With Spring approaching, it’s a good idea to take a step back and evaluate your brand identity. For some brands, the key elements are there and all that’s needed is a little light cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. For others, it might be time to call in Extreme Makeover™ – Brand Edition. So how do you know where your brand sits?
Logo and Identity
Are your logo and identity materials a bit dated? Or perhaps your sleek, stylish look isn’t accurately representing your brand. When you look at your identity materials, do they provide the first impression that you want them to? If not, it might be time for an update.
Messaging
Things change quickly these days, and it’s important to make sure that what your brands says, and what it stands for, is still relevant in the modern marketplace. Is your brand slogan still an accurate representation of the direction your brand is moving? A helpful exercise is to create a “word bank”, which is basically a group of words, terms, and ideas that you feel represent the essence of what your brand stands for.
Personality and Tone of Voice
In addition to the overall brand message, you may want to look at how you’re communicating that message. Your personality is just as important when it comes to attracting the right audience, and what was effective a few years ago may not resonate any longer. Your audience may have grown up/gotten younger, and with that comes new values and priorities. Make sure your brand personality is one they still identify with.
Brand Guidelines
A brand guidelines document (or website) should be created, or perhaps updated, to help your internal team and any external partners clearly identify how your brand should utilize all of the elements listed above. What color palettes are approved, how should your logo be displayed, what words/messaging should be included on all materials. Brands of all sizes can benefit from clearly defining these guidelines. If your brand has already created a set of guidelines, now might be the right time to refresh them and get them online where they can be easily accessed.
Get Mobile
A website alone doesn’t cut it these days. Your audience is on the go and your brand needs to be able to keep up. Now is the time to think about optimizing your site for mobile devices, or even developing a mobile app to create a unique experience that can be accessed from anywhere.
Be Social
Your audience is more connected than ever before. And with an army of social media platforms at your brand’s disposal, the key is identifying the ones that will be most effective for your brand. The social realm is where your brand personality will really shine, so be sure to make this a priority within any brand update.
Whether your brand needs a little touch-up or a major overhaul, remember that the most important thing is to stay true to who you are and what you stand for. As long as the brand core is rock solid, the other pieces will fall into place around it.
