Articles by Stella Gianotto

Here today. Gone tomorrow. Such is the life of many brands in the fast paced digital world we now live in.  The challenge for any brand, is how a brand can can effectively express it's own essence, it's true 'WHY\" and cut through all the social 'noise' in a way that’s more easily digested by those who will buy from you.  As world famous Tennis star Andre Agassi said “Image is EVERYTHING”, and it’s especially true when it comes to creating a logo, the corner stone of any brand.   A logo, by definition is a visual representation of your brand and is far more effective than a written explanation of your products or services. As a branding expert I’ve established 1000's of brands in my career and I’ve learnt a few things about how to create an iconic brand that will give your brand longevity and help your business stand out . Here are 9 ways you should consider when designing your brand.  1. Avoid a visual look too similar to another brandOnce a brand has become established it starts to become recognised by the general public. If you choose (or copy) a logo design that’s too similar to another brand, your market presence may be forgotten or overlooked - as your logo is mistaken for someone else’s and, worse still, they win the business!  2. Fonts matter, choose wiselyA font is just as important as the design of a logo. The font should incorporate the same feel as the business AND it should be appropriate and legible. Whether it's modern, edgy, timeless, or a sophisticated italic, it must match the overall appearance and personality of the brand or company it represents. 3. Cliché trends are fleetingDots, swooshes, straight lines, 3D shapes; these clichés have been so overused in a logo design that they are instantly disregarded. Don’t try to ‘spruce up’ a logo with these ineffective additions either, as it will only cheapen your brand.  4. Don’t rely on colourHaving a logo that doesn’t reproduce in black and white is a hugely common problem – even the Commonwealth Bank’s logo*, when not in colour, transpires to a black square! So make sure you check that your logos important features work well in colour and black and white. 5. Remember who you're targetingYour brand must appeal to your target audience if you ever want them to buy from you. So your logo is used as a visual tool to aesthetically draw the attention of your target audience and communicate your brand’s message. Unless your Mum or the kid studying design next door is your target market, don’t rely too heavily on their opinion. 6. Design for tomorrow, not todayBe cautious of creating a brand that look out of date or follows a trend that’s happening right now. A great brand grows with the business and can withstand time as long as the business does. Don’t choose a logo that is representative of a certain decade, era or trend, or you’ll risk making your products and services seem outdated, along with your logo.  7. Vanilla creates more blandSimplicity is important, but too much is boring and sterile. A “vanilla” brand isn’t memorable and adds to the noise out there. It won’t speak or form an emotion connection to your target audience. Your logo must incorporate just the right amount of personality, to avoid being boring or overlooked.  8. Simplicity is bestToo many styles, elements or ideas joined in the one brand could lead to a misinterpretation of your business, or attract the wrong kind of consumer. A brand is designed for quick recognition and brand loyalty – too much going on will defeat this.  9. Pay attention to spaceA busy brand with everything in it doesn’t appeal to customers. It creates a poor looking brand and becomes difficult to decipher, especially when letters are included. The visual logo must be clear and crisp to resonate with your target audience at first glance. Stick with an odd number of graphic elements, one, three or five elements work well.  And, always remember the purpose of the 'why' of your brand. This single element alone will often set the tone for creating a brand that will be impactful and succinct, and can be used to represent your business for many years to come.  For More Information: Stella [email protected] 109 102www.brandforbrands.com/stella-gianotto *Image Source: Adobe Stock (editorial use], References: Andre Agassi Quote http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/08/image-everything-andre-agassis-infamous-ad/55425 Commonwealth Bank Logo reference: https://www.quora.com/What-does-the-Commonwealth-Bank-logo-represent

Branding is, where advertising stops, and marketing doesn’t go. Back in the day, cattle were branded to help protect breeders and buyers from rustlers. Today’s iconic brands are often forged by unscrupulous knock-offs to mislead the gullible consumer. But, increasingly, the very word ‘brand’ has become the wild west of marketing and is used by marketing agencies and consultants to mislead businesses about the services and expertise being offered. Today’s caveat is ‘Beware of ‘hustlers!’ Branding fills the ‘gap’ between advertising and marketing. A global Google search on ‘branding agencies’ lists 80,400,000 entries . In reality, the number of true experts in branding lies in the rounding – probably less than one thousand. But what does a branding agency do? The answer is – a lot, and not much. There are a lot of web-site designers and SEO experts claiming to be brand experts. There are also a lot of graphic designers, package design experts, media consultants, personal image consultants and copywriters calling themselves ‘branders’ or ‘branding experts'. Most advertising agencies now include branding in their name or their own marketing materials, but many do not truly understand what branding really is. So, what is branding? It’s not a clever name or a slick logo. It’s not a tag line to improve your search engine ranking. And it’s not a short social media blitz or an expensive advertising campaign to provide top-of-mind name recognition for a few weeks. Are these things important? Perhaps! But they are not branding. To understand branding, you have to understand why people purchase your product or service when there are so many alternatives out there. Of course, they have to be aware that you exist, that’s what advertising and public relations is about. They will want to explore the details of your offering, and today that requires an accessible and informative website. They may seek the opinions of others about you, so social media may play a role, as ‘social proof’. But ultimately, people buy, and more importantly re-buy, from organisations (from brands essentially], with whom they have an emotional connection. Advertisers will tell you that cute kids or cuddly cats trigger those sorts of response. Colour consultants can match your packaging to the mood you want to convey. SEO experts can tell you the words that buyers are searching for, but not what underlying, often unconscious, driver is prompting their search, or triggering their procurement decision. The actual definition of “Branding” according to the Cambridge Dictionary2 is the ‘act of giving a company a particular design or symbol in order to advertise its products and services’. That particular design or symbol it refers too must represents the emotional relationship that your business has with your target audience. In other words, a brand then, is what the consumer thinks of, and experiences, when they buy from you. The image that your customer understand about you and your business is called your “brand”. A brand, your brand is more important than what your business makes or offers and is more important than a cool name or an awesome logo. We talk about the importance of branding, but most businesses are often confused on why branding is so important. The importance of branding Branding is important because people often make a judgment in their buying process (about your brand) based on initial impression and the experience the customer receives from you. A good brand will create a personality like a living person, and will tell a story about the service or product they are buying. In many cases it will give your business a voice. Understanding this can also make a difference in your marketing activities. A brand’s visual identity is what your customer sees and what they you identify with. And a brand’s voice is what your customers hear or read about, or what your brand says to them. How well-known your brand is recognised depends on how much brand awareness your business has, how much and often your brand is seen. This relates directly to how much, and what type of marketing or advertising you do to build your brand awareness. Bringing it all together While all the other considerations are important, a true branding expert will help you develop the ‘brand’ which re-affirms the buyer’s self-image, not just for the initial purchase, and not just for themselves. An effective brand is promoted by the buyer. They are proud of their decision and are not afraid to advocate for you. And your branding makes it easy for them to do so! Even if you are not a Gucci or a Nike, or one of the top 10 global Fashion brands.3 Branding is an umbrella activity which expands on and protects your investment in graphic design, packaging, product design, web development, social media, advertising, and public relations, events, and all your other potential marketing activities. Branding is where advertising stops and marketing doesn’t go. Genuine branding costs a little more but delivers both short and long-term ROI. Old tricks – New Safeguards Rustlers tried many things to re-brand cattle. The honest buyer looked for pedigree and proof of origin. As with today’s knock-offs, it takes only a little bit of investigation to determine the fakes from the genuine article. But many people still get fooled. As you are making a significant investment in your business, it’s worth your while to do ‘due diligence’ on your branding advisor. It takes a little bit of your time but can save you a lot of money! Here’s how. Look into the breadth and the depth of the ‘portfolio’ – and beyond. Is it limited to one or two areas of expertise? Check their qualifications and the references. Is there substance behind the inclusive use of every one of today’s ‘must have’ buzz-words? Look for results! Only if they’ve delivered them for others can they deliver them for you. For more information visit www.brandforbrands.com