Building brand equity

When it comes to building an iconic brand, there are one or two facets that all great brands have in common. See our high level guide for insight on how best to stand out from the crowd and build a brand to last the test of time...

Photo / Louis Vuitton, perfume case.

1. Core

Know thyself. In the most granular way. Take time to understand where you have come from and how you would like to be viewed in terms of positioning. It isn’t enough to have a great product, attractive aesthetic and a good marketing team. What you are after, is a deep understanding of what you stand for as a company, and being able to communicate your ethos with precision. The more you distil your brand essence, the more powerful your brand will be.

Heritage is an obvious starting point, should you have it, but heritage comes in many guises, for example being authentic and rooted in a place, time or mood. What three things are you and what three things does your company excel at? You may need bring in a good copywriter or creative, who can stand apart and see things you can’t. A big picture idea that speaks to the heart of your business can be all you need to go from good to great.

The strongest brands are one offs. Often founder led, and highly innovative. It all comes down to a vision of improving the status quo and being fresh about it. Louis Vuitton began life through the inventions of Mr. Louis Vuitton, who designed and made functional, expertly crafted luggage- a complete innovation at the time.

What is it that you have invented and can talk about and amplify? How is it absolutely unique and what is the essence of your company’s spirit? It all begins with a dream of something better, something excellent and something that is going places. You need not know where, or precisely or what the future holds, but home in on the basics in terms of brand essence.

2. Punchy

What can you say that is fresh? Here we do not mean you have to reinvent the wheel (though that is one way to go), instead- what angle is incisive, prescient and rock solid about what you are doing? What are you very confident about, which can infuse both your product development and marketing? Who do you want to appeal to the most? Great brands tend not to want to please everyone, in fact they can be irreverent. Great brands have a simple mission and message: wear us, use us, covet us, and in doing so be empowered and uplifted. If you offer a product or service that is truly excellent and develop a succinct message, your audience will flock to you.

Think also in terms of intangible communications: an image, a tone, a vision. Keep everything about your brand true, clean and powerful, and the energy that comes from being centred will speak volumes. If you use humour as part of your brand essence, go ahead, play. If you are more along the lines of homely and dreamy, really double down on this aspect. Be as punchy as you can with what you have and what you are, so that the customer can easily relate to your brand and squarely appreciate it. Do you need help deciding which way to turn? It can pay to bring in a fresh perspective.

3. Logo

Logos, symbols, typefaces, colour palettes and visual identities are a huge component of any iconic brand. As soon as you are able, bring in an expert designer to craft your logo and provide creative direction. It is key that you display a personality and that your logo is instantly recognisable and powerful. Not all companies are design-led, but those that are, or began life due to great industrial design, such as Apple, stand out a mile. Design when paired with an exemplary offering is a match made in heaven.

How can you tweak or revolutionise your brand identity and in so doing use visual communication to let the world see all that you are? We are inherently visual creatures and visuals create emotion. Emotion drives our purchasing decisions so visual appeal is fundamental to great brands. Opt for colour schemes and aesthetics that create the mood you would like your customer to feel and keep this as consistent as possible. Great brands are comforting in their ability to project a calm, consistent and stable image, one that is positive and uplifting.

It is fun to get creative with what you have and make the best of your brand through logos, taglines and other brand elements. Never underestimate the power of a logo, mark or visual image.

4. Singular vision

Coco Chanel did not follow the crowd. Steve Jobs did not “Think similar”. It takes a singular vision to create a real brand. Therefore don’t be tempted to replicate another company’s brand or offering, since you will have diluted what made the original what it is in any case. The same goes for comparing your company to its peers and competitors, or being swayed by what they are doing and how they are communicating. All of this is a distraction and one that takes you away from your core.

We have all come across companies that are overly interested and driven by another company’s success or story, and overtly or covertly copy it. This won’t take you where you want to be. Customers respond to authenticity, and a doubling down of what you are is the way to go. Keep your eye on the prize and take your company and brand on the road less travelled. Be a pioneer in all you do and continue to highlight your strengths, character, mission and image. Think in terms of improving your customer’s experience and speaking directly to your customers and your customers, only.

5. Time

Longevity is the most important factor in building an iconic brand, and naturally it must be earned. If you are starting out, the venture must be highly commercial from the get go. Create a product that sells, yet encompasses your highest values and ideals. Again it is something that is so authentic in form and message that it can’t be taken away from you, something truly desired and needed, as well as somewhat ahead of its time (but not too much). The mood of the era will dictate what is possible and needed at any given moment, so the stars must align but the main idea is that you set out with a venture that is sustainable, and then hammer away at it for decades to come.

Time gives you the luxury of honing and becoming better, of building, expanding and improving your offering. In terms of brand this means a dedication to your core, your “why” and being incredibly consistent over the long haul. Choosing a location in which to domicile, or a market to sell to is also part of it. Are you growing locally, by word of mouth (many of the greatest brand have), or by using mass media? Try to build and iterate slowly and you may well end up going further in the long run. Understand what your audience craves and/or set a new bar for what they didn’t know they wanted.

Your brand is quite simply your most valuable asset.

 \

Talk to us and find out how to ignite your brand for the long haul.

 \

 © All rights reserved. Lifestyle Copywriters, Ltd. February 16, 2023.