2. What is branding?
Identity - you/company/product/intertwined
Name
Visual identity
Sound or sound or texture or style ‘palette’
Sensory experience, may vary by channel
Channel - web, mobilecall centre in/out, print, email...
3. The Five Points
Know yourself (inputs/reputation/aspirations)
Brand categorisation (types)
Typical approaches (process/ranking/resources)
Test (good/bad/contextually)
Repeat until happy. Endlessly.
4. Know: Be self aware. We all have a brand already.
Know yourself.
First impressions count?
But what percentage of the world/country/city/room actually
know you?
What are you all about?
5. Know: What you stand for, and what others think.
For example ...
Design, Trust, Value For Money, Values, Sophisticated, Simple,
Minimalist … your turn.
6. Know: Your space, segment, tribe ...
For example ...
Financial planning; Dog toys; Cyber security for Satellites
Handcrafted originals
Trusted advice for tech startups
… your turn.
7. Categorisation: Typical Types
Evocative (e.g virgin/apple - progressive but not conservative)
Invented (e.g. google - unique/memorable but slow uptake)
Experiential (e.g safari/explorer - sensing but becomes common)
Functional (e.g. online-vet.com - self explanatory but not distinctive)
8. Categorisation: Up vs. Down Brand Essence
For example …
Progressive vs. conservative
Energising vs. calming
Wild adventure vs. reliably predictable
Lots more ...
9. Typical Approach: Process Steps
Conceptual Brainstorm / Ideation - no bad ideas
Differentiation/Positioning - by horizons (short, medium, long
term) and by scenario (funded, unfunded etc)
Analyse Competitors
Name Generation & Scoring - at least 10 to 20, ideally 100+
Check availability
11. Typical Approach: Search & Protect Resources
Godaddy - largest domain name provider, usually cheap
Crazy Domains - cheap Australian domains
uspto.gov - US Patent & Trademark Office
But best of all -
Your fellow entrepreneurs (research shows this).
12. Test: Brand context
Unpromoted brand essence
Being on brand - reinforce vs. destroy
Unprompted brand awareness
Competitor landscape - and need for differentiation
Name testing - e.g. crowded bar test
Feelings vs. features vs benefits
13. Test: Good Things To Consider
Unique. Simple. Differentiated. Natural. Consistent.
Transparency/Trust
Consistency - but you can be consistently inconsistent !
Extensions/themes
Empowering partners
Testing, trials, feedback loops, learning
14. Test: Bad Things Will Bite You
Competitors. Complexity. Channel suitability. Culture. Mediocrity.
Extending brand too far - off brand
Isolation
Segments
Language
15. The Five Points
Know yourself (inputs/reputation/aspirations)
Brand categorisation (types)
Typical approaches (process/ranking/resources)
Test (good/bad/contextually)
Repeat until happy. Endlessly.
