Explore the possibilities of a brand refresh.
Design
A full rebrand for any size or shape organisation can be a very long, stressful, and often expensive process which can often keep the idea off the agenda. What should be a lot closer to the top of the marketing todos is to look at the opportunity for a brand refresh.
As you will have no doubt spotted, we’ve undergone somewhat of a refresh ourselves. The logo has remained untouched but we’ve updated our photography, tweaked our colour palette, added some additional illustrative elements and swapped out our choice of fonts.
Here are a few reasons we’ve taken things back to the drawing board and why you might want to consider doing the same… It might just be what your brand needs right now!
1. Staying Relevant in a Dynamic World
Change is the only constant. Your brand might have once been a real showstopper but hey, times change, and so do your clients and prospects’ preferences. A brand refresh allows you to stay relevant and appealing in an ever-evolving market. It’s not about losing your identity; it’s about evolving it to continue captivating your audience.
2. Reflecting Growth and New Directions
Growth is great, but it often means your brand needs to catch up. A refresh can signal to the world that you’re not just growing, but evolving too. Maybe there are new and improved services on offer? It could be your company vision and values have been redefined. Your brand should mirror this transformation, telling a story of progression and ambition.
3. Differentiating in a Crowded Market
Let’s face it; our market (and more than likely yours) is now probably more crowded than the M25 at rush hour. The brand refresh is going to be a great way for us to stand out from the crowd once again. By tweaking our colours, tone of voice, and the look and feel of our assets, it will help keep us distinct and memorable.
4. Revitalising Internal Culture
Our brand refresh isn’t just for our customers and prospects; it’s for the team too. Since undertaking the process, everything’s got that shiny new feeling again, the team has a renewed pride in the place and as a consequence, productivity is up. This process can be an incredible opportunity to boost morale and foster a sense of pride.
5. Harnessing the Power of Digital Transformation
In today’s digital-first world, your brand needs to shine online. A refresh can ensure that your brand is optimised for the digital landscape, from user-friendly websites to eye-catching social media presence. It’s about creating a seamless, engaging digital experience for your audience.
6. Sparking New Interest
Finally, a brand refresh can reignite interest in your brand. It creates a buzz, generates curiosity, and could even re-engage former customers. This buzz won’t just happen, it will need to be planned and supported in the run-up to your big reveal. Behind the scenes here we planned, wrote, scribbled, binned and argued before finally agreeing on the best strategy for making sure everyone sees and hears about our refresh.
If any of what I have listed above resonates with where your brand is currently at, and if you’re thinking it might be time for a change and want to chat through some ideas, get in touch.
Your brand is your greatest asset…
Design
To protect and grow, we must first have systems to check in and confirm everything is as it should be. Blair outlines theirs in the above document, but you could create your own as long as you have a way of reviewing. Combine these with physical results from activities, and you’ll have a fantastic way to measure your brand performance. Review, and you’ll have results – Hopefully it’ll be a positive thumbs up, may be a thumbs down or not conclusive. Either way, it’ll give you facts to consider and act upon.
So, your brand is your greatest asset – What will you do for it moving forward?
How does a logo help you stand out from your competitors?
Design
In today’s competitive business landscape, it’s crucial to establish a strong brand identity that sets you apart from your competitors through strong design communication visuals. One of the most powerful ways to achieve this is through a well-designed company logo. A logo serves as the face of your brand, representing your values, mission, and unique selling proposition. It acts as a visual anchor, helping you make a memorable impression on your target audience. Let’s explore how a logo can help you stand out from your competitors.
Visual Differentiation.
A company logo plays a significant role in visually differentiating your brand from others. It is a unique identifier that helps customers recognise and remember your business. By being distinctive, you can establish a solid visual presence and make your brand more easily identifiable among a sea of competitors.
Brand Recognition.
The ultimate goal of any company logo is to create brand recognition. When customers see you being consistently across various marketing channels, it builds familiarity and trust. A well-designed company logo can evoke positive emotions, reinforce your brand’s personality, and create a lasting connection with your audience. As a result, customers are more likely to think of you when a need arises for the products or services you offer.
Representing You and Your Business.
A company logo allows you to highlight your unique selling points (USP) and key differentiating factors. It should reflect what sets your brand apart from the competition. Whether it’s your exceptional customer service, innovative products, or sustainable practices, a strategically designed logo can communicate these qualities, instantly conveying your brand’s value proposition to potential customers.
Professionalism and Credibility.
A professionally designed company logo can significantly enhance your brand’s perceived professionalism and credibility. A poorly executed or generic logo will make your brand appear amateurish and untrustworthy. On the other hand, a well-crafted company logo demonstrates attention to detail, quality, and a commitment to excellence, which can help you earn the trust of your target audience and establish yourself as a reputable player in your industry.
Brand Consistency.
Consistency is key in branding, and a company logo is a foundation for maintaining brand consistency across various touchpoints. From your website and social media profiles to packaging and advertising materials, strong design communication visuals will tie everything together. This consistency reinforces your brand identity and helps you stand out from the rest by presenting a cohesive and professional image.
Investing in a well-designed company logo is an essential endeavour for every business that can yield long-term benefits for your business, helping you capture the attention and loyalty of your target audience. As a creative design agency, we know what it takes to cut through the noise and truly capture attention. We create logos that last, that have the ability to grow with you and that always represent you.
Creative62 is a creative brand agency and we have a fundamental understanding of graphic design. We understand the importance of a company logo, the advantages of a well-crafted brand identity, and the necessity of consistency across ALL brand and marketing activities. So, reach out to us if a new logo might be on the cards!
Beyond the logo.
Design
Brand storytelling with character design
I’ve been drawing characters since I was a little one – what started in the 80s and 90s as reading comic books and watching Transformers, He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the TV has turned into a passion of mine both inside and outside of my career.
Having recently had the chance to design brand characters for some of our clients at Creative62, I have seen the power of characters first-hand and how they spark imaginations for future projects.
The landscape of marketing and branding is an ever-evolving beast, with brands constantly searching for ways to connect with their audience. Beyond the traditional logo and brand elements, the creation of characters or mascots adds a dynamic and relatable dimension to the right brand identity. In this blog post, I’ll be talking about the significance of using characters with a brand architecture and how it can elevate the right brand to new heights. So, let’s get to it!
Duolingo’s Duo
Fun, bright and engaging.
Waze’s Bubble Car
Combining everything that the brand does with its communication tool.
Reddit’s Snoo
A perfect execution by Pentagram.
Octopus Energy’s
Constantine, cute and welcoming.
Headspace’s Smile
Although not a mascot, the warm use of colour and emotion in such a simple way is perfect.
Duracell’s Bunny
Originally launched in 1973 and has been through various iterations, has continuously evolved for the target market.
Kaws
Although not a brand that utilises marketing in the traditional way, Kaws shows just how powerful a perfectly executed character can build a brand on its own!
Everyone Active’s
Active Monsters, would be a bit silly to not put one of our own creations in the mix now, wouldn’t it?
Storytelling
Character design, when used in the right way, provides a visual narrative that enables the brand to speak to the viewer in a completely different way than words alone can get across. Humans are natural storytellers and readers, you can tell the story of a brand’s journey, mission, values or cadence in a much more engaging and personal way in an instant.
Recognition
By creating a distinctive character or mascot for a brand, it gives the brand a face, a recognisable face, a personality and a story that makes the brand memorable and forges an emotional connection.
Loyalty
Well-designed characters or mascots have the potential to become a cherished symbol for a brand. Looking at characters that have stood the test of time are the Compare the Market Meerkats, Monopoly’s Milburn Pennybags, Pringles’ Julius Pringles and the Michelin Man, whose brands can all be recognised without a single word.
Target Audience
Brand characters can be tailored to suit the demographic of the brand, which is something that can be difficult to do using any other method of branding as it leaves very little in terms of interpretation when used well.
Versatility
From packaging and printed advertising to digital and social animated campaigns and merchandising, a strong character is versatile and can be used across various marketing channels.
Stand out
In a noisy modern marketplace, it is increasingly more difficult to stand out from the crowd. Character design offers a memorable way to differentiate brands from the next, which isn’t easily replicated.
In conclusion, by utilising character design within a brand, you are connecting with the audience via storytelling on a purely visual platform. It’s not creating a logo or mark that people might recognise… it’s creating an ambassador for the brand that can speak to the hearts and minds of the customers when you can’t.
If what you have read here resonates with your brand in any way, please just reach out for a chat and see if we can create some storytelling magic together.