When Is a New Brand Identity just a Visual Refresh? - Part 3

Visual Refresh


Pros

• Unlike a brand identity, a visual refresh doesn't have to represent anything.  It can just be a fun, abstract, exciting design that attracts attention.  This makes it easier for design teams to create ideas and appeal to audiences.
• Advertising, design and branding blogs and magazines love to talk about the latest logo alterations.  A visual refresh is a great way to garner some free press.  This can be handy if your brand is losing relevancy and needs some attention.
• Since your visual design affects your packaging, a visual refresh is a quick, easy way to attract new attention on the store shelf.  Shoppers are always caught off guard by packaging they don't recognize and will give your product a second glance, which is a huge win.
• A visual refresh gives you the opportunity to always be modern.  As you will see in our case study below, your brand can constantly update its look to prevent looking outdated or obsolete.
• Similarly, your brand can refresh itself to find a look that resonates better with your audience.
• Finally, a visual refresh can be executed against a brand identity.  You can update the art styles used in your current brand identity to strengthen the appearance of the brand without losing the connection to your brand's positioning and value statement.

Cons

• The con of an abstract design is that it can be too abstract.  If your brand's look confuses your audience then they'll lose interest.
• The same can happen on the store shelf.  If your customer is confused and doesn't recognize your product they are more likely to purchase a competitive product.
• Obviously this can get expensive.  Creating a brand identity that fully reflects your brand and appeals to your audience the first time is much more cost efficient then consistently updating every five to ten years.
• If changing your look and using snappy visuals is the only way you can build awareness and interest in your product, your brand is probably a commodity item.  You may want to consider how you can position your brand to offer a unique benefit from your competition.

Case Study: Pepsi

Pepsi is a classic example of a brand who's visual identity mostly relies on visual appeal and not on a symbolic expression of the brand's positioning in the market.  The logo started as pure script, integrated a visual element that reflected what industry it operated in, and has since then shifted that element into something most people would no longer associate with a bottle cap.  As a legacy brand, Pepsi has the fortunate position of never needing to educate its audience about the product.  Everyone knows what Pepsi is.  So instead it can use its visual identity to create a sort of personality or lifestyle statement - light hearted, laid back, young, hip.  This is backed by one of Pepsi's old taglines, "The taste of a generation."  Pepsi needs to continually refresh its visual scheme to reflect a style that resonates with the youth of the generation.  For its current logo, the current trend of minimalism is blatantly apparent.

Image courtesy of Scarletbits.com

When Is a New Brand Identity just a Visual Refresh? - Part 2

Brand Identity


Pros:

• A brand identity allows a visual system to be more than just a logo.  The same set of values, beliefs and principles set forth in the positioning and brand promise that inform logo design also inform elements such as typography, color choices, and photography.  This allows for consistency and ease of design across all mediums, including website and advertising.
• A brand identity creates a scenario where the visual design says something about the brand.  Whether your brand is technologically advanced, family oriented, bargain centered or focused on safety, your audience will see these attributes conveyed visually.
• A brand identity never loses relevancy.  As long as your brand continues to deliver upon the same promise to its audience, your visual identity will continue to tell that story.
• Since a brand identity tells a story, it's never distracting.  Your visual language won't confuse your audience or hide who you are, but rather inform and persuade.
• A brand identity doesn't have to rely on gimmicks.  You can use emotional appeals, hard statistics and audience understanding to engage your consumer base instead of just bright colors, abstract designs and loud advertising.

Cons:

• Since, it is designed to last, a brand identity must be done right from the start.  If your brand identity doesn't tell a story, resonate with your audience or isn't able to withstand the test of time you will not only have lost time and money for development, but any initial momentum or excitement your brand initially garnered at launch will be lost as well.
• Your brand identity can also begin to feel stagnant.  Poorly designed brand identities that do not tell strong stories or create strong attachments with their audiences will begin to feel stagnant and often require a visual refresh to regain audience favor.
• Sometimes your brand promise may be hard to portray visually and your audience may not be able to understand your visual design or relate it to your positioning.  In this case, a brand identity may need to be paired with additional marketing techniques to sell the concept.
• Your design team may feel limited by the rules of your brand identity.  This isn't a problem with your brand.  Dump your design team (Branding Reason is not advocating firing your employees).
• If your brand changes, so must your brand identity, often from the ground up.  This can be costly and will require you to reeducate your audience about what your brand stands for and how to recognize you.

Cast Study: MapQuest


MapQuest has been a staple of the web since the beginning, but it quickly lost steam as Google Maps became the prominent online mapping service.  Parent company AOL is hoping to change that with the introduction of the new MapQuest site and brand identity. The first thing you'll notice about the new MapQuest interface is the clean, simplified look and feel.  Gone is the crowded, confusing layout of yesterday.  Additionally, the interface is more intuitive to use and the underlying system is smarter and capable of providing users with better results.

The first thing you'll notice about the new visual system is that it is clean and simplified as well.  The colors are soft and inviting versus the old red color scheme and the text is now sophisticated and easy to read, just like the new interface.  The format of the logo is also reminiscent of a math equation with the "q" portraying an exponent or superscript.  This speaks to the more sophisticated background technology.  Finally, according to MapQuest, the logo's design also invites users to feel a sense of discovery interpreting their own meaning to the design.  For a service that allows users to explore their neighborhood, this concept seems fitting.


You can view the new MapQuest site as well a video about the new design and brand identity here: MapQuest.

When Is a New Brand Identity just a Visual Refresh? - Part 1

The world of design is constantly evolving as the tastes, trends, styles and movements of art fade in and out.  Brands seem to change their visual designs just as often, trying to stay modern and relevant by emulating the latest in design through their logos and ads.  From a creative standpoint, this constant change is an important tool in reengaging your audience, drumming up awareness and pr, and reinventing your image.  However, this may not always be in the best interest of the brand.


A brand's visual identity is extremely important.  It's the element consumers relate to at all your touchpoints - media, advertising, and point-of-purchase.  It's only natural you'd want your visual identity to stand out, make a statement, and say something about your brand and your product.  But is your visual design speaking to your brand promise and positioning or your skills in design?  The difference depends on whether your company build a brand identity or refreshed your visual system.  A brand identity provides you with the opportunity to take all that your company stands for, your brand promise, positioning and personality, and present it to your audience in a visual form.  A visual refresh is modern and contemporary and focuses on creativity and beauty in design.


Below is a closer look at what separates these two styles and how you can tell them apart.

1. A brand identity is created when the brand is conceived and only changes if there are significant alterations to the brand. For example, new operating principles or positioning, changes to the customer brand promise, or new products or services that change the relationship between the customer and the brand.
2. A visual refresh often coincides with a new advertising campaign or occurs cyclically, maybe every 5-10 years.
3. A brand identity is designed for long term use.  The design choices are timeless and meant to live outside of trends.
4. Visual refreshes are short term.  They are designed to be replaced, regularly updated, or to fit the needs of a select occasion.
5. New brand identities involve a complete reworking of the current system.  The priority lies on matching the positioning of the brand, not preserving the current system.
6. As the name implies, visual refreshes are generally a revisioning of the current system, keeping the same basic shape and design while updating the style, colors, and appearance.
7. A brand identity is rooted in logic and research, vetted against the brand platform and what customers will respond to.
8. A visual refresh focuses on design creativity, trends and innovation.  Its purpose is to attract attention and make a statement.

Each of these systems has their own uses and benefits.  In parts two and three we will take an in depth look at each system including pros and cons and case study examples.  Look forward to part two next week.

Valuing Your Customers: Case Study on Murphy USA

One of the last companies I would have imagined having a social media relationship with is my gas station, but after taking a look at what Murphy USA has done I'm embarrassed that I didn't think of this sooner.  Taking cues from larger retailers like Target, Murphy USA, which primarily operates in Wal-Mart parking lots, has launched a suite of social tools to engage customers and provide exclusive deals and promotions, including:

• an iPhone and Android application using GPS to deliver up to the minute gas prices at your nearest Murphy USA gas station as well as neighboring competitors
• exclusive coupons and discounts on gas, food and beverages via the application
• text updates before gas prices go up
• a check-in promotion through location-aware application Whrrl entering users in a contest to win $50 in free gas

This level of social integration is unheard of from most national retailers and is even more groundbreaking coming from a largely commodity-based service such as gasoline.  That's why the new suite of services is pure genius.  Knowing that it's consumer audience is principally price and location-driven when choosing gasoline, Murphy USA's application provides consumers with the tools to make an educated decision on both.  And since Murphy's is a discount brand and located at arguably one of the most prominent retailers, the brand's gas is almost always the app's recommended choice.

From a branding perspective, Murphy USA's new tools and services increase the brand's engagement with customers in three powerful ways.  First, it increases brand awareness.  Murphy USA may not be a brand many consumers recognize by name, this author included, but as a social media maven and price-conscious consumer I'm more apt to pay attention to the brand now because of the new application's ease of use and superior discounts.  Second, it positions the brand as an entity that values its customers and seeks to provide savings and discounts in an industry that often takes advantage of consumers' need for the product.  Lastly, as a result of the above, it ultimately increases brand loyalty from consumers who have benefited and saved using these services.

So how does this translate to your business?

• Provide value to your customers where others in your industry do not, whether it be through discounts, time-saving tools, simplifying the shopping process, or an exclusive knowledge base
• Put the customer before your bottom line, an increase in awareness and loyalty means an increase in sales, which offsets the costs of discounts and promotions
• Utilize new technology and social media to listen to your audience, discover their needs and communicate your brand's value to them

Effective Social Media on YouTube & Twitter: Case Study Old Spice

YouTube is now the second largest search engine on the net and with Google, the number one search engine, now indexing YouTube and Twitter feeds, these services should be at the top of any Social Media or Search Engine Optimization strategy. Combine these efforts with a viral campaign that also engages and interacts directly with consumers and you have the brilliance that is Old Spice.

Old Spice has harnessed the power of their newest icon (the rugged man on a horse, Isaiah Mustafa) to produce what seems like an endless series of web videos, published on YouTube, responding to customer, celebrity and blogger questions tweeted to the brand on Twitter. There are so many things right about this scenario. First, by holding this promotion on Twitter, Old Spice is attracting new fans and followers to its social media profiles. Second, Old Spice is strengthening its relationship with its customers leading to long term brand loyalty. Isaiah is a huge sensation right now with both male and female viewers. Allowing users to interact with the man is a big win for the brand. Finally, and most importantly for my small business owner audience, this effort is extremely cheap! Not only is YouTube great for SEO, but it's also completely free. You can publish all of your commercial and promotional videos to the site at no cost and have them seen by millions thanks to Google's superior indexing. Thus Old Spice could produce a day's worth of :60 spots, most likely with a lower production cost since they are web only, and deliver them directly to fans in real-time.

To take a look at Old Spice's YouTube channel and get some ideas for your next campaign, click here.

Small Business Social Media Success Story

I can't tell you how many times small business owners have told me that they don't need a social media presence because their business is too small, their customers aren't high tech or it just wouldn't benefit them.  Worse yet, they argue that they already have a Facebook page and that it just sits there and doesn't do any good.  If this sounds like you or someone you know, take a look at this case study from Tillamook Ice Cream.  This local, small town business leveraged its loyal audience on Facebook to collect user generated content and hire fan actors to create a business-driving TV ad.  By engaging their fans, listening to their personal stories with the brand, and featuring them in a televised commerical, Tillamook Ice Cream increased brand loyalty and awareness for a very low cost.  The best part is that these results are 100% reproducible for your business!

Check out the article and Tillamook's Facebook fan page below.

• Article on Open Forum
• Tillamook Fan Page

What's in a Brand Name?

That which we call a brand by any other name would smell as sweet.  Those of us on the inside know, the value of a name, whether it be provocative, catchy, made up or descriptive, is temporary at best.  The trouble is that to principle stakeholders of a brand, founders, owners, investors, and C-suites, a name either be very personal or overly relied upon.  In truth, a brand or product's name can be useful in the early launch stages as a way of attracting awareness (provocative or made up names inspire the consumer to want to know more, like Yahoo!) or educating the consumer about the product (descriptive names hint to the function within the name, like Build-A-Bear).  However, after the initial PR and press for the brand or product's launch fades away, all that's left is the functionality and value of the actual product.  That's what truly matters, not the name.  Does the name Apple in any way add value to the products it sells that wouldn't exist if the name was Banana or Cherry?  What matters is that they make high quality products.  

Businesses always place far too much importance on names.  That's why it always strikes me as funny when a company either spends thousands developing a name, or better yet, hopes that a new name can save a failed, unwanted or late to the party product.  That's what Comcast appears to be doing.  Noticing that some of it's largest competitors have bundled new services under umbrella names like AT&T's U-Verse and Verizon's Fios, Comcast has decided to rebrand its current suite of offerings as Xfinity.  The problems are as such:

• It's most likely too late to jump on the bundling band wagon craze
• Early and mid adopters who wanted to bundle already have and are in contracts
• Their services haven't changed, so there's no reason for current customers to upgrade accept price, if there is even a price discount
• Since bundling and receiving television and phone digitally over broadband are old concepts, there's no excitement factor for the name the garner

And that's the sad truth of it.  Hopefully Comcast isn't relying on this name to do anything spectacular and realize that they are just playing catch up.  We'll know soon by the amount of marketing and PR they put behind it.