When people think of a brand often the first image that comes to mind is the logo. Companies like Nike, Apple, and Starbucks can be identified if you only see the logo – the name is not even necessary. In today’s digital world, branding is way more than just a logo. A consistent identity must go very deep within company collateral. It needs to communicate not only the values of the company, but also the careful precision and attention to detail.
Other than building slick new websites, did you know HMG Creative has a pro team of brand developers and designers? It’s true. Check out our most recent project below to find out how our team helped Hamilton Asset Management Group create their new brand identity.
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Did you know that 66% of Americans ages 24-35 own a smartphone? How about that 75% of Americans bring their phones to the bathroom? Although this may seem like too much information, it’s something to consider when making the decision to go mobile. Today, everyone is connected to their device. Why not take advantage of that common statistic and make your website available to them wherever they are? And if those statistics didn’t get to you, what if you knew that in 5 years, mobile is predicted to be bigger than the internet? Would you reconsider making your site mobile friendly? Whether you choose to create a native mobile app picks, create a separate site specifically for mobile or use responsive design (we’d recommend the latter), get out of your 20th century funk because mobile is the future.
What comes to mind when you think of brands? Probably your favorite one—whether it’s Starbucks, Apple jailbreak iPhone 4 , Nike or something else, we each have personal brand preferences that we identify with. The aforementioned brands are highly recognized not just because they produce great products, but also because they exemplify stellar branding. There’s a reason why when someone says, “Just do it,” most people think of Nike.
Interning for an Austin, Texas based creative agency with a solid repertoire of branding experience, I can attest to the value of having a strong brand. What many of us don’t realize, though, is that people are brands, too. It’s crucial to establish a personal brand for yourself so that you stand out in an increasingly competitive environment. Here are some tips I’ve compiled to help you get started on creating your own personal brand.
There is a reason that there are thousands of articles online that address ways to improve your company’s social media presence — Social media is fun to talk about, tough to implement and an even bigger challenge for companies to be creative and stay consistent.
The truth is there is no cut and dry answer to social media. It’s subjective, ever-changing and ideas must be adapted to fit your business and brand. Wait, what was that? Yes, adapted means you have to do some work. Perhaps this is why so many struggle with social media. We hear words like “strategy” and “content creation” and we automatically cringe at the thought of where we should start climbing this beast of a social media mountain. It’s simply too much work. Your company is not that complex, Right? (These are probably some of the same people who said four years ago, “I don’t have time for social media” or “My customers don’t use Facebook.”) Think again.
“Shop the World, Steal from the Best.”
You do learn some things in school. An advertising professor at The University of Texas said the above quote and it holds true for many aspects of marketing in any industry. (Don’t take the word “steal” literally, please.) Shop around for strategy and tactic ideas like Instant Profits with Instagram . Check out all kinds of brands and companies across the board, on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Note what you love and what you don’t. Take a look at regional competitors in your space and similar companies in your industry across the country. See how they engage fans from contests, images, blogs and other creative ways like highlighting clients or staff. Save pages that impress you and that you would one day like to achieve. Even if you aren’t sure how to implement something immediately, put it on a wish list so it can be top-of-mind when planning. Social media is an a la carte approach, shop away.
Think Big, Be Simple, Stay Fresh.
This section is key to implementation. (Where most of us drop off, me included.) Don’t be overwhelmed or discouraged after looking at brands like Coke or Chobani; adapt (ahem, work) their tactics into your own social strategy. Note: Be sure to share unique content on each social media platform, not everything on Twitter needs to be on Facebook and vice versa. Remember no company is too small to utilize these ideas; you just have to make them your own and don’t over complicate the concepts. Below are some items to think about and examples on what to adopt and why.
Don’t be Afraid to Flop.
Social media is a living breathing strategy. You aren’t always going to score a home run but you have to start somewhere. Now is the time when you can come up with actionable items. When you make your own rules, you are more likely to abide and succeed. The goal to creating fresh content and injecting big brand ideas starts by reevaluating yours.
Have some success stories of your own? More ideas to share? Comment and help other professionals stay creative when delivering social media content.
In February an international business magazine came to HMG Creative seeking expertise in branding. The publication, Bazargan Magazine, is relaunching in the United States later this year and desired a new image to stay relevant in a very competitive industry.
See the transformation of the magazine’s old image, the new logos presented created by HMG Creative and of course, the final logo selected to represent the magazine.
