The Importance of Developing a Brand

When starting a business, you will be asked at some point by marketing and design about aesthetics. This is not simply a choice of font and colour: the outward appearance of your business is defined by its brand, and getting it right can have a long-lasting positive impact. But why is creating the right brand so vital in today's competitive marketplace?

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Defining a Brand

A brand and business are two very different things. A business is the organisation that supplies a product or service to customers. Yet the brand is a visual identity of that: it sums up the product and company ethos, while also distinguishing it from competitors. This makes a successful brand very hard to achieve, and it involves more parts than just aesthetics: The way the company works and its culture are embodied in it, and must be embodied by it. 

Brands must also connect with the public, and these can also come in some of the least expected places. When George Lucas made Star Wars, part of his deal was that he would have the rights to the Star Wars brand in the world of toys. The studio gave him this as they did not see this as a viable income stream. Star Wars is now as well known as a toy brand as it is movie franchise. 

In the iGaming sector, Big Bass Bonanza is a huge brand in online casino games. This game allows people to play slots on a 5-reel, 3-row video slot game. Yet where many similar titles opt for themes of riches and ancient treasure, Big Bass Bonanza has managed to sustain multiple sequels and exciting variations through its unique connection to fishing. 

Who would have thought that angling and slot games would work, but they do? This is mainly because its brand encapsulates the game behind it, which is fun and entertainment that does not take itself seriously. 

The Benefits of a Brand

Building a brand has several benefits. The first is that it increases recognition of your product. Think of the major brands like McDonald's and BMW. People know what they're getting, even if they don’t use the product. This can improve customer loyalty, making people come back to your product time and time again. Very often, repeat custom is just as important as attracting new customers. 

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When you have a brand, you will also begin to attract the best staff. People will want to align with your brand and be part of its growth. This can make getting and retaining talent much easier. 

Be warned that this can also go the other way. Brands that don’t live up to expectations often attract negative press attention. This makes it important that you have all aspects of the business running smoothly, including the product and customer service, before promoting your brand heavily. Even major brands like Harley Davidson have had some disastrous brand outings. 

Building Brand Identity

Defining your brand is tough, and it will pay to hire an expert to help you get this right. It won't work if you don’t know what your brand actually stands for. Before discussing this with someone, think about who you are. What does your company provide, what does it stand for, and who is it aimed at?

Once you have this, the choices you make can begin to reflect it. These can include colours, fonts and typography. In the digital age, it will go much further, impacting language and the social media content you put out. By embracing this, it can also help refine the product you have and build a long-lasting path to brand success.