Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Putting together the pieces

I've recently wrapped up two major projects. And while one was a re brand, meaning the business already existed, and there were elements that we integrated into the new look, the other was a new business venture.

One company deals with diversity in the workplace. The audience is executives and professionals in the diversity arena. The other company works with parents on helping kids who are tracking high on BMI to integrate nutrition, exercise and and behavior modification.

What do these two companies have in common? Nothing.

But they both came to me to help create a brand that would connect with their products and services. And while the results are very different, as they should be, there are some commonalities that you can see. A brand is not a logo. It's only part of the puzzle. A brand is an experience. And today, your clients will experience you company in more ways than over. From digital to print, events, direct mail, advertising online to purchasing an ad in a magazine. So many touch points, and you never know what the first experience will be that someone will be introduced to the business.

Which is why it's so important to be able to see the big picture. I do this by creating brand boards as part of the process. It comes after an extensive discovery and allows clients the opportunity to explore different visual narratives that a brand can take. It isn't until after that has been decided, from a very high level perspective, that we than use that as our guide for creating all the materials. In the end, each client will have a strong visual campaign that can than be applied to any marketing. Remember, it's the message, not the medium.