Branding vs. Brand Identity Design

October 23, 2017 - Caroll Atkins Leave a comment

You have finally found the perfect name for your business. Now it’s time for a cool new logo to represent that business. One that gets attention and compliments and yes, bring the customers calling. Your logo is your brand after all. Whoa, is it really your brand? Is a logo a brand? Unfortunately many people mistakenly believe their logo is their brand. It is not. It is part of your brand identity design which in turn is part of your branding strategy. Confused? For a clearer understanding of what is your brand and what is brand identity design, please read on.

I started my entrepreneurial career as a graphic designer 13 years ago. Several years in, I was led to explore brand styling, mostly because of instinct and logic. You see, my instinct told me for years, “do not let a customer come to you needing a logo mark without educating them on exactly what that is and what they must know about their brand before getting one.” At that point most of my clients would say, “the logo is my brand, that is what I want a brand!” Many of my clients seemed more interested in something that was anywhere from cute to cool. Most of them knew very little about the market their business was hoping to attract let alone what that market would think is cute or cool and more importantly why. They gave very little thought if any to how they wanted a potential customer to feel once they saw their logo. Thinking about the customer’s emotions to their brand was just not on their radar.

13 years ago, branding was very new to my clients and probably to a lot of other people. What was clear back then is that many were simply looking for brand identity design.

Brand Identity Design: how a business wants to be perceived by its customers. Through brand identity design a brand will communicate with its niche. The brand identity is a cohesive message that uses a name, logo, imagery and various styles.

Branding: this is the purposeful and intentional actions a business takes to reveal its promise and to elicit a favorable emotional reaction from its target audience.

Brand identity design, branding, logo

Even today, there are still a lot of misconceptions between what is a brand identity design, branding or even a logo. Keeping my above definitions in mind, it is clear to see that a logo is part of brand design identity plan and an element used in branding. To make sure your business is as strong and solid as it can be, you need branding. Your branding must be consistent and it must be thoughtful. Many of my clients would say to me, “I just need a logo, that should be enough for my brand and if I really do need branding, can’t I just do it later?” At this point I would inform them whether they knew it or not, as soon as you expose any part of your business to the public, be it through sales, advertising or simply discussing it with people, you have started the process of branding. Is what you are doing and saying consistent, thoughtful, informative with a specific brand personality, tone and voice that you have given purposeful thought too? Do you have a brand design identity plan to introduce the target audience to your brand’s promise? These are the elements you want to make sure are always in place when you are promoting your brand. These elements help to build your brand. So as you can see, in all actuality brand identity design is part of branding.

Branding and brand identity working together

Once you have the branding foundation which will include the business’ core values, mission and vision statements, personality, tone and voice, you can use it to create the visual aspect or the brand identity of your business. Remember branding is about creating an experience for your customer. The brand identity will help to express this visually and give your brand a cohesive, memorable and professional look and feel.

Conclusion

I hope this article helped to clarify the difference between branding and brand identity design. Please take some time before you design your brand’s identity to understand several aspect about what your target audience is like, what they value, what their problems to be solved are and most of all how you would like them to feel and what experience you would like them to have with your brand.

If you are looking for an experienced brand stylist who will help you create and express the intangible elements of your branding into strategic, thoughtful and impactful visuals, please contact me at Caroll Atkins Creatives.

Do you know the difference between branding and brand identity design? What does that mean to you and how do you define it?

Caroll Atkins, Brand Stylist / Creative Director

Should You Brand Yourself or Your Business?

October 10, 2017 - Caroll Atkins Leave a comment

Now that start-ups and business owners are realizing the awesome power of having an engaging, informative and helpful brand, there seems to be some confusion as to who or what exactly to brand, themselves or their business. This can be a bit confusing when you are the business, however here are some guidelines that may help you make the best decision.

A personal brand means that you are branding around yourself in a personalized manner. Typically businesses that carry your name are those who would choose to self brand.

A business brand is created to help consumers understand the identity of your business, its promise to them and what it’s benefits are. The business typically is independent from your name.

When it is appropriate for a personal brand

Personal brands are really great if you are a one-person business. The flexibility it offers you is desired especially if you have a few different focuses that you deal with. Also, you may choose to drop a certain focus and add a new one with very little disruption or confusion to the business or to your niche. Actors, speakers, authors, consultants, artists and coaches are all industries that are perfect for utilizing personal branding. Associating your name and face with your various expertise and products is ideal for getting engagement.

However, you should consider some potential drawbacks. Your personal name does not say exactly what you do, so you will have to work hard to associate your name with your services/products. A slogan can help tremendously in this area. Also, using Twitter and social media along with blogging and interviews will help people make the connection. This can be quite a lengthy process before you can achieve this connection.

The one thing I will say should be a strong reason why you should think twice about creating a personal brand is if you do not like the idea of being your own salesperson. You will have to sell and you will have to be good at it. If you are shy and seriously introverted, this may not work for you.

When building a business brand is the best option

The first thing very apparent is you will need a name. And this has to be a good name, no a great name if you want to make an impact that connects well. The name has to connect to your niche, conveying what you do and what you are known for. There may be some trial and error here, to put it bluntly you will have to work! But for most it is exciting work as you ponder what that perfect name will be.

When thinking about your business, you should have a vision and a mission statement that effectively spells out what you want your business to do, how it will do it, when and for whom. You should also do the work to know exactly where you should position your business in the market. In addition, a business brand will benefit tremendously from having a brand message that it can share with potential customers. It will have them quite anxious to experience your brand. Last but not least, all the work you have done to grow your business, allows you the ease of selling it without the potential complication that it carries your personal name.

As with the personal brand, the business brand can have some potential setbacks. Changing what you offer products and/or services and deciding to go in a whole new direction can be a very difficult choice in that you may loose your hard earned niche. All the work you did that correlated with the current products and services will no longer be applicable and that may even include the name. It would probably be best if you just start another business and not many will desire this route nor can afford it.

Here’s my suggestion…

When I get a client that has a business that could potentially be a personal brand even though at the time they may want to establish it as a business brand, I encourage them to do both. I tell them that as they build that business brand, don’t forget to take every opportunity to let their niche know who the owner is behind the brand. Do things like interviews, blogging, social media etc. where they can have a presence promoting a specific focus. For example, if you are building a law partnership practice, you should take the time to promote your own area of expertise in law. Whether it be divorce, corporate, etc. Let consumers know which area you are an expert in and with that all the causes and endeavors that your participate in. This gives the brand added dimension and interest without taking away from its main focus.

In my opinion, if you still cannot decide, this may be the most sensible option for you.

Caroll Atkins, Brand Stylist / Corporate Director
Insta: @CarollAtkinsCreatives / Twitter: @CarollAtkins

5 defining concerns when building a life brand

February 29, 2016February 29, 2016 - Caroll Atkins Leave a comment

2016 the year of individual awareness! Do you agree? I venture to say you probably do. Whether in your personal or business life, if you have not read a “tweet” or have not seen a “status” urging you to live life daringly and authentically then it may be that you are totally “unplugged”.

To go along with this new emerging culture and thought process, are various products, ideology and language terms. Some new some old, but reenergized. Branding and passion are two words that keep coming up in both business and personal circles. Not new words to be sure, but their current usage definitely represents a new way of thinking and living.

Today’s millennial epitomize that thinking. They desire to have, be and do it all. However, above all that they insist on being looked at as individual and unique.

So what of branding? How does that apply to ones life? Well, we know what brands are, however the term branding is fairly new. Branding is a marketing practice that uses names, symbols, colors and specific lingo to create a unique view of a product or service in a consumers mind, therefore attracting and retaining loyal customers. This definition makes it clearer how living a life based on passion helps one promote their own individuality and therefore creating their own personal brand of happiness. Consequently, what one offers is unique, who one is, is unique, and how one thinks is unique. What you choose to do for your life and livelihood based on this mind set is what gives you your own unique life brand and you get to this place via passion!

Why is this important?

Who needs a life brand?

Do you have regrets?

Have you stopped dreaming?

In other words, have you learned to bury dreams because you cease to believe that they could come true or worst yet, they don’t matter?

Have you put limits on your happiness?

If any of those questions ring true for you, and the status quo is no longer your desired status consider this. Below are millennial’s top five concerns and how you may adapt them to create your life brand.

Job longevity. Today, we want career satisfaction. Our work must matter to others and to us. We want to make a difference.
Secure retirement. Second phase of life. At 65, no rocking chair on the porch for us. We desire to be active, pursing a hobby or a career we wished we had.
Marry and settle down. Relationship freedom. A relationship does not define nor control our future. We define it.
Bank savings. Invest your money. Bank savings produce minimal yields. Today we are more aggressive with our money. We want brighter futures and increased financial stability.
Purpose and cause defines today’s millennial. Who they support politically to whom they purchase services and products from must have just and fair practices.

A life brand built on passion takes you into consideration. It is doing things in the manner you desire. This way life is more meaningful and purposeful and no longer something to be endured but celebrated. Got an idea or passion and are ready to pursue it? Contact me today!!!

Caroll Atkins
CEO / Brand Stylist | @CarollAtkins

Are you building a brand, or making one up

December 11, 2015December 11, 2015 - Caroll Atkins 4 Comments

Your brand is your verbal, visual and written promise to your customers. It sets the stage for what they may expect from the products and services that you offer. It is your opportunity to differentiate your self from your competitors. Your brand is created when who you are and who the public believe you to be as well as what you want to be is clear.

You have a logo, you have a website, you have business cards and you have product, lots of product, with your logo on it. You are advertising on all the social media sites. That’s it! You have built your brand right? Or have you?

Branding today is a critical part of any business, whether small or large, even B2B, having an effective brand strategy will give you a major edge in this increasingly competitive consmer market. Knowing what branding is and what it means is crucial if you want to stand apart from the crowd and command your share of the consumer market. Building a brand is much, much more than just those things. Sure, they are critical elements of your brand, but what is the brand?

Brand
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Your brand is your verbal, visual and written promise to your customers. It sets the stage for what they may expect from the products and services that you offer. It is your opportunity to differentiate your self from your competitors. Your brand is created when who you are and who the public believe you to be as well as what you want to be is clear.

How is your company positioned in the consumer market? Are you innovative, experienced, reliable, a low-cost leader, etc.? To answer this you must know who your target customer is. Once you know this, you can give them what they want and need. Stay away from the trap of trying to be all things to all people. This will muddy your brand and confuse your customer.

Logos, color palette, packaging and your voice in marketing material and advertising are all things that will support your brand. Careful attention should be given to these as well. Building a brand is not so much what you have, but largely how you make your customer feel. If you can make them want something they never thought they had a need for, then your branding is successful.

Caroll Atkins, CEO
Caroll Atkins Creatives