Branding Made Easy

Branding Made Easy
By Stacy C. Noland
December 21, 2013

What is branding?
Branding defined.
The language of branding.

Brand: the sum of all of the characteristics,
both tangible and intangible, that make your
organization, service, or product unique.

Building a brand.

What is branding?
Branding defined.

How others have defined brand…

Building a brand.

What is branding?
“A ‘brand’ is not a thing, a product, a company or an
organization. A brand does not exist in the physical
world – it is a mental construct. A brand can best be
described as the sum total of all human experiences,
perceptions and feelings about a particular thing,
product or organization. Brands exist in the
consciousness – of individuals and of the public.”
– James R. Gregory, “Leveraging the Corporate Brand”

Building a brand.

What is branding?
“A brand is not an icon, a slogan, or a mission statement.
It is a promise – a promise your company can
keep…This is the promise you make and keep in every
marketing activity, every action, every corporate
decision, every customer interaction.”
– Kristin Zhivago, “Business Marketing”

Building a brand.

What is branding?
“We define a brand as a trademark, which to consumers
represents a particular and appealing set of values and
attributes. It’s much more than a product. Products are
made in a factory. A product becomes a brand only when
it stands for a host of tangible, intangible and
psychological factors. A key point to remember is that
brands are not created by the manufacturer. They exist
only in the eye of the beholder, the customer.”
– Charles Brymer, CEO of Interbrand Schecter
Building a brand.

What is branding?
“A brand is more than just advertising and marketing. It is
nothing less than everything anyone thinks when they
see your logo or hear your name.”
– David F. D’Alessandro, CEO of John Hancock and author of
“Brand Warfare: 10 Rules for Building the Killer Brand”

Building a brand.

What is branding?
Branding defined.

Brand Equity: a measure of the total value of a
brand.

Building a brand.

What is branding?
Branding defined.

Branding: the process of developing a brand or
brand identity.

Building a brand.

What is branding?
Branding defined.

How others have defined branding…

Building a brand.

What is branding?
Branding defined.

Brand Identity: the physical, outward
manifestation of a brand.

Building a brand.

What is branding?
“Branding is a long-term process that is frequently
confused with corporate identity and with name
recognition. Successful organizations spend years

developing and maintaining their brands. Whether the
company is Coca-Cola or a community health system,
the principles are the same.”
– Nancy J. Hicks, Hill & Knowlton, Washington D.C.

Building a brand.

What is branding?
“Branding consists of the tactics used to deliver a brand’s
distinction, and brand development is the discovery
process used to find that distinction. Branding tactics are
the consistent use of color, graphics and spokespeople
used to communicate a brand’s distinction. But please
don’t think that colors, graphics or spokespeople are the
distinction. Those could change with the next campaign.”
– Jim Hughes, branding expert and President of The Idea House

Building a brand.

What is branding?
Branding defined.

Don’t confuse marketing for branding:
you must have a strong brand proposition
and promise – no amount of marketing
will attract and retain customers.

Building a brand.

Why branding is important.
Benefits of brand development.

Building a brand.

1. Establishes awareness.

Building a brand.

2. Improves image and perception of value.

Building a brand.


3. Creates preference for your product/service.

Building a brand.


4. Increases participation and market share.

Building a brand.


5. Builds public perception & customer loyalty.

Building a brand.


5. Builds public perception & customer loyalty.
6. Leads to increased revenue.
Building a brand.

Building brand equity.

Building a brand.

Examples of successful brands.

Building a brand.

How to build your brand.
Four key components for success.

Building a brand.

1. Differentiation: communication of your
essence and uniqueness.

Building a brand.


2. Relevance: meaningfulness to your target
market.

Building a brand.


market.
3. Esteem: the respect of your target market.

Building a brand.


market.
3. Esteem: the respect of your target market.

4. Knowledge: target market’s experience
with your brand.
Building a brand.

It could be said that Differentiation and
Relevance form the foundation of brand
building.

Successful implementation of these two
elements can help launch newer brands whose
Esteem and Knowledge have not yet been
developed.
Building a brand.

Five branding axioms.

Building a brand.

1. Differentiate or Else.

Building a brand.

2. Consider all Opportunities.

Building a brand.

3. Keep it Simple.

Building a brand.

3. Keep it Simple.
4. Speak with One Voice.

Building a brand.

3. Keep it Simple.
4. Speak with One Voice.
5. Be Willing to Change.
Building a brand.

Brand from the inside out.

Building a brand.

1. Your brand must be based upon genuine
qualities that exist in your organization.

Building a brand.


2. It should reflect your culture, values, and
practices.

Building a brand.


practices.
3. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.

Building a brand.


practices.
3. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.

4. Your brand promise must be something you
can truly deliver in the end.
Building a brand.

Brand from the top down.

Building a brand.

“…the initial responsibility for successful corporate
branding has to be the CEO’s alone, even though the
organization executes branding and is ultimately

responsible for its success or failure.”

Building a brand.

1. The CEO is the ultimate steward – branding
efforts must have the total support &
leadership from the CEO.

Building a brand.

“…many of the key decisions that determine whether
the brand will thrive or fizzle are made when the people
whose job it is to be conscious of the brand are not
present. Often the only person in the room looking out
for the quality of the brand is the CEO. This means one
thing: The safekeeping of the brand is the CEO’s
responsibility.
– David F. D’Alessandro, CEO of John Hancock and author of
“Brand Warfare: 10 Rules for Building the Killer Brand”
Building a brand.

1. The CEO is the ultimate steward – branding
efforts must have the total support &
leadership from the CEO.
2. Employees will make or break the brand.

Building a brand.

“I believe CEOs can spend a good deal of time
managing expectations and also create a vision for the
company. Then he or she has to sell that story – not

only in the marketplace but in the organization itself. If
the employees don’t believe it, the company won’t
perform.”
– H. Brian Thompson, LCI International

Building a brand.

“Employees are a target audience, a channel of
communications, and part of the company message
itself. Employees can make or break the corporate

brand.”

Building a brand.

“One way to be more efficient in marketing is just to do it
right the first time around. It starts with getting the
identity right. If you have a brand identity that works,

you’re just monumentally efficient.”
– David Aaker, author of “Building Strong Brands”

Building a brand.

Case Study: Live out loud.™
The need for a unique brand.

Building a brand.


The Perception of Everett Parks & Rec
was being influenced externally.

Building a brand.


Perceptions of City Government.

Building a brand.


Perceptions of Everett.

Building a brand.


In the absence of ongoing brand building
and brand stewardship, your organization
inherits the identity of its parent entity by
default. This is the opposite of
differentiation.
Building a brand.


Everett Parks needed its own unique
brand to set it apart from the incorrect
perceptions created by external factors.

Building a brand.


Leading the transition, not in-transition.

Building a brand.


Everett Parks needed to disassociate
from the perceptions of city government
and focus on their role of enriching
lifestyles.

Building a brand.

The development of a brand.

Developing the brand expressions.

Building a brand.


1. Getting to know Everett Parks.

Building a brand.


2. Main tagline: “Live out loud”.

Building a brand.


a) Embodied overall objective to inspire
and motivate.

Building a brand.


a) Embodied overall objective to inspire
and motivate.
b) Derived from “Laugh out loud”.

Building a brand.


3. Sub taglines: 3 main tracks identified.

Building a brand.


a) Promote pride in outdoor spaces – “Live
outdoors”.

Building a brand.


outdoors”.
b) Encourage connection to community – “Live in
harmony”.

Building a brand.


outdoors”.
b) Encourage connection to community – “Live in
harmony”.
c) Offer enriching opportunities for personal
growth – “Live and learn”.
Building a brand.


4. Design: simple, clean, bold.

Building a brand.


a) Photography communicates energy.

Building a brand.


b) Color choices symbolize nature (greenblue) and energy (orange).

Building a brand.


c) Font styles are timeless not trendy.
Building a brand.


c) Font styles are timeless not trendy.
d) Arrow icon symbolizes growth & action.
Building a brand.


5. The copy: punchy, catchy, fun.

Building a brand.


5. The copy: punchy, catchy, fun.
a) Brochure copy had to be consistent with
“Live out loud” message of not holding
back.

Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.

Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.
1. Graphic standards guide.

Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.
a) Promotes consistency internally and
externally.

Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.
a) Promotes consistency internally and
externally.
b) Critical, often overlooked component of
a successful brand.
Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.
2. Committing to the brand.

Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.
a) Across the board.

Building a brand.


Brand stewardship.
a) Across the board.
b) All at once.

Building a brand.

Branding Made Easy

Branding Made Easy

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