Season 1 Episode 6 –
30 years and still learning - Having spent most of my career post leaving the Royal Navy working in consumer goods, primarily in the perishable food sector. I find it fascinating that I still learn every day, sometimes it’s a reminder of what I have forgot but for the most part, I learn something new every day… Today’s episode is about Branding.
For the record, I am not a branding specialist nor some highly qualified marketing guru. However, I have sold and been part of teams that have taken brands from nothing to category leaders.
This is a very in-depth subject, which marketing experts spend months at college learning about, developing their knowledge and skills before entering the workplace to find out how it is really done. This is just a short snapshot of that greater subject!
What is a brand?
In simple terms a brand is, a name of an item or group of items until it is recognized without prompting by a consumer as a product or brand they like and seek, once that happens then it is a brand.
What brand should I use?
Any you want, look at Apple, who would have thought a fruit would end up as one of the most recognized iconic computer brands in the world… obviously Steve Jobs did!
Realistically and with our feet firmly on the ground you need to think about the branding, the naming and styling. The key things to consider other than what the product is and which category it lives in are:
· Does your chosen brand name relate to the product you are producing and selling?
· Are you going to have your brand as your company name?
· Will it translate on shelf as it does in a bill poster?
· Even if slightly abstract like, Kind Bar, which you can easily relate to the bar being ‘kind’ to your body, does it translate without thinking too hard.
· What image do you want it to have, fun and quirky like Ben & Jerrys ice cream or mature and premium like Godiva Chocolate?
· Is it going to be premium mass market, or exclusive and niche, or a combination of both?
· What does your direct competitor’s brand and packaging look like, if there are any?
· What color and fonts do you want for your products?
Should I enlist a branding specialist?
That depends on how much money you have to spend and how creative you are, some of the best most iconic brands did not start with branding specialists, but remember it has to be attractive and inviting to consumers, ask you friends and family what they think, but only the ones that will be brutally honest not the nice Aunt who thinks everything you do and touch is perfect. This not an everyone gets a medal for participating situation.
What is the cheapest way to get branding and imagery created?
There are online platforms such as Fiverr where you brief someone far away and they come back with designs for your review, but again, I will say look at doing it yourself with help from others on your ideas, to effectively brief someone you need to know pretty much what you want to achieve in the first place, so in reality you are briefing someone to graphically develop your brand and its related images only.
Branding is personal, keep it that way, people buy from people, so unless you are completely color blind and have no sense for design or style do the first steps yourself.
What should I consider with my brand?
The color of your brand is important, yellow is not a good color for a brand, it can’t be translated on to other things or against white etc., your brand and its mark / icon / logo should be versatile in its use and compatibility. Think about the things you will need to apply it to, the product itself, the outer packaging, (if using SRP’s shelf ready packaging), promotional material, tee shirts, pens, logo’d clothing, mugs, signage and many more.
What if I am developing a line of products?
If they are different flavors of the same product you may want to consider different colors for different flavors, think about the most premium or the strongest flavor having the most premium or strongest color of all, for heat use red, for premium use dark colors.
Should they all look the same?
They should look the same in terms of over all image, you should be able to glance at one and know that it is part of line or range of products under the one brand, when on shelf you should think there is a choice of flavors or styles, think of the Gatorade section in any grocery store, many flavors and colors but all clearly standing out as Gatorade.
Now it’s all clear as mud, need more, please ask.
In our next episode, we will be talking about Packaging Compliance, thanks for reading and continuing your journey from Creator to Consumer.
Interested in reading or finding out more about selling your passion or our Creator to Consumer series please visit our Chatter page at www.beachcitysales.com/blog and click on Creator to Consumer or our general site at www.beachcitysales.com, for more direct interaction please e mail us at info@beachcitysales.com
Remember, whatever you know “good luck keeping up”