenior Web Copywriter and Content Strategist, Webcopy+
Smart content starts here:
©2016 All rights reserved.
Designed by Cassie Clay-Smith
INTRODUCTION
STRATEGY | 5
Plant the Right Seeds
A brand is a carefully designed and well-calculated experience.
It is the relationship a customer has with a brand, and the
emotions and thoughts they have when they interact with it.
A brand is not simply what a product looks like, how it functions
or how it is marketed, but it is its spirit. It is the seed from which
a trunk, branches, leaves and fruit will grow. Without thorough
consideration and understanding of the seed, it is that much
more challenging to predict what it will grow into, the number of
branches it will bear, and if it’s even capable of growing any fruit.
“The misconception of a company’s brand as any less, causes
many small businesses to miss the foundational first step of
intimately understanding who your brand is, hence, making it
that much more of a challenge to reveal a brand’s true potential.”
Eleanor TurnbullProduct Designer, EventMobi
STRATEGY | 6
Start With the Basics
The greatest mistake a business can make when handling their brand is to rush through the brand development process. Before designing visuals, one must devise the strategy. Before this strategy is built, one must define the business.”
Abhishek ChaudhrySenior Designer, Clark Stanley
STRATEGY | 7
Design + Strategy = Success
Business owners need to embrace strategic design, which appeals to target markets, offers a glimpse into key messages and values, and accurately represents the essence of their businesses.”Lisa Temes,Art Director & Graphic Designer, Lisa Temes Designs
STRATEGY | 8
Invest in You
To achieve a quality brand, it is crucial for business owners to take time and appropriate resources when crafting their brand from the start. In the end, you are creating a lifestyle, which is much harder than just creating a logo.”
Kaitlyn Pannunzio Visual Designer, Kzio
STRATEGY | 9
Take the Necessary Steps
The number one mistake business owners make when it comes to their brands is rushing the process of establishing the brand, or going through the process thoughtlessly. Doing proper research, really taking the time to think about the brand positioning, personality and mission, and how all of these things will be most effectively communicated through the brand identity is crucial.”
Erin R. WindrimGraphic & Communications Designer, Erin Rachel Designs
STRATEGY | 10
Give it Time
The most important commodity in a business
is time. Short-term fixes are often counter productive, and establishing a concrete business plan is key to having a successful business.”
Lulwa El-AtabGraphic & Web Designer, Lulwa El-Atab Designs
STRATEGY | 11
Learn to Trust
Business owners often don’t hand over control to designers, either because they are emotionally attached to their ideas or freaked out about hiring a creative. Business owners should trust the designer they chose to hire, and it is a designer’s job to help a client through the process of branding their business.”
Ana Krasko Communication Designer
STRATEGY | 12
Delegate Authority
Working with designers and marketing teams requires a balance. Business owners need to trust and delegate authority to their creative teams, and be able to make swift decisions when required to avoid unnecessary, costly delays.”
Melissa de Nobrega,Graphic Designer & Illustrator
STRATEGY | 13
Research + Strategy = Gold
One may think there are far more
important things than strategy when
it comes to branding, but that is what
branding is! A strategic placement
of the company’s persona on the
relentlessly changing game board
where all competitors carve out their
territories. Research is needed to
discover the human truth the consumer
feels about the product, and with that
nugget you will strike a vein of gold.”
Dillon Scheenaard Graphic Designer, Influence Marketing
STRATEGY | 14
Get to the Core Early
Business owners consider details like
their businesses’ goals, strategies and
values to be peripheral to their
day-to-day operations, when in fact it
should be at the core of everything they
do. They don’t take the time to think
about their brand from the start, and
as the saying goes, ‘failure to plan is
planning to fail’.”
Heidi MakeinGraphic Designer
STRATEGY | 15
Less is More
People get excited by too many ideas
at once. It’s great when people are really
passionate about different things, but
sometimes you have to ask what is actually
important to your brand when it comes to
clear communication.
Less really is more, and more people need
to realize that. Deliver the message clearly,
and people will see it.”
Kendyl Lauzon Designer, Breakfast Jones
STRATEGY | 16
KISS: Keep It Simple and Consistent
On company websites, businesses tend
to put way too many links on their sites
making it hard for one-click navigation
for users. Make it easy for consumers
to get around your website. The other
main thing is businesses fail to have very
professional and clearly legible logos and
branding images. Simple is better, and
elegance lends much more to consumers
remembering who you are and what you
offer, when all the clutter is cut.”
Russ NadasdyDesigner, R.O.I. Design & Creative
STRATEGY | 17
Think Long Term
The number one mistake that business owners make regarding their brand is to settle with a ‘quick fix’
instead of a well thought-out strategic plan. If you look at the major corporate brands, ranging from soft drinks to pro sports teams, there is always an element of consistency over the years of brand transition, and that is the reason why many brands remain so successful and retain customer loyalty.
“For companies looking to create or refresh their brand, fully understand your business inside and out. Understand your direct competition, understand your market position, understand your target demographic and how you can not only appeal to them, but engage them. Your branding is the greatest salesman you will
ever have. Your brand tells your story without the book.”
Ben WadolowskiGraphic Designer
STRATEGY | 18
Plan for Longevity
A strong brand identity starts from understanding and developing a mission and statement that is not too broad or stuck in time, meaning a mission that will be relevant in the next three to five years.”
Clara BedoyaCreative Thinker, Clara Bedoya Designs
DIFFERENTIATION | 20
Grow Up!
Don’t try to fit in. This is not high school. People aren’t criticizing you for being different — they’re interested in you because you’re different.”
Melissa MeyerDesigner, Utility House Design Company
DIFFERENTIATION | 21
Be Different
In my experience, most business
owners are too worried about
conforming to branding trends
within their industry and want
branding similar to or based on
something they’ve seen from
another business within their
industry, instead of looking for
something unique and original,
which would not only help them
stand out in a crowd of monotony
but also better help portray
their business.”
Alex WorkmanGraphic Designer, EQ3
DIFFERENTIATION | 22
Don’t Be Dull
Mistake: being safe! Branding is about having a unique identity and most clients tend to want to stay pedestrian with their branding, which defeats the purpose.”
Laura VelasquezGraphic Designer, Beehive Design
DIFFERENTIATION | 23
Have Fun, Be Bold!
Have fun with your business,
make it yours, infuse it with
personality, take chances,
make mistakes and trust
yourself. Being bold has
become such a novel idea
that those who embrace
it are seen as knowing
something others don’t.”
Cassie Clay-Smith Creative Director, Cassie Clay-Smith Design
DIFFERENTIATION | 24
First Impressions Matter
Imagine that you go to a restaurant and
you see the dirty floor and dirty windows
and you see the untidy waiters — you’d
probably want to leave as quickly as
possible and you wouldn’t care if that
place had the most delicious food in the
entire city. You judge by sight, and so do
your customers. Before your customers
know your company and its processes,
they need to know your brand first, so give
it the value and care it deserves.”
Juan Carlos Lara NassarUI/UX Designer, Twenty Four Studio
DIFFERENTIATION | 25
Make a Difference
Companies need to understand that any
user’s interaction with their product or
service is an extension of their brand.
These interactions are what create
relationships and brand loyalty between
a consumer and a producer. Brand
loyalty is why people come back, share
a brand and, most importantly, stand
behind it. It’s not about a difference; it’s
about making a difference. It’s about
getting people talking by listening first.”
Garret Schauteet Designer, One Twenty Three West
DIFFERENTIATION | 26
Be Clear, Be Memorable
Today we can easily see different brands around the world. The question is how many of them can we remember? Clear messages through the proper media are the key to opening the first chapter of a success story for a company.”
Meiling ShenMarketing and Graphic Designer
DIFFERENTIATION | 27
Don’t Follow the Crowd
Business owners don’t allow enough time and money to build a memorable brand personality and identity. A lot of decisions around brand personality are based on competition and current trends, instead of solid market research and testing.” Anita WypychUX Designer
DIFFERENTIATION | 28
Adapt and Lead
The most important aspect to a brand’s survival is knowing how to reach your audience and how to adapt for them. Mistakes enable a brand to evolve by continuing to be a leader, not a follower.”
Hannah WheelerArt Director, MGM Communications
DIFFERENTIATION | 29
Steer Clear of Generic
Mistake: using words so plain they’ll never
stand out. When thinking of your business
name, think outside of the ‘general’ box.
General Motors and General Electric are taken
and your business name requires differentiation.
Imagine if Google had come out as
GeneralWebSearch.com? With the onslaught
of new media and advertising channels, it’s
more important than ever to carve out your
niche by displaying your uniqueness. Nothing
does that better than a well conceived name.”
Leanne McNaughtonCreative Director, Unēk Graffix
DIFFERENTIATION | 30
Dress for Success
If two companies offer
identical products,
clients will subconsciously
gravitate toward the brand
that is professionally
designed and well
thought out.”
Micaela DawnArtist, Dawn Arts
Company Characteristics Form Your Brand
Business owners forget that a
brand encompasses all the
characteristics of the company
through all mediums of execution
and delivery.
It’s not until that moment that
they realize what a brand can
become that they can move
forward with progress.”
Mahyar SaeediDesigner & Entrepreneur, Designed to Speak Mahyar Saeedi Design Studio
DIFFERENTIATION | 31
DIFFERENTIATION | 32
Be True to Yourself
Making a clear tagline and ‘brand feel’ that
is believable and true to your company is
key. This allows your employees to feel
strongly about the brand and become its
ambassadors. Employees should champion
your story. Be sure they’re clear about your
brand and have buy-in so they can spread
the good word.”
Jake JanosikUX/UI Designer
DIFFERENTIATION | 33
Invest in Yourself
I’ve seen too many small business owners who
rush into presenting themselves to the world
with poorly made marketing materials, hoping
the product will sell itself. Unwillingness to
spend adequate time and money to define the
look and feel of the company results in lost
credibility and sales. On the other hand, when I
see smart postcards and clever business cards
with appealing logos, I know the owner of the
company values her business, is serious about
establishing trustworthy relationships with
her customers, and makes long-term plans to
evolve and improve her venture.”
Lina KamenetskyGraphic Designer, LK Designs
DIFFERENTIATION | 34
Define an ‘Ownable’ Brand Idea
Oftentimes, when approached to work on a specific tactic, we
flip the script and ask the company if they can tell us the one
thing that makes their company unique and ownable. And
oftentimes the answer is ‘we love our customers’ or ‘we really,
truly care about what we do.’ While those things might very
well be true, they are neither unique nor ownable — and for that
reason, we use a 4C process to pinpoint an exclusive,
just-for-you brand idea.
“The process involves digging deep to learn more about the
company, category, competition and customer. These findings
formulate key insights that then inspire the brand idea. By
being open to calling a timeout and developing this idea, rather
than simply executing on specific tactics, companies can be
armed with the core idea that informs the strategic direction of
both their creative and tactical outreach – in a way that deeply
resonates with their customers.”
Steve GaitherJB Chicago President + CEO
DIFFERENTIATION | 35
Don’t Follow Your Competitors’ Footsteps
Business owners get so busy trying to gain inspirations from their competitors’ sites, they lose focus on what makes their brand special and stand out.”
Helen TruongUI/UX Designer, Designetiks
DIFFERENTIATION | 36
Tag Yourself
Many businesses fail to seize audiences with their taglines. Effective taglines typically have three to six believable words that match your core services and have powerful appeal. Ensure yours is simple, memorable and functional, or you’re missing opportunities to engage.”
Brad HaimaCreative Director, Circle Graphics
DIFFERENTIATION | 37
Tell a Story that Feels Good
Many brands and companies lack a story behind their brand. The reason they started the company. The real problems they are trying to solve. They lack a story that resonates with their audience. Nothing feels better than walking away with a good feeling about the company you’ve given your
money and time to.”
Brian Hoff Founder & Creative Director
DIFFERENTIATION | 38
Mind Your Niche
The top mistake I’ve experienced from business owners is not thinking about and branding towards their target audience. If you don’t have a niched call to your audience they won’t see or hear you.”
Haley TanakaGraphic Designer, Haley Tanaka Designs
DIFFERENTIATION | 39
Know Your Story
You need to define, understand and develop your brand story. If you have nailed your brand story, then you can tell it in a cool, creative way.”
Angie ScottCreative Director, Zest Idea Agency
DIFFERENTIATION | 40
Let your Personality Shine
Here are a few things you can do to help make
your brand more memorable:
First, people follow people with big
personalities. No one follows boring people.
Think of that when creating your brand —
infuse it with personality. Second, understand
your ‘why’ — the reason why your company
exists and why you do what you do. Make that
message part of your brand. Finally, people love
reading and sharing stories, so embrace that
by telling interesting stories about your brand,
your employees and your customers.”
Geoff WilsonPresident & Founder, 352 Inc.
EMOTIONS | 42
The Why Factor
Your brand begins with an emotional,
not an intellectual connection. Business
owners are myopically focused on what
they do and how they do it, they always
forget to tell people why they do what
they do. By leading with their story of
why they can create this emotional
connection with their audience and
begin a longer lasting relationship with,
and understanding of their brand.”
Michael CarrollCreative Director, Kaleidico
EMOTIONS | 43
What Makes You Tick?
From colours to fonts to supporting graphics, many elements are combined to form a brand story, and to create an emotional connection with the viewer. The brand story is developed by diving into what makes a business tick, and this extends through to the tone of voice in social media and any other copywriting. This is what helps people care about your company and want to be associated with the brand.”
Andi MortensonCreative Director, Epic Design
EMOTIONS | 44
Aim for the Heart
Business owners misunderstand that a brand is the sum of experiences that customers have with an organization. An attractive logo can catch your eye, but an attractive brand captures your heart.”
Harley RivétPresident, Deep Dish Digital
EMOTIONS | 45
Get on the Why Early
Most businesses focus on the traditional branding system. They start their story with what (product), then move onto how (process), and leave their why (emotions— motivation behind building a business/product) for the end. This is a mistake. Businesses should concentrate on their ‘why’ when they start their branding process.”
Elina DaoutovaCreative Director, Daoutova Creative Group
EMOTIONS | 46
Mind Your Audience
Too many times I’ve come across business owners that obsess over what they like instead of what their customers like. The solution is to research the audience before jumping into branding or starting any kind of design.”
Esther BatyckiDoes Digital Media
EMOTIONS | 47
What You Give Is What You Get
A big mistake I see a lot of brands
making is a lack of engagement
with their customers. Customers
love feeling like they are a part of the
brands they enjoy, whether it’s just
a conversation, or just seeing some
feedback acted upon. People are so
connected through social media that a
lack of engagement online can come
across in a seriously negative way.”
Dustin GambleDigital Designer
EMOTIONS | 48
People Like Doing Business With People
Companies treat their brands more like a
corporation than seeing themselves as a
personality. If you market your brand as
a corporation then it might come across
as impersonal and without feeling. If you
try to think of your brand as a person then
great things start to happen. Consumers
can identify with that brand, much like
people themselves.”
David Andrew LarsenSenior Art Director
EMOTIONS | 49
It’s All About the Experience
Many often neglect brand experiences that
really define a company’s brand. They focus
on the logo, the new sales promotion and
the website, but then leave it at that. They
ignore customer service experiences, how
a package is presented when mailed, return
policy, invoice design, renewal notifications,
support ticket experiences, etc. Those are the
things that affect how you feel about a brand
much more than a logo.”
Ryan ShortFounder & Creative Director, MODassic Marketing
EMOTIONS | 50
Be Human!
Businesses fail to humanize their
brands! People don’t want to
engage with your logo. They want
to talk to a person. That’s why big
companies get endorsements.
Make sure to attach a face/human
to your brand and you will get
way more response from your
marketing efforts.”
Rebecca KerswellSocial Media Marketing Specialist, WHOA! IS MEDIA
THINK BIGGER | 52
Build a Movement
Brands need to be actionable, compelling and true. To be actionable, all employees and stakeholders must be fully aware of the company’s standards regarding products and services. To be compelling represents a sense of purpose. People want to be part of something that matters. It has to be inspiring, exert that inner pull to the organization and to the target audience. And to be true represents executing on your brand promise.”
Guylaine RégimbaldCreative Thinker, Smiling Surface
THINK BIGGER | 53
Start Right
One of the biggest mistakes a business owner can make is purchasing a stock logo or submitting a fly-by-night brief on their company to a five dollar logo creation site. Not only can this limit your business, but if the branding is not done correctly the first time, business owners can actually launch their business in the wrong direction.”
Aram StamboulianCreative Director, Espress Labs
THINK BIGGER | 54
Think Past Yourself
There is a common mistake with business owners — they think they are their own brand’s target. Often they’re not.”
Christian Arias RamírezGraphic Designer, Garnier BBDO Costa Rica
THINK BIGGER | 55
Come Out From the Shadows
With Author Rank becoming so
powerful, the people behind the
business are now as important as
the story behind the business. If
each of the major players within
the organization has prominence
online, it increases the entire
presence of the business.”
Ken BuisCreative Director, Fervid Designs
THINK BIGGER | 56
Think BIG!
My advice would be for anyone who is
marketing their brand and striving for a
strong brand image, to step away from
who they think they are, and create what
they know they ought to be. It’s about
getting out of your own mind, and into
that of the audience. After all, in my
opinion, the biggest mistake is thinking
you know everything when you really
only know bits and pieces.”
Christopher AbrahamGraphic Designer & Author
THINK BIGGER | 57
Don’t Handcuff Your Company
Sometimes business owners apply poor
logic to logo rebrands. For instance,
instead of thinking of the company’s
strength and reputation they think of
their son’s favorite colour. Or they
reference some random object’s look and
feel from the past that has sentimental
memories associated with it. Meanwhile,
the look can be completely outdated, and
has little to do with the company.”
Christine StephensDesign Director
THINK BIGGER | 58
Stay Out of the Way
When it comes to branding, sometimes business owners let their personal preferences take over rather then following what might be the best for their target market. A great designer should be able to find the happy medium between the client’s preference and that of the target market. And a great client would have an open mind and willingness to see creative approaches that might be out of their own comfort zones.”
Heli PrajapatiDesigner, LABH Design
THINK BIGGER | 59
Explore, and Explore Some More
Business owners should really
think about what they want their
businesses to portray and how they
want their audience to view them.
To achieve the best branding for your
business, do not stop at the first idea
— keep exploring and pushing your
ideas until you find the best branding
solution possible.”
Ashley ElfordGraphic Designer
THINK BIGGER | 60
Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough
Business owners often times create a brand
thinking that it’s ‘good enough’ in the early stages
of their business or venture. Re-brands often
have a negative effect because it forces the user
to re-adapt their emotional connections to the
original brand. Successful re-brands are rare and
only happen when you bring the user through an
emotional journey from old to new without any
hurdles. As a result, businesses should really
understand their users and themselves from the
start so that they don’t have to come back and
change their brand.”
Daniel ParkProduct Designer
THINK BIGGER | 61
Bring Your Values to Life
Business owners mistakenly view their
brands as visual assets, rather than
something that can be experienced. That
is to say that they are just thinking too
small. A successful brand should be a
set of values that permeates everything
from web to print to product, rather than
just a set of shared collateral.”
Meghan RobichaudIllustrator & Designer
THINK BIGGER | 62
Let Your Designer Design
I believe that a business owner’s biggest
mistake in regards to their brand would
be not trusting their designer or design
team. Of course it’s important to have
a steady hold on how one wants their
brand to look and feel, but I don’t think it
should come at the expense of shutting
down other ideas or concepts because
it doesn’t exactly fit their vision.”
Connor ClicheGraphic Designer, Northern Commerce
THINK BIGGER | 63
Be Inspired, Inspire
Conviction of the conscience is the key
root to all things; such as perfect timing of
when and how to promote their brand, how
to reach out and impact their audience,
conviction to know the owner’s vision and
talents to create their personal brand, instead
of being under the influence of what I call
‘the domino effect’ — following business
trends for the sake of copying, based on
trend comparison instead of being inspired.”
Hannah NguyenGraphic Designer
THINK BIGGER | 64
Don’t Stand Still
Business owners need to realize that
in today’s world everything is your
competition. A user or reader has finite
resources and time with an attention
span of a squirrel, so we have to make
sure brands expand and transcend to
new platforms and constantly evolve to
capture consumers’ time and money.”
Alex ProbstInformation Designer, Penta Editorial
THINK BIGGER | 65
Be Brave, Be Great
Many owners are too safe or too close to their brand, which doesn’t allow for natural brand development. The market, consumer and business change constantly, and the ability for a brand to adapt is just as important as maintaining integrity and loyalty. The ability to trust the design community to bring a brand to a level where it can compete in a fast and dynamic market is imperative, and allowing brands to flourish (with professional influence) is what separates the good from the great.”
Damien NorthmoreArt Director
CONSISTENCY | 67
Mind the Weeds
A common critical error businesses
make with their brands is they
forget about it. Your brand grows
whether you build it and tend to it
strategically, or leave it to its own
devices. Tended to, it can grow into
a healthy and beautifully structured
bonsai tree. Left alone, it can grow
like a determined, unwieldy weed.”
Karley CunninghamBig Thinker & Creative Strategist
CONSISTENCY | 68
Nurture Your Brand
As a company grows, business
owners slowly get less interested
in the brand essence and let the
employees manipulate the identity
without consent. This is when the
brand slowly dies. Being immersed
in your own brand ensures your
company stays on a clear path to
innovation and improvement.”
Marcela Checa-SauermannGraphic, UX & Service Designer
CONSISTENCY | 69
Police Your Brand
Company name and logo should be the same on all materials. Every brand goes through design changes and it should be updated on everything from business cards, to websites, all the way to packaging. Clients tend to change only some of their marketing materials and not all, making their branding much less effective.”
Ivana ObradovicGraphic Designer, Ivana Obradovic Design
CONSISTENCY | 70
Take Pride
Business owners let themselves down by investing in a great brand foundation, thoughtfully created by a professional designer, then deciding to apply that brand to a proposal document hurriedly patched together in Word, or to a series of social media posts with mismatched corporate imagery and an inconsistent voice. Often, subconsciously, overlooked details chip away at the sense of value and professionalism business owners are working hard to maintain.”
Corinne KempenGraphic Designer & Project Coordinator
CONSISTENCY | 71
Manual for Success
A common mistake is not
creating a brand standard
manual with all the specifications
— typeface, kerning, colour
palette, and so on — to avoid
inconsistency and confusion
with the consumer.”
Marco VillarroelVisual Designer UX/UI, Visualiza
CONSISTENCY | 72
Brand With Purpose
Businesses should never take a hit-and-miss approach to branding because it results in inconsistent verbal and visual communications. Every brand element should be carefully aligned to help the business grow to its full potential.”
Diana BigaevaDesign Consultant, Design Directory
CONSISTENCY | 73
Set Expectations
Ideally, you want clients to have an enjoyable
experience interacting with your brand, and one way
to ensure that is to be consistent. For example, your
logo fonts and colours should be the same on every
application and your company’s messaging and
quality should match. How a business is presented
alludes to what the client can expect, and if the
expectation doesn’t match the actual experience
there’s an inconsistency. This often means that the
chance of that client returning or recommending
your business is low. Ensure your client’s experience
with your business is positive and that it mimics the
expectation that was presented by your brand.”
Christina DulikCreative Director, Creative Ramblings
CONSISTENCY | 74
Stay True to Yourself
I think business owners take a sharp
wrong turn when they forget the story,
the reason they pursued the venture,
and their beliefs. They follow trends
rather than a thoughtful strategy
related to their story. The story just
becomes a cover of what’s tried and
tested, rather than innovative and
forward-thinking.”
Adam ZabunyanBrand Strategist, Partisan Projects
CONSISTENCY | 75
Know Everything’s Connected
The number one mistake I see business owners make when it comes to their brand is that they do not even think of their business as a brand. They don’t realize how many different elements are connected and related, especially in the digital world. They may have social media accounts and other directory profiles but the only relationship is the core contact information like business name, phone and website address. There is no real connection between the visual as well as the message. When the connection does not exist, a brand truly doesn’t exist and it is really just a name.”
Darren FoxPresident, Idea Marketing Group
CONSISTENCY | 76
Clear the Noise
Clients overcomplicate the design
thought process. The issue comes into
play where a client is trying to ‘say
everything’ in their branding, which
leads to busy, unfocused logos. If not
directed by a quality design team or
agency, that thought process continues
onto advertisements, websites, etc.,
which all leads to a sloppy brand.”
Jt Taylor J Taylor Design
CONSISTENCY | 77
Guide Your Brand
A brand standards guide
is the #1 recipe for all
companies who are starting
out because it promotes
consistency. Business
owners need to understand
the importance of an
identity that the public can
easily define and recognize.”
Christina TestanaGraphic Web Designer & Illustrator
CONSISTENCY | 78
Clear the Clutter
Editing down a design so it’s clear, clean and concise is hugely important in the overall design aesthetic of branding. Keeping the brand identity clean helps translate the idea across multiple platforms, both print and digital, in a much more effective way.”
Gareth AdamsonGraphic Designer
CONSISTENCY | 79
Be Strong, Be Consistent
When creating your brand or guidelines, you must be consistent. Take a few weeks to figure out how you really want your brand to be recognized. Apply that everywhere, and stick with it. Nothing looks better than a strong and consistent brand.”
Attila Hajzer Web Designer, HWD
CONSISTENCY | 80
Convey Confidence
I th ink the biggest mistake business
owners make when i t comes to their
brands is that they don’t show or
pract ice brand conf idence. The lack of
brand conf idence shows when things
star t to look dif ferent from one medium
to another, which creates confusion with
the consumer and damages their t rust
with the brand.”
Carl GonzagaGraphic Designer, Indochino
About Rick Sloboda
Rick is a Senior Web Copywriter and Content Strategist at
Webcopy+, which helps designers and businesses boost
online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content.
His clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s
largest service providers, including AT&T, Bell Mobile, Tim Hortons
and Scotia Bank. He advocates clear, concise and objective website
content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts
web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S.,
including Yale University. Rick speaks frequently at Web-related
forums and seminars, and serves as a Web program committee
advisor with various organizations, including Langara College
and Vancouver Career College.
You can connect with Rick via his content blog, Twitter, LinkedIn,
or Facebook.