WHAT A BRAND IS NOT

A brand is not simply the product, service, logo, colour palette or tone of voice of a company, person or idea, it’s the promise, the solution to a pain, the why buy, the so what, the why me, the tangible expression of want vs need. A brand is the starting and the ending and everything in between.

Ensure the first reaction to your brand gives the ‘wow’ you want and establishes your unique brand promise. We'll show you how.

HOW TO BUILD A BRAND

You must start with a strong brand foundation or it will crumble under intense competition, lack of interest or worse, fizzle without a peep. So how do you build a foundation? It takes experience, a bit of art, a lot of sweat and unwavering belief in what you are building.

Brand work doesn't fit into a nice box, but there are common elements. There's the identity, positioning, offering, tone of voice and much more, layered with strategy, competitive pressures and internal dynamics. All elements must work together seamlessly or they will compete for limited mind space and end up battling each other.

No place is that battle more apparent than in social media. Just posting pictures on Instagram, liking boards on Pinterest or tweeting random articles or daily affirmations doesn’t gain customers—it gains confusion. Start with your brand foundation and let your strategy be the glue that holds together all elements, pushing your brand closer to its goals and giving you the tools to measure success.

Be truthful and believable or be ignored; make innovation core to your business or be forgotten.

EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Don’t let the buzz of this term dilute its importance. We talk more about emotional engagement here too.

People make buying decisions in predictable ways. They might rationalise their choice with features and benefits, but the decision to buy is purely emotional. Even when they’re mission oriented to solve a pain, how they choose to solve that pain and whether or not they return is influenced by often imperceptible emotional impulses. It’s not the hairbrush that makes you beautiful, it’s how you feel using it. It’s not the bank that protects your finances, it’s the security you feel knowing an expert is managing your future. 

How do you create an emotional connection? 1. Know your audience. 2. Pick a word (or several) and own it. 3. Pick an image (or several) and own it. 4. Craft impactful messages within a framework. 5. Determine the best time and placement for each message. 6. Be consistent. 7. Be responsive. 8. Be open. 9. Be honest!!!  

Once the emotional connection is established, people will excuse errors and disappointments, and most importantly, they will share their fondness with the world. That doesn't give you permission to ignore them, it's an opening and a start that must be nurtured and protected. 

Creating buzz is easy, but creating an emotional attachment so strong that it defies logic is an art.

WHEN A BRAND JUST ISN'T WORKING

Is it time for a rebrand, reposition or rework? When you're losing clients, being swallowed up by competition or can't seem to make progress, a nudge won't do it. It's time for a brand audit. We'll put our banker glasses on, look at your company, at your competition, at the market and then devise a strategy to get you back to where you want to be. Sometimes necessary changes are revolutionary, other times they are more evolutionary. Whatever is needed, we'll guide you in the right direction. 

THE MADLEGS MEDIA WAY

Brilliant ideas need equally as brilliant hands to execute. From the idea to the brand identity, from the launch strategy to the sales strategy, and from one store to thousands, we love this process. Watch how we can turn a few whispers into an icon.

We know, we gave you a lot of jargon in a few paragraphs without concrete solutions, but it’s the nature of brands. Cookie-cutter solutions don’t exist for brands. We can share best practices and tips, but the power is unique to your brand.   

Brand touches strategy and content so much they are often blurred together, impossible to dissect, which is how your target audience experiences your brand, so don’t fret, embrace the overlap and build a better brand by doing so.