What are the defining characteristics of your brand? Are your brand values on point? Has the core of your brand been developed in a way that is fit for the future? Do you manage to appeal to the heart and brain of your customers with your brand values? Are you creating an independent brand personality? Brand identity is the strategic launching pad for profitable growth.
However, companies are often unaware of these roots and the associated strengths of their brand. Whether corporate brand, family brand or individual brand: brand identity and brand values must be regularly reviewed in order to remain true to oneself and at the same time adapt to changing market conditions in order to remain relevant. Key challenges encountered by brands relate to issues such as sustainability (CSR), the demands of Generation Y and Z, increasing competitive pressure from horizontal and vertical competitors, and digital transformation and its impact on their own brand.
Brand identity captures the essential characteristics of a brand and is summed up by central brand values. It provides the guidelines for actions within the company and externally. Thus, in a process for the development of the brand identity, it is necessary to
The right balance between preserving and adapting has to be found. In addition, the brand needs to be developed holistically in order to appeal to both the heart and the brain of the customer.
Brand steering wheel with hard facts and soft facts about the brand
To systematically capture and develop brand identity, we use the brand steering wheel we developed. The left side of the brand steering wheel captures the hard facts about the brand and answers the question “What’s in it for me?” Two quadrants are to be systematically developed here: Benefits of the brand for customers and attributes of the brand to justify the benefits. On the right side of the brand wheel, we capture the soft facts about the brand and answer the question, “How do I feel about it?” In the first quadrant, this is about the feelings and emotions that should be associated with the brand. The second quadrant is about the non-verbal impressions (see, hear, smell, taste, touch) that shape the brand.
We check the brand steering wheel for consistency between the areas and condense the whole thing to three or four brand values before developing the brand positioning from them. The brand positioning answers the question why customers should choose your brand in a short and concise sentence.
We have successfully completed countless brand identity projects across all industries. The absolute top brands trust us because we consistently drive them to excellence and lead them safely to success. We know that strong brands grow from within. We do this with our inside-out approach. We match your perspective with that of your customers to create the basis for effective brand values. Together with you, we develop convincing brand values that are actively lived by employees and have an impact on customers. With the brand steering wheel we create the basis for a successful implementation – in your company and in the market. We do not build castles in Spain, but tailor-made concepts for your brand.
We increase the success of your brand. Contact us.