BRAIN DUMP 2022
Preface
Beware! Thought vomit below, but educational.
I Can't Solve Your Problems, but I May be able to Help You Get Out of Your Problem.
You want to understand what it is that I do? Read this.
We all know the over-saturation of graphic designers and or simplified "stock design" applications in our digital age. There’s a graphic designer on every corner. If you make a post about needing a logo or graphic work you’ll get bombarded with responders. Everyone knows and is willing to do what they think they should for you. It’s all bullshit. All of it. Your right. May I dare to say that? It’s bullshit. However, this is what I do too. Will I tell you that you need the work? Maybe. If you actually need it.
The problem is our need for a good design for the face of our business is at times emotionally driven. Not a bad thing! We want to look good and be presentable, but that's not exactly the real reason why we should get a new logo, website, or flashy graphic to show off to our friends. Don't get me wrong. Your brand's design is very important, and it should take precedent in your yearly attention. You should pay for quality work, in whichever way possible. Even if it’s through a hook-up. Just get it done for peace of mind. If you don’t know what good design is, then look at your top competitor. I mean the top 5 that seem unattainable for you to be at their caliber right now.
With that said, you may discover that it's not just their brand's image that's causing their success. It may be in their processes, their culture, their actual product/service features. Or maybe they know something you don’t. They are connected in ways you’re not. I say, figure out that thing first, then the visual design of your brand's image will do exactly what you hope it should do. The design ain’t shit if you do not offer up an incredible experience to back it. Doesn’t matter what you're doing. Take it seriously in ways that really make a positive impact on your bottom line. Then hit me up. And if you are confused about figuring out what that thing you are missing is, also hit me up.
Make those changes and that’s when your visual branding will do its work. Don’t think looking aesthetically sharp is your answer. It’s only a portion of the success potion. You can put on a flashy suit and drive up in a fancy car, but still be a piece of shit that no one really trusts. Be a good human. Instill in your team that all of you must be good humans, and back up your brand ethos. Then the time will come when you can properly build your brand's visual identity. Don’t know your brand ethos’s “core values”? Then you’ve got some homework to do. Drop me a line if you are there, and I’ll do my best to help you.
What is a branding strategy?
Think about it. That pair of shoes you are wearing, if you’re fortunate to have a pair of shoes you’d prefer to own. That local restaurant/bar that you have had so many good memories in. That car or truck you identify with. The poster on your wall has your favorite musical artist. What would happen if the “sign” to your local bar disappeared. What if that logo on your shoes just vanished. What if the exhilarating photo of that artist performing just disappeared? How would you feel? Would you feel hesitant to go into that restaurant confused if it would be the same experience? Would that shoe feel the same anymore? Of course, it would! But something would feel off.. How did that happen? Obviously, that little feeling you have is from repeated experiences of many forms of satisfaction, security, and trust over time. That my friends are Brand Trust and Loyalty. If you don’t have that, then you don’t have a Brand.. yet.
But how did they get there? Well, the truth is you got them there, but what they did along the way is how they got your attention, curiosity, purchase, more purchases, then TRUST. That is Brand Strategy. You see, it’s not something that can be fabricated. The truth will always come out! but there is a way to help get you there.
Do the work and let the work speak for itself? We’ve all heard that one. When applying a good design that solves a problem for your intended customer combined with tenacity, intended/proper function, and consistency brings satisfaction that you will not have to explain. Your customer will. This is the attitude.
Finding your intended customer? People identify with what they already know. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but we must create a functional design that not only are you happy with but your customer is over the top for. This only works of course if you’re upholding your end of the bargain. How do we do that? Strategy. What are your company/brand values? Do they match up to the values of your customer? You can believe what you want to believe, but the values of your company/product must be in line with what your brand stands for. What we do in a brand strategy is CORE discovery to get to the root of it all, find what your ideal customer wants/needs, discover their pain points, and solve them! The simplified translation, bridges the gap between your “A” product/service to “B” the customer.
“A branding strategy (a.k.a. brand development strategy) is the long-term plan to achieve a series of long-term goals that ultimately result in the identification and preference of your brand by consumers. A successful branding strategy encompasses the brand’s mission, its promises to its customers, and how these are communicated.
Often misconceived, a branding strategy is not the sum of your logo, color palette, or website; though these creative elements are integral to a successful branding strategy. A branding strategy revolves around all the intangible elements that over time drive brand awareness, brand equity, and brand sentiment.”
Why Strategy? Strategic Design employs semiotics, the objective meaning of imagery and color to precipitate action. Aesthetic Design relies on subjective personal preferences, and when used without a strategy, Aesthetic design is just a beauty contest. So, when graphic design is driven by strategy, it will be focused on achieving the tangible results that you want for your business.
The task is to give us a better understanding of how your business goals align with your brand story, company values, and how your ideal customer will perceive your developing brand. Below is an example of an exercise we will use to discover the key attributes of your business that will help lead in the design process.