Richard Branson Communicates with Consumers, Builds Character with Branding
Richard Branson Communicates with Consumers, Builds Character with Branding
Guest Blogger: Ashley Wiederhold
“Brands exist as a means of communicating what to expect from a product or service,” explains Richard Branson in an article he wrote for Entrepreneur. This definition may seem simple—too simple—at first glance, but it conveys an often overlooked idea that is central to the art of effective branding: branding is a form of communication.
Too frequently, businesses approach branding as an afterthought. Professionals who are busy building a company may assume that the colors and font used in the logo, or the names of its products and services, or even the manner in which they communicate internally, play a minute part in the successful development of a brand with staying power—and they couldn’t possibly be more mistaken.
As Branson points out, branding is a form of communication. When you brand your company, you are creating materials (a logo, a product name, a tagline, etc.) that convey the values of your business. You are targeting, with these materials, the consumers that you want to turn into clients. With the wrong brand message, you and your potential clients might as well try communicating in two different languages.
Branson explains that businesses often make the mistake of trying to create a perfectly polished image for their brand—and this can cause them to suffer from a lack of personality and, as a result, appeal. He explains: “When creating your first ads, designing a logo, and reaching out to potential customers for the first time, you may be tempted to create a brand that’s very corporate and remote. Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealized, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character, and no public trust.”
So, what do you do when you’re trying to create a brand that will speak to the right consumers (and in the right language)? Your brand should reflect both the values of your company and the values of your target audience. Only when you remember that it takes two to communicate can you create an effective brand that clearly conveys your company’s message.
Sources:
Image from Forbes
Entrepreneur article