Welcome to the latest chapter of the Hugoversity library, where prefects read and review PR and marketing-related books to help share the knowledge gained.
This month, Mai is taking us through Creating a Brand Identity: A Guide for Designers, by Catharine Slade-Brooking.
The book focuses on the design aspect of branding, drawing on the writer’s own experiences, as well as proving a handy encyclopedia of brand terminology – so what did we learn?
In the beginning
Slade-Brooking begins with an overview of the origins of branding, including historic examples of the very first logos etched into pottery.
The modern meaning of the term stems from livestock owners branding their animals with hot irons to signify ownership. Over the years, branding has become so prevalent that, instead of farming and growing our own produce, we put our trust in brands to provide for our basic human needs, freeing up time for huge industrial expansion.
Such early examples of brands include Kellogg’s (we all know the myth surrounding that one, right?) and Wrigley’s.
The author argues that a brand is almost like a living, breathing organism, always changing to suit the market’s needs. A good brand will be recognisable instantly, even when reduced to its most minimal representation – the Nike Swoosh, trademarked as a standalone entity in 1974, is a perfect example.
Early branding pioneers
The book fleshes out a few of these early examples to highlight the way in which branding has evolved over the year.
Firmalampen, or factory lamps, were mass produced in the Roman times. Similar to cast iron cookware today, makers of these lamps would stamp their name on the underside to make sure everyone knew where it came from, encouraging more sales. These are cited at one of the world’s earliest logos.
And did you know that marmite is actually a French word for an earthenware cooking container? The divisive yeast-based spread started off as a cooking ingredient to be put into soups, stews, gravy and pies.
Its original packaging was similar to a French casserole dish, and it was originally intended as a cooking ingredient, which would naturally dilute its strong, polarising flavour.
However, its increasing use as a spread led to one of the most memorable marketing campaigns of recent times – do you love it or hate it?
How to develop your brand identity
The author writes about the importance of coming up with a mission statement at the very start of the branding journey and keeping it front and centre in our minds.
Things to be considered are: what are the demands of your audience? What is currently going on in the world that could connect you to new customers? Are there gaps or room for opportunity in services similar to yours, and how do you utilise this?
She also encourages us to keep challenging ourselves to stay relevant, different, or cheaper, reminding readers that no matter how good their services are, they may be out of reach for many people due to price.
However, Slade-Brooking also adds that this doesn’t mean to undersell yourself, rather that creativity and consumer awareness must go hand in hand.
Ultimately, a brand story should be simple and concise; a slogan or logo that sticks in people’s minds will be more likely to attract press from the media, or online through social.
Branding and technology
Brands evolve alongside humans. As humankind makes constant leaps forward in technology, so people’s lifestyles become increasingly accustomed to brands being integrated among our daily routines.
Take social media. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become global communication devices, where consumers from all over the world can converse, recommend and promote, generating billions of website hits, advert revenue and sales.
With mobile phones, we all have a small, portable and intelligent computer in our pocket, with information about every brand under the sun at our fingertips – so it’s more important than ever to stand out.
In summary
The book’s contents draw from the author’s own experience of entering the design world as a graduate, developing methods of teaching from challenges she had to face as a fresh designer learning on the job.
Graduates may often lack the in-depth knowledge of branding and focus more on the technical side of design at university. This is a great introduction to the things that may be left out in certain design-related disciplines, especially those creative degrees that didn’t focus especially on marketing.
As such, the content stresses the importance of keeping commercial awareness forefront in designers’ minds when it comes to branding exercises.
This book is a comprehensive guide that every design disciplinary should add to their repertoire. While it does not cover everything, it plants seeds in the reader’s head that urge them to go forth and do their own research – whether that be additional reading, or out in the field of work.
Related links:
Book review: This is Marketing (You can’t be seen until you learn to see)
