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What is branding, when you think about its most fundamental element? We’d say it’s about identity. Identity can be expressed in many ways when managing a business and trying to appeal to a certain part of the market. For example, a law firm is very clear about their identity. They list the surnames of their partners in the company name, they’re very strict and professional about their visual identity (you’re not going to see Comic Sans fonts or GIF images on their blog posts, for example), and they want to project a sense of classical trustworthiness at all times.
A fragrance company can be a little more daring. They want to seem mysterious, sensual, and interesting. That’s why their advertisements feature big-name models and actors strutting around on horseback with their shirt off. They want to seem larger than life, with their branding designed to represent the feeling you get when a well-balanced scent hits your nostrils.
So, anyone who tells you that branding has to be this way or that way is generally not giving you the full picture. That being said, there are certainly measures that can denigrate your brand if you’re not careful, no matter which pursuit you follow. This post intends to help you avoid such an outcome:
Public Branding Misfires
It’s pretty easy for your business to find itself dealing with a backlash after a big advertisement or public stunt just completely misses the mark. This usually happens when the message you assumed was super clear gets totally misunderstood by the audience you were hoping to engage and convert. Companies find this when they push a slightly controversial campaign that was supposed to grab attention, but ended up frustrating a part of the market they failed to think about.
It’s a tight line for marketing professionals, but you need to take serious care when putting your brand’s message out in the world. Testing the concept with a small audience first, at least for a brand new campaign, can help to prevent mistakes from happening later on. Moreover, your company’s core values should always be clearly reflected in any content that the public sees.
Inconsistent Social Media Use
The way your brand talks online changes everything about how people see you as a potential customer. Posting highly professional on LinkedIn, for example, and then suddenly using super-informal, meme-heavy content over on TikTok, can leave your audience completely confused about what exactly your company stands for. Working out the voice and visual style across all your channels is a measure that should definitely be followed.
It might not sound very dynamic, but customers just expect things to be predictable and reliable when they check out your brand, no matter where the interaction is happening. When your communication style changes drastically from place to place, the identity of your company can feel insecure, and it denigrates what you’re trying to achieve.
Car Wrappings & Designs
The vehicles you use for your business can sometimes be ignored, but they’re an amazing advertising opportunity. If done right, they’re basically just driving billboards. So for example, a company car that’s poorly kept or features not using good enough car respraying can make a poor first impression as it rolls around town. The design needs to be clean, legible, and easy to understand at a quick viewing, which shows off your brand’s quality standard.
A vehicle wrap that is just too busy or contains older and uncontactable contact details can do more harm than good. Alternatively, investments in clear, well-designed vehicle graphics that are properly cleaned and maintained is a much better element of projection. Think of your vehicle as an extension of your office, and that it definitely needs to be treated with respect.
With this advice, you’re sure to avoid denigrating your brand with poor hidden elements.