Why You Need Branding?

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BECAUSE YOUR TARGET MARKET IS

EXPOSED TO 3500 BRAND MESSAGES

EVERYDAY, AND YOU’RE BATTLING FOR

A POSITION AND SPACE IN THEIR MIND

TO BECOME YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMER,

USER, OR CLIENT. PLUS, IF YOU’VE GOT

A BUSINESS, YOU’VE GOT A BRAND!

WHY?

visit our site: www.weareprovoke.com

WE LIVE IN A PRODUCT AND BRAND SATURATED WORLD,

AND HOW WE RELATE TO BRANDS IS VERY SIMILAR TO

HOW WE RELATE TO PEOPLE. WE MAKE MENTAL NOTES

ABOUT BRANDS, HOW THEY LOOK, THE THINGS THEY

SAY AND DO. AND THEN AS TIME GOES BY WE MAKE

ADJUSTMENTS, AMPLIFYING SOME ATTRIBUTES WHILE

ADDING AND DELETING OTHERS. EVERYTHING YOU DO

AND SAY INFLUENCES HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOU.

AND EVERY INTERACTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD

YOUR BRAND. SO WHAT IS YOUR BRAND SAYING?

WHAT IS BRANDING?

Let’s start with what branding is not, it ’s not just:

Your Logo

Your Layout

Your Graphics

Your Typography

Your Color Scheme

Or Marketing Materials

Branding is a set of qualities, ideals and attributes that

you promise and deliver in all of your experiences, physical

and digital; as well as all interactions a person may have

with your company internal ly and external ly. In other

words, i t ’s a person’s gut feeling about a product, service

or company. It ’s not objective. It ’s feelings, philosophies

and the gut feeling they get when they think about you.

WHAT IS BRANDING

BRANDING IS ALSO

Branding is also choosing and using symbols to

reflect what you value. It ’s enabling people to see

who you are by expressing what you f ind to be

true, good, and beautiful . Branding is not saying

how great you are, i t ’s showing what you f ind to

be great and then moving towards it knowing that

other people are moving that way too. Reveal what

you value and stand beside it. The stories, images,

and experiences that you love wil l be symbols of

trust to those who feel the same way. Build your

brand, and tell your story well .

REPLACE THE WORD “BRANDING” WITH

“REPUTATION”, AND THAT’S BRANDING.

DO YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR REPUTATION?

From your company name, to how you answer the phone, and what customers say when you’re not listening. You can either let whatever impression your company gives happen haphazardly, or you can take control and manage it to your advantage. But it’s a must for growth, wide appeal, and to share the stage with other polished brands.

SO WHAT DOES A BRAND INCLUDE TANGIBLY?

IT’S A COMBINATION OF THINGS. ONE THING IS FOR

SURE! A GOOD BRAND IS ALWAYS LEGIBLE, CLEAR, CONSISTENT AND WELL

ARTICULATED.

BRANDING | INCLUDES

- Visual Messaging -

- Advertising -

- Your Tagline -

- Your Symbols -

- Products or Services -

- Brand Identity -

- Color Scheme -

- Brand Guidelines -

- Your Core Beliefs -

- Key Messaging -

- Brand Personality -

- Brand Attributes -

- Packaging Design -

- Visual Identity -

- Product Design -

- Image Style -

- Your Mission -

- Your Purpose -

- Brand Voice -

- Company Culture -

- Your Philosophies -

- Marketing -

- Logo Design -

- Your Employees -

- Website Design -

- Your Vision -

- Your Story -

- Business Name -

- Typography -

- Retail Design -

- Pattern Design -

- Rates & Prices -

- Product Descriptions -

- Layout Design -

- Your Story -

- Your Key Words -

BRANDING | BREAKDOWN

BRANDING IS A GAME OF ATTRACTION and

WE WANT THEM TO FALL IN LOVE WITH:

- How You Look -

- How You Feel -

- How You Speak -

and WE MUST DETERMINE THINGS LIKE

- Is She A Girl -

- Is She Bubbly -

- Who Likes Her -

BRANDING REQUIRES MORE

AS YOU CAN SEE, BRANDING INCLUDES A GREAT

DEAL OF STUFF! IT REQUIRES STRATEGY, AND IT

SHOULDN’T JUST BE LEFT TO A DESIGNER

OR AN INTERNAL TEAM TO DO.

IT’S BEST TO HAVE A TEAM THAT SPECIALIZES IN

BRANDING BECAUSE IT’S ALL ABOUT BUSINESS,

STRATEGY, MARKETING AND DESIGN COMBINED.

IT REQUIRES A FRESH EYE AND EXPERTISE.

IF YOU LEAVE IT TO YOUR SOLO DESIGNER,

OR MULTI-HAT EMPLOYEE TO DO, THEY’LL

FALL SHORT EVERY TIME!

BRANDING REQUIRES MORE

WHAT IF OUR COMPANY DOESN’T HAVE THE TIME OR THE BUDGET TO BUILD A BRAND?

ISN’T THAT JUST FOR BIG NAMES ANYHOW?

NO TIME, NO BUDGET

You have a brand whether you l ike it or not. It ’s best to embrace that and find

the best way to connect your brand with your target audience. Also, branding

is for every company, whether you’re a public speaker, a food truck owner, or

a landscaper. It ’s for one-man-brands, startups to large-sized businesses, and

everything in-between. If you neglect your brand, you wil l eventually become

the custodian of it . Perception is everything and it can alter quickly. Brands

are constantly evolving, and they need a great deal of tending.

BRANDING RELATES DIRECTLY TO COMPANY SCALE AND VALUE. AS A RESULT, PROVOKE DESIGN

DETERMINES PRICING BASED ON THE SIZE OF YOUR BUSINESS, AND YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS.

NOT HAVING A BRAND IS LIKE TRAIPSING THROUGH THE WOODS WITHOUT A COMPASS, RESTING ON

YOUR LAURELS. WITHOUT IT, YOU’LL BE A COMMODITY IN YOUR MARKET SEGMENT,

BECAUSE YOU LACKED A STRATEGIC VOICE.

YOU NEED BRANDING

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES USING BRANDS WE ALL KNOW

BRANDING EXAMPLES

WHICH WOULD YOU OR DO YOU SHOP WITH?

BRANDING EXAMPLES

BRANDING EXAMPLES

ONLY WALMART & TARGET HAVE INVESTED IN BRANDING

WHO’S SUCCEEDING

WALMART STRATEGICALLY POSITIONS

THEMSELVES AS A LOW-COST RETAILER,

“ALWAYS LOW PRICES”. TARGET IS

POSITIONED AS “MONEY-SAVING”

AS WELL, BUT THEY EMPHASIZE

DESIGN-FORWARD APPAREL

AND HOME DECOR FOR IMAGE

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS.

KMART IS LEAST SUCCESSFUL

Kmart is the least successful of the group, because they haven’t invested in strategic

branding to define their business nor position their company or niche. They describe it as

a, “mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio

of exclusive brands and labels.” But that definition describes just about every retailer. So

they’ve rested on their laurels and that effects everything from their appearance to their

customer service. Similar to the story of Apple, Walmarts founder, Sam Walton admittedly

stole Kmart’s concepts. He then strengthened them by focusing on branding, and a clear

concept. As a walmart customer, you know you’ll save money and that brand message

reaches their audience clearly. At Target, you’ll get fashionable products at prices that feel

reasonable. But what’s Kmart’s niche? Without a clear message, we’ll never know, and

therefore we won’t have a reason to shop there or be loyal to their discounter-retail store.

There lack of clear concept about how to reach the market is the single most vital factor in

explaining why Kmart’s fortunes have fallen so far. The worst part is, they probably don’t

even realize or see the need for branding. As a result, they remain a bottom player.

Our Advice: look at your company with a fresh pair of branding eyes.

BRANDS WHO FOCUS ON BRANDING VS. COMPETITOR BRANDS WHO DON’T

You don’t wait until you become “big” to brand your company. You brand your company to become big!

Remember, Kmart did brand their company initially, but they never positioned themselves against their new competitors or refreshed their brand. They became complacent in their spot. But that’s a one-way ticket to misfortune. You must stay competitive in a saturated market in order to grow, and gain loyal customers in the long run. It will require

a good product that is supported by a strong brand and unique positioning.

WHO’S LESS SUCCESSFUL

THE QUESTION OF THE DAY, WHERE DOES YOUR COMPANY LIE WITHIN YOUR MARKET SEGMENT? THERE IS A SCALE FOR ALL INDUSTRIES, SIZES AND MARKETS. ARE YOU THE KMART BRAND THAT NEVER INVESTED? NOT CONVINCED? WELL CHECK OUT SOME OTHER BRAND COMPARISONS...

BRANDS WHO FOCUS ON BRANDING VS. COMPETITOR BRANDS WHO DON’T

- Apple -- Google -

- Coca-tCola -- Chic-fil-A -- Sephora -- L’Oreal -

- Best Buy -- Target -- CVS -

- Amazon -- MAC -

- Walmart -- ADOBE -- PayPal -- BMW -- Nike -- Zara -- IKEA -

- Victoria’s Secret -- H&M -- Olay -- MTV -

- Lenovo -- Ask Network -

- Cott Corporation -- Hardee’s -

- ULTA Beauty -- AVON -

- Radio Shack -- Kmart -

- Rite Aid -- Sears -

- Fashion Fair -- Big Lots -- Quark -

- PROPAY -- FIAT -

- Etonic -- Rue21 -

- La-Z-Boy -- True & Co -- Wet Seal -- Mary Kay -

- FUSE -

BRANDS WHO FOCUS ON BRANDING VS. COMPETITOR BRANDS WHO DON’T

The left column focuses on branding, while the right column is primarily focuses on pushing their products. Some products on the right are much stronger than the products on the left. But it’s not the best product that wins, it’s the best brand! Customers perceive what they see, feel, and read

concerning your brand through all media and social channels. That goes for all industries, especially business-to-consumer companies. You can either let

whatever impression your company gives happen haphazardly, or you can take control and manage it to your advantage. And we can help you do it!

WE HOPE YOU’VE LEARNED NEW THINGS ABOUT BRANDING TODAY. KNOW THAT YOU AREN’T ALONE,

PROVOKE CAN HELP YOU CREATE A STRONG BRAND SYSTEM AND THE BEST DESIGN FOR YOU COMPANY NEEDS, BUDGET, AND DEADLINES. AND OUR TEAMS CAN START WITHIN

72 HOURS. CONTACT US TODAY. talk@weareprovoke.com

Thank You!