In today's competitive landscape, where competition is increasingly fierce and customers and consumers more demanding than ever, brand strategies play a crucial role in a company's success and longevity. And yet business leaders are often driven by short-term issues and the need to achieve results, with their heads in the sand, and fail to appreciate the crucial importance of brand issues.
It is a priority for all companies, SMEs, start-ups and institutions to define a good brand strategy and image that positions them clearly, distinctively, coherently and in line with their sector of activity and values.
Once these foundations have been laid, it is equally essential to give the company a strong identity and to translate this visually through its name, logo, personality and visual language (look and feel).
Today, a good brand strategy is essential to the longevity and development of a company and its product or service.
Immersion
A unique, immersive three-phase approach at the heart of the company and the brand:
1. Assessment of the vision of decision-makers and the experience of operational staff in the field.
2. Gathering consumer insights to understand functional, personal and societal expectations.
3. In-depth study of the category and the environment.
Collaboration
No more formatted solutions! It's important to adopt a collaborative approach based on permanent coworking, guaranteeing an in-depth understanding of ambitions, challenges and KPIs through the right strategic, creative and operational approach.
This collaboration results in a unique and relevant brand positioning (Vision, Mission, Values, USP, etc.).
A creative approach that adapts to the company's situation
Whichever one of these three momentum areas you choose, once the strategy and positioning have been validated, the first step is to develop or rework the visual identity, the primary tool for communicating the brand image. It is conveyed through these key and essential elements: name, logotype, typography, graphic charter and general look and feel.
These components of the visual identity must be present in every medium distributed by the brand, whether for internal or external, offline or online communication.
The key word is consistency, and this means adhering to the rules for using the elements of branding, with the help in particular of a guideline that will accompany the creative work on some larger projects. The added value of this joint work (strategic approach + creative approach) is definitely a major added value in the development of your business, both externally and internally for the company. It's a guarantee of credibility, an accelerator of brand awareness, a vector for the values of your project. It's a sign of intelligence that has become visible.
Thierry Debièvre, founder of impactD and brand strategist, has more than 25 years' experience in communications and marketing with major groups such as Havas, where he has helped a number of brands develop in the Belgian and French markets.
Jean-Luc Crombois, Graphic Designer and Art Director, founder and partner of Skwaadra, creates and develops visual identities to boost your business through his brand image.
BECI helps start-ups to grow through the MeDoFly programme! Find out more here!