Brand Strategy
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.” Jeff Bezos
Why do you need it? The brand strategy sets the direction of travel for how you want to be seen as a brand. It provides the guardrails for what the brand does and how it does it. It defines the narrative that will drive recognition, trust and (eventually) loyalty from your customer.
When you hear the brand name Apple you will probably think of innovative technology, sleek minimalist design, intuitive usage, square boxes that are elegant and predominantly white and an apple with a bite out of it. These mental cues are synonymous with Apple's brand identity and its reputation.
Brand strategy at the simplest level is deciding how you want to be thought of by your customers, and then working to achieve that. The value of a strong brand is customer recognition, affiliation, trust and intrinsic value.
You will pay more for an iPhone than you will for an unknown branded phone. You have trust in Apple’s build quality, customer service and you know what to expect from the product based on the brand's reputation.
Most commonly I work with clients on the following aspects of branding:
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Brand positioning – where your brand wants to play in the market, what it stands for and its point of difference
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Customer persona development – identifying potential customers and defining the strategic target
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Storytelling – How to tell your brand story including its mission, vision, the values it holds and its user impact
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Key messaging – what you want your target marketing to know about your brand
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Brand cues - the development of distinctive and ownable assets.
