One Thing that Sets a Brand Apart from the Crowd
Branding can seem like such an elusive concept in the eyes of somebody looking to break apart from the crowd and trail blaze its unique voice and products into the world.
And the truth is that branding has changed and evolved so much throughout the course of years that it is even harder to pin point what exactly it is composed of, and how can one know if one branding solution will make this company successful versus the other branding solution.
I can totally see why the skepticism and why – to some – branding might seems like a weird, hooey, intangible, kind of thing that is not based on true science or anything of substance.
Almost two decades ago, when I was just starting out as a designer, I was very confused by this whole “branding” idea. I didn’t understand it and I didn’t want to have anything to do with it. It seemed something reserved for designers or creative directors from another spheres that seemed to have some crystal ball that was making them craft these unbelievable concepts, visions and strategies, which not only yielded huge leaps in the income of the companies they were designed for, but also brought prizes and trophies to the said designers.
As I started accumulating more skills, that’s pretty much when my curious mind started wondering what is their secret and how can I become one of those amazing branding wizards.
After years of working with a vast mass of brands and clients and also being part of teams from very various fields and backgrounds, I started realizing and observing what made some companies more successful than others and what solutions usually make or break good brands.
And that secret is: great attention to details.
Every successful brand that I know has a very carefully crafted image that is polished and perfected to the smallest detail.
Nothing is left to chance in a good branding. And that is exactly what makes a brand feel premium versus the more “run of the mill” ones.
The choice of icons on their website, each phrase of their written content, the pictures displayed on social media and their website, the type of social media posts, the look of their pens and stationary, the packaging of their products up to the very label they use for shipping, the quality and the message of the videos displaying their products or services, how well optimized their mobile app is… And I could go on for hours. All these details matter!
Also, every successful brand makes their customers feel special and important. The way they present themselves and talk to each potential buyer or existing customer feels very personal and exclusive to them. The way to do that is by never using elements that were pre-made or are used by other people.
Every single detail – from the biggest to the smallest – is part of a brand’s story and part of the experience being created for the people who will buy from that company, the people who will become fans of that brand, the people who will, indirectly, invest their money and time in that business.
So to recap: the way to make an experience memorable for somebody is to make it feel personal and tailored specifically to them. That is being done by great attention to details. Putting effort into making everything custom (including not relying on pre-made elements that are being used by a million other people), is what makes a branding identity feel premium.
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