This is a collaborative post.
There’s a common phrase in the military that suggests, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan, until they take a jab to the face.”
These may not be the most elegant analogies out there, but the truth is that sometimes, experiencing the shock of jumping into a pool of cool water can help you understand what that pool was like the entire time, not what your estimation of it had been.
What does this have to do with choosing a branding direction? Well, it’s very easy for brands, especially upcoming ones, to assume they know everything about the market they’re dealing with. But again, sometimes the reality comes rushing at you quickly and without warning. In those instances you may wonder why your plan hasn’t accounted for every contingency. The truth is it can’t, and you need to adjust it as you go.
Yet, you still need to choose a branding direction. So how can you do so knowing that the complexities of the real world await? Well, there do remain some ways to predict and train for the unpredictable. Let’s consider that, below:
How Should A Business Choose A Branding Direction?
Don’t Chase: Define Yourself Before Others Do
It’s not uncommon for new businesses to begin their branding journey by looking outward and trying to be all things to all people. They might also observe what other brands are doing, take cues from larger competitors, and begin to shape their own identity based on what seems to be working elsewhere. On the surface, that makes sense. Why wouldn’t you study what’s effective? It’s what every business school and blog will tell you, and competitor research is vital. You can bet that Coca-Cola and Pepsi have plans to continually monitor what the other is doing.
However, there’s a problem with that approach as you start out, namely, if your brand begins life by trying to emulate something else, it will never quite become its own thing. You can often spot a company that’s been shaped by this kind of mimicry, as their voice feels familiar, and not distinct.
So the better approach is to define what you’re not going to be, too. This makes all future decisions easier. If you know you’re not going to lean on humour, or that your voice won’t chase trends, or that your logo isn’t going to follow the new corporate minimalism, you immediately reduce the noise around you. That helps you find something that stands out by simply standing firm.
Start With Values, Not Visuals
You’ll find that when choosing a branding direction, an easy mistake to make is thinking that it begins with the logo, or the colours, or the font. That’s why it’s good to really pin down your values and priorities, because that can help any artist you use in future to capture your brand. It can be time-consuming and, at times, feel a little indulgent to spend hours refining a sentence about who you are and what you offer. But it’s worthwhile.
This is also the part where early collaboration matters. It’s tempting for founders or early leadership to shape the brand alone, especially if they’re very clear on their own vision, but getting input from others helps you see how the business might come across to different people. Maybe they realise that your chosen name sounds like a reference to another entity that may not be as helpful to you.
Don’t Think About Blending In
Of course, you want to seem somewhat presented and accepted within your space. No serious law firm dealing with corporate law or medical malpractice will try to launch with a zany, super comical branding vision. Yet at the same time, we do see this with parole and bale bondsman or certain criminal lawyer outfits. As such, it’s important to think about how much blending in is going to help you, or if it’s going to make you immediately bury yourself under similar competitor branding strategies.
As such, you should be aware of what’s normal in your field, if only so you can find intelligent ways to step just outside of it. If everyone in your sector is focusing on corporate tone and slick presentation, maybe there’s room to be more human and more real. If your competitors focus on high-end polish, perhaps you can find a niche in practicality or approachability or just seeming down to earth. Similarly, if everyone’s overcomplicating their offers, you can be the brand that simplifies. That’s not to say you need to be contrarian for the sake of it, but there’s certainly worth in giving yourself more room.
Build Something That Can Flex With Time
A great digital marketing company will be able to tell you that the best branding work doesn’t only reflect where your business is right now, but will also hold space for where it might go. That’s not the same as being vague or non-committal, but it does mean allowing for growth.
For example, if you build a brand entirely around one product or service, what happens when your product library expands? You might have a flagship product named after your brand, but perhaps you want to alter that. Or if your voice is based heavily around one individual, what happens if they step away from the company? Or if your aesthetic is so trend-focused that it begins to feel dated in six months, what will you do then?
You can’t account for every single approach that might become relevant in the future of course, but you can certainly open yourself up to possibilities.
Allow For Organic Development
More than ever, it’s important to keep in mind that choosing a branding direction isn’t a one-time event but something you shape over time, meaning it’s not a decision you lock in and never change. Even timeless brands like Rolls-Royce have updated their marketing message and tone over time to help it continually seem at the cutting edge, so give yourself the permission to make adjustments when you need to. Like any other business venture and effort, you’re unlikely to get everything exactly perfect each and every time without fail.
With this advice, you’re sure to choose a branding direction with confidence.
Related post: 7 Ways To Instantly Freshen Up Your Blog’s Branding
