Why Your Brand is More Than Your Logo
Posted by: DCR

When we talk with current or new clients, one of the questions we often ask them is to describe their brand. More often than not, they show us their logo.

One purported “business Web site” even describes “brand” as “a name or symbol that is commonly known to identify a company or it’s [sic] products.” Right away, then, we know that all places you can get branding advice are not created equal. And grammar is kinda spotty, too.

It’s important to know the difference between “logo” and “brand” — because your customers know it. Saying the logo — a part of the brand — is your brand, is like pointing to the tires on your vehicle and saying, “Yep, there’s my new car.”

Sure, the logo is a brand component — sort of the “face” of your brand. Your brand also includes and is supported by the unique qualities of your product, whether it goes faster (sports car) or lasts longer (pain remedy) or is most effective (laundry detergent or, say, condoms). Your customers’ impressions of your products value play into it, and how they feel about the product or service and its value or effectiveness.

Your brand is a blend of attributes that include tangible, functional product benefits and how your publics see and value the benefits. It includes intangibles, like whether people know and appreciate that you recycle, or sponsor a Boy Scout troop, or go road racing. Brand equity is built from having a terrific product and then tuning public perceptions to recognize an act on your superiority.

The national political scene today underscores that people really, really wanted change — good, bad or indifferent. Brand opportunities in a recession include re-energizing, re-imagining or realigning your brand to reach choosy, cost-conscious consumers. Update your brand messaging to capture their loyalty. People who pick your product and like it today typically will stay with it tomorrow and beyond. Brand R&R (rehab & re-launch) should touch bases in several communication channels, including print, digital, experiential/events, social networking/online and even outdoor (old-school billboards!) for the right product. Digital Signage is an emerging technology we are pioneering to help raise brand awareness.

Integrated marketing strategies that reflect a full scope of capabilities … oh, forget that. You can get marketing mumbo-jumbo from anybody. We should sit around a table (or a beer) with you and your marketing chief. We’ll help determine your market niche and why are you are the best to fill it, then we’ll identify brand opportunities and tell you why Vox|Optima is best suited to fulfill them.

You already understand that you lose money when customers leave you for another brand, but you never know how many customers you fail to attract with ineffective brand management.

Jackie “Moms” Mabley (1884-1975) was a gigantic comedic talent, a wonderful old babe in the ‘70s (her clips are on YouTube). For me, her best line ever is no joke: “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”

Truer words have never been spoken in any context. Maximize Your Voice. Call our superboss, Merritt Allen, on 866.499.2947 ext 701, and let’s see how we can help you. Because we can start tomorrow.