How to create a memorable brand

What is branding?

Branding is all about creating a recognisable identity for your company so that consumers can easily distinguish you and your products/services from others in the market. This could be achieved through tangible assets, like a specific tagline, logo, or even colour scheme. But branding is also made up of intangible assets like what you stand for as a business, how you conduct yourself, and how you make your customers feel.

IThose intangible assets - your purpose, values and relationship with your customers - are more important than ever before. We all know consumers are savvy and increasingly, they are choosing to spend money with brands that align with their own values and sense of identity.

Where to start with branding?

When you begin creating a brand, the most important thing is taking the time to think about your business and your consumer base. You need to be able to establish a brand identity that will be understood and appreciated by your target market. Some examples of things to consider include:

• What your business offers (products/ services).

• What your business offers (the customer experience).

• Who are your consumers and what do they expect.

• What feelings/emotions do you most want to inspire – e.g., safe, fun, trust, luxury.

• The values you want to promote.

• Your purpose - the raison d'etre for your business.

Beginning to think about these aspects of your business provides you with a great starting point to create an effective brand identity. Your answers will start to shape the visual identity of your brand, as well as the way you communicate and the experience customers have when working with you.

Competitor analysis

As well as taking an in-depth look at your own business, when developing a brand it is equally important to consider any competitors in the market. Look for any similarities and differences between your business and your competitors. This may allow you to discover a niche, which could be an opportunity to develop a unique brand. For example, if all your competitors offer a budget service, you might want to position yourself as a high-end alternative, or vice versa.

Considering colour

When developing the visual parts of your brand, choosing a specific colour scheme can help encourage brand recognition. Your chosen colour(s) should be used across all areas of your business, such as the logo, packaging, website design, and even uniforms. But choosing your brand colour, or colour palette goes beyond choosing a colour that you like. You should also consider the emotional responses caused by different colours and how you can communicate meaning through colour choice.

Understanding your business and how you wish to be perceived by consumers is important when choosing a colour scheme for your branding. For instance, you may have noticed that many UK banking companies have a predominantly blue logo – e.g., Barclays, Halifax, Nationwide, TBS, RBS. This is because, according to colour psychology, blues inspire feelings of trust, security and loyalty – which are all important qualities for a bank. Some other basic ideas from colour psychology are listed below:

• Red: Passion, romance, energy

• Yellow: Happiness, warmth, youth

• Green: Nature, health, growth

• Orange: budget-friendly, sociable, energetic

• Purple: luxury, royalty

• White: Cleanliness, health, honesty

• Grey & Black: Sophisticated, luxury, classic

Incorporating your values

As well as establishing a recognisable brand image through your logo, tagline or colour scheme, you can also differentiate your business from others through your brand values. Your values and beliefs will guide your business practice and are therefore a great way to build a connection with consumers who share these values.

For instance, if being eco-conscious and sustainable is a priority for you and the business, these values can be incorporated into all aspects of the business and form a recognisable brand identity. In the eyes of consumers, you will become known for these values and this will help distinguish you from competitors. A great example of this is Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Ben and Jerry's is very vocal about its brand values, relating to the environment, human rights and social justice. When buying from Ben and Jerry’s, customers know they are supporting these values too.

You can communicate your values through the visual aspects of your brand, but you can also communicate this through the language you use, the messages you share and - most importantly - through the actions you take.

Audio branding

Once you have your visual identity sorted, there are still other brand elements that you might want to consider. With the continued rise in audio content, branded audio has been firmly established as part of a brand's identity. Some larger brands have been using branded audio for years - think about Intel, or McDonald's and you'll probably be able to hum their tunes. Starting with branded audio can be as simple as having an identifiable jingle you use on adverts and podcasts, or as sophisticated as having specific sounds that you incorporate into all aspects of your business, from your website to your products.

In summary

Creating a strong brand in might feel complicated, but there are really just three steps to follow:

1. Know your business inside-out;

2. Check out the competition;

3. Communicate with your customers (through visuals, language, sounds and actions).