What Does Your Brand Say About You?
Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, Kleenex, Tylenol, Starbucks.
No, this isn’t a checklist for a crazy night out on the town. As if we even need to point out, these are a few of the most iconic brands that every American and even most foreigners recognize. How did these brands become so well known? We can’t say for sure. What we can tell you is that each of these companies knew they needed more than just a cool logo.
Sometimes it’s not enough to have a product or service that you think people need. Good branding requires earning and building the consumers trust. Our advice? First of all, be legit. Have a quality product/service that does what you say it’ll do. Next, be consistent in branding yourself. Stick with the logo and/or tagline you’ve chosen (remember to keep it simple) and use it on business cards, your website, letterhead, signatures, social media, etc…. Last, try to position your brand how you want people to perceive it. After all, your brand is most defined by the perception of others.
Remember to keep in mind that your brand is your image and it represents you and your business. If the stars align in your favor and you are lucky enough for your brand to acquire iconic status, you hold a massive amount of power. For example, Apple recently ran some print ads that are simply whitespace with the Apple logo posted smack in the middle of it; that’s it. Possibly the greatest thing about those ads are that readers will look at it and know exactly what it means, no words needed, therefore continuing effective advertising for Apple.
The same goes for the rest of the iconic brands. If we’re thirsty, drink Coca-Cola; if we have allergies, we need Kleenex tissue; if we’re not feeling well, take Tylenol; and if we want coffee or a place to meet up with people, it’s gotta be Starbucks. So think about it. What does your brand say about you?
Tags: brands, good branding, image, logo, tagline