Does the path to competitive advantage have to be bought by the difficulties of finding yourself in all this marketing bustle, which also consists of quite intricate industry terminology?
You have probably come across the term Visual Identity more than once. What does that actually mean? What is the advantage of a consistent visual identity? Why do design specialists still struggle to maintain the established canons and get upset when the sales director comes up with a great (in his opinion) creation that completely deviates from the image of the company?
Read this article to the end, and I assure you that you will no longer be the same person.
Stand on the good side of power!
VI (ctory)
Visual identity is a tool used to build corporate identity. These include: logos, typefaces, colors, appearance of product packaging, language, personality and manner of communication, and even the clothing of employees. Most small businesses start from the misconception that they don't need consistent identification, and that marketing efforts in this field can only be afforded by fat fish. Nothing more wrong! It is the smallest players in the market that need to promote their brand more and stand up to well-known companies.
Dear entrepreneurs — know that customers are increasingly demanding and aware of their choices. So what does a consistent visual identity give us? Why is a strong brand so important?
Read to the end!
1. Branding Defines “Your Self” in Business
Do you think your brand is your logo, slogan and chosen guiding color? Well, no! Your brand encompasses everything you do or claim to do as a company.
In short: brand = feelings + imaginations+customer experiences.
Your brand has a face, a personality and should be a reflection of the values your business holds. Every aspect, even the smallest, shows the essence of your brand and sends a subconscious message about how much you care and respect your own business. This is why branding is so important for any organization or company.
Your brand is the sum of feelings, perceptions and customer experiences. It's the face, personality and values your business has — and everything in between.
But what to do to stand out from other companies? Meet the arcane of the magical art of marketing - find your differentiator! It is thanks to the differentiator that you will be able to gain a competitive advantage and gain popularity among potential customers.
An example? “Our blades are f**king great.”
The ideal case is an American company selling facial and body care products in the form of a subscription - Dollar Shave Club. The company gained its popularity years ago thanks to a well-designed marketing campaign.
Dollar Shave Club did not have a unique product. After all, razor blades are everywhere. Despite this, they have developed a unique value proposition around their products and have taken care to maintain this leading position at the center of marketing campaigns. They found their differentiator. After all, how many products can you sell based on a “finer shave”?
But... you don't have to be funny. You have to be authentic, honest, consistent and willing to listen.
2. What should your brand achieve?
Do you think your goal is to attract potential customers who will choose your product or service over the competition? Does marketing and branding play such a role? Not quite. The most important thing you need to remember from this point is that your customers should see you as a reliable leader, influential thinker, trendsetter who responds to their needs and even precedes them. You have to do it with momentum, sincerity, and — above all — better than anyone else.
Faced with the above theme, your brand should pursue the following objectives:
• Delivering messages clearly and concisely
• Reaffirming your credibility
• Building an emotional connection with the audience
• Generate company value and loyalty
• Motivate your audience to buy or take the next step
Everything that your organization presents should be easily visible throughout the brand. Otherwise, your customers will quickly notice the difference between what they were promised and what they actually received.
3. Branding helps you stay ahead of the competition
You run a shop in Żyrardów with original teas from all over the world. Do you think that your competition is the nearby markets and neighborhood shops? You're right. It seems to you.
Realize that currently You are not competing at the local level. Thanks to advances in online and offline technology, your market is, literally, the entire world. Your audience has suddenly become a LOT wider, right? However, there is one minus: the need to compete on a global level.
In a market that is now extremely competitive, how do you stand out from the thousands of similar companies that claim to be as good as you, if not better? The answer is simple The right branding!
A great example of gaining a competitive advantage by finding a differentiator is (once again) Dollar Shave Club. The store was created as a result of getting tired of spending large sums on branded razors and to this day they base their marketing on this message.
That is why DSC created its own razors and began selling them in a subscription model. Has the model taken hold? Sure! And the biggest player in the industry — Gillette — sensed the threat and launched its counterpart — the Gillette Shave Club. Since such a giant has noticed the growing popularity of the model, this is enough evidence that the authors of DSC hit the mark with their idea.
4. Branding builds trust
As your audience gets to know your business better, they will begin to trust you more. Remember that you will not build a permanent building on a weak foundation. This is why a well-thought-out strategy, branding and a consistent visual identity are so important.
PZU — this acronym does not need to be introduced to anyone. However, not all of you remember how their policy, and consequently — visual identity, has changed over the years. A perfect example of how a brand can build trust.
The modernization of PZU's image reflects the changes that have taken place in the company in recent years. Logo is as simple as new procedures for customers. Brackets taken from the logo rim are used with advertising slogans and themes that symbolize protection and care. It is the vision of a strong, pro-consumer company using modern technologies at the service of people.
5. Branding harnesses the power of emotion
As mountains of research — especially American scientists — say emotions, not logic, guide the purchasing decisions of most shoppers. In addition, emotions far outweigh logic when it comes to developing brand loyalty. Branding becomes a means of expressing emotions every time customers come across your business.
The human side of branding is something that will always remain universal — especially in times when we only have a few seconds to emotionally engage our audience.
Mom — 7.5 billion people like it!
The phenomenon of the use of emotions in the marketing message was blatantly evident in the advertisements shown during the Rio Olympics in 2016. The most popular ads were those that created lasting emotional connections with viewers. Proctle&Gamble's “Thank you Mom” commercial highlights the huge role of the mother in the success of athletes.
In conclusion!
A consistent visual identity ensures success — both in terms of image and sales.
And let's not fool ourselves — we all care about the latter. Remember that your brand should be a reflection of the values your business holds.
What to do to stand out from other companies? Find your differentiator. It is thanks to the differentiator that you will be able to gain an advantage over the competition. Everything that your company presents should be easily visible throughout the brand. Branding builds trust and harnesses the power of emotion.
The human side of branding is something that will always remain universal.
Now you know that you cannot afford to neglect this issue and you need to bet on thoughtful branding. Welcome to the good side of power!
