In-House Capability

Branding

Forging an authentic, inspiring presence that differentiates you in your market

Successful brands are a mix of the soul of the company (who the company is and why it exists), alongside the essential reality of what will connect in the market. This blend of art and science is critical for you to master and continue to redefine as your company grows and evolves.

Common Challenges

Does the soul of your company align with what you portray to the market? We can work with you to establish a distinct brand that resonates and tackle common branding challenges:

  • Your company is better than you look and sound to the market.
  • Your competition is telling their story better than you are telling yours.
  • Your potential customers are not clear on the value you provide.
  • You ask 10 different people to describe your offerings, and you get 10 different answers.
  • Your market presence is dated or tired.
  • Your brand collaterals are inconsistent.
  • Your visual identity system does not meet your expectations.
  • You are unhappy with how your tech is being shown and explained.

We see this come together in two key movements, Brand Development and Brand Manifestation:

Brand Development

Brand Discovery Workshop

This is our proven process for unpacking the essence of the companies we work with and creating the foundation for a market-moving brand. This full day offsite all-stakeholder meeting cuts to the core and builds consensus, clarity, and focus. We are so convinced you will see the value of this time that we completely guarantee the engagement.

Competitive Marketing Analysis

We report on what your competitors are doing to take up mindshare and marketshare. We also interview key stakeholders, including existing customers, key leadership, and others to inform our picture of the market and ensure we have the perspective we need to position your company in a unique and compelling way.

Mission, Vision & Values

As organizations grow and change, it is important that the core ideals that guide the organization are communicated in ways that reflect, define, and inspire the culture. We help you bring these concepts together in a concise, clearly articulated framework.

Positioning & Messaging

Where you fit, how you compare, and how you communicate — really matters. We help you talk to the market in a way they understand across all channels, and position your offerings in ways that meet real market — and drive conversion.

Positioning & Messaging

Buyer Matrix℠

This is our proprietary process for understanding your buyers and the specific needs that drive them. Everything we do from headlines to blog articles to white papers is based on what we uncover in this essential work.

Buyer & User Personas

Building off the Buyer Matrix℠, we go one step further to create strong, qualitative real-life representations of your ideal customers and the real problems they face. This will give you a clear road map to understand clearly how to connect with them and meet their needs.

Brand Architecture

Everything has to work — TOGETHER. Your company’s brand, associated sub-brands, and individual products all have to live together in harmony under one roof. We ensure your offerings combine to tell a great story.

Brand Manifestation

Company & Product Naming

Names have a powerful effect on customer perception. It’s important that they trigger the right associations for your buyers. Names should be understandable, evocative, memorable — and easy to be pronounce without guessing. We help you find monikers you can own that fit your market and your brand architecture.

Logo & Identity

How you communicate visually is one of the most important manifestations of your brand, and your logo is the start of that conversation. We find a distinct, simple, and eloquent way to visually represent your company that can serve as a strong foundation for your visual identity system.

Visual Identity System

This is your brand’s visual signature — a combination of elements that form a design system that clearly differentiates you from the crowd and brings your brand to life. It includes:

  • Typography System
  • Color Scheme
  • Visual Metaphors and Primary Visual Brand Concepts
  • Photo, Graphic, Icon, and Illustration Styles

Design Services

Brand Manual

All the work in the Brand Development and Brand Manifestation phases come together in this substantial document. It includes mission, vision, values, positioning, messaging, brand voice, visual identity usage, technical specifics, and brand application guidelines.