When a company has been around for a while, inevitably someone says, “We should do a timeline.” And before you know it, one has been thrown together and tossed up on the corporate website — often without imagery or relevant content or any type of interactive functionality.
This, of course, begs the question “what is the real purpose of a timeline?”
Vote: The best new brand mark of 2008.
Five companies updated their brand marks. Take our quick poll to weigh in on which you think is the most successful update.
I like sports. Ok, I like sports a lot and I also like following the trends of design in sports. I especially look forward to seeing which teams change or update their brands, logos, uniforms or colors at the beginning of every new season. These changes can range from the complex — logos, uniforms, colors, etc., to the minute — piping on the numbers. It’s apparent that, no matter the change, teams are always looking for ways to stay current while still maintaining their brand equity. This can be a tricky road to navigate, especially for teams that have been around for awhile and have a loyal, passionate fan base. What I find most intriguing are the teams that have recently returned to the more traditional, classic designs from their past.
Changing a brand mark is not only a costly endeavor, but also one that can change your relationship with customers, key stakeholders and the general public dramatically, for the better or for the worse. So, it goes without saying that changing your brand has to be a strategic decision, rather than a reactionary one — but, how do you know when it’s time?
Let’s face it, change can be scary.
Especially when it comes to a company’s brand mark. It is the single most visible aspect of a brand. It appears on everything — stationery, signage, marketing collateral, packaging, websites and more.
One of the single biggest concerns about changing a brand mark is the impact the change will have on existing brand equity. Make no mistake about it, changing a company’s brand mark will most definitely have an impact on brand equity. But that’s the point really, because the motivation behind a well thought-out and expertly executed brand mark update or change is to build brand equity.
When creating a strategic marketing campaign to celebrate a brand’s milestone, the power of the anniversary’s meaning is what matters most. It shouldn’t be just a reason to celebrate.
What are the steps to developing a successful campaign? Is it enough to add a “Celebrating 25 years” silver embossed label to everything distributed to customers during that 12-month time period?
I say no. Well, yes, go ahead and make the logo, but don’t let it be your entire campaign strategy. Celebrating a meaningful milestone must start with a strategy that encompasses a brand’s external and internal audiences.
I couldn’t agree more with Karen Sams recent blog about online pressrooms. She essentially said that putting critical, time sensitive information online so that journalists, who depend on the information, can access it easily is crucial. A business doesn’t lose anything by creating a press room –it still controls the strategy and messaging of its news and information — but it gains a lot. The positives of online media sites are: repetitive visits from journalists and editors — which ensures how your message is delivered, since you are providing the content — from the perspective of online vs. print and mail, a cost savings.
Sometimes one of the first and longest lasting brand or design decisions involves color selection. Every color has a different feel, look, or emotional resonance. Colors will evoke strong feelings towards a brand or design, so it is vital to choose a color that will represent an identity effectively.
“Research reveals people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone.”
- Why Color Matters
(via SwissMiss)
