Brand Asset Guru

Keeping Your Best Clients In The Loop When You Launch a New Brand - By Erin Ferree

2011-02-03T10:50:00.000+11:00

Erin Ferree of BrandStyle Design takes a look at how a re-brand can affect your client base, highlighting some important points. Have a read.

You’ve decided that you need to rebrand your business. You draw up a launch plan, design your logo, marketing pieces and website, write your copy, and get all of your business paperwork filed. You work on it in secret for months, so that you can roll everything out at once and make a big splash.

Finally, it’s launch day! You send out some emails and start forwarding your old website to the new one. And then the emails and phone calls start coming in… but not all of them are congratulatory…

Some of your clients are really quite confused! You’ve rolled out the new brand to an unsuspecting public. This is what things looked like on their end:

Business as usual. You’ve been sending out your other newsletters, updating your social media, and doing all of your regularly-scheduled business activities. Everything is normal, and your clients feel secure.

Kapow! Suddenly your stuff is different. Your website is forwarding to a new and different place, everything looks different, your voicemail isn’t the same and you‘re talking about new things as well! What is going on here?

Changing your brand suddenly can make your clients feel like they’ve been thrown for a loop. They become uncertain about your business’s stability, whether they can count on you and whether you’re trustworthy. That’s a huge hit for your business to take, and if you’re just relaunching your brand, it’s a hit you can’t afford.

How You Can Keep Your Clients In The Loop Instead Of Throwing Them For One

1. Announce, announce and then announce it again. Talk about your new brand as it’s under development. Let people know that change is coming. Tell them that you’re up to something big.

2. Get the word out in different media channels. Your newsletter list isn’t populated by the same crowd who follows you on Twitter. You have different people visiting your Facebook Fan page than your website. You have to make sure that you announce the change in all of the places your clients are most likely to visit. You might even consider direct mail if you do that sort of thing!

3. Let your biggest fans in on the secret. Don’t give away enough of the new brand to spoil the impact of the launch, but do give them a sneak preview so that they’ll feel valued and informed. Tell them that “little bit extra” about what’s coming so that they’ll feel as special as they are to you.

Erin Ferree, Brand Stylist - BrandStyle Design - http://www.brandstyledesign.com/

Corporate Logo Redesigns

2010-10-26T09:20:00.000+11:00

AdFreak.com has been looking at corporate logo redesigns. To check out the full piece follow the link http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/2010/10/a-look-at-30-other-corporate-logo-redesigns.html

Rebranding could be just the jolt your business needs

2010-09-20T12:10:00.000+10:00

By Suzette Colley, Director of Business Development for the Azizona Small Business Association.

Rebranding is a way to energize and bring new attention to a business. If you are considering a “makeover” here are some things to think about:

Size of business
All sizes of businesses need to stay fresh and relevant to their markets. Each business needs to define itself and position itself where it wants to be. Many businesses deliberately position themselves second in the market place.

Customers
Before beginning to rebrand take a look at your business from your customers’ perspective. Ask somebody whose opinion you value to take a look at your website, buy something and then return it. What was their experience?
Also, ask them to phone your business and give you feedback about that experience.
The information gained by looking at your business through the eyes of your customers will inform your rebranding strategy.

Beyond appearances
Researching your customers is vital if you are going to truly re-brand a business. Often, people fall in to the trap of thinking it is just about changing the style and colors of the marketing materials. There are reasons for color and design choices. Brands make a statement about customer perception, care and experience. Other brand statements include retail and Web environments, the tone and voice of communication, the quality, look, feel of your business, etc.

Credibility
It is necessary to go beyond the superficial change in colors and design to make the rebrand believable and truly reflect customers’ perception and experience. The credibility must be true internally too. The target audience will not believe in the brand if those who work with it daily do not believe in it.

Beyond advertising
An advertising campaign and slogan do not equal brand positioning. The brand strategy will ultimately lead advertising. At the same time a business doesn’t necessarily have to advertise it is re-branding.

History
The whole point of rebranding is to be relevant. A brand can only be truly expanded repositioned or refreshed with a full analysis of the target market. The norms of the past may not hold true today.

Brand equity and goodwill
While past norms may not hold, history cannot be ignored and should be analyzed. If brand equity is dismissed it alienates established customers. An unnecessary overhaul can damage a brand’s perception. It may be that just a small evolution is required. It goes back to the question of what is the target market and how can it be leveraged?

Planning
Rebranding needs focus. To be effective it requires a creative brief that tracks the projects progress. The creative brief will include elements such as a situational analysis, objectives, target markets, budget and resources, timeframe, point person, known parameters, approval structure, stakeholders and metrics for assessing results.

Costs
It needs to be understood that good branding consultants are more than graphic designers. The cost of hiring a branding consultant is relative. The best can help you develop new products, expand demographic focuses, and in some cases streamline business operations.

Industry experience
If the decision is made to hire a consultant, consider that a lack of industry experience can give a fresh perspective. This might be something worth doing if you are considering a full turnaround.

http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2010/09/10/news/small_business/doc4c8a73ae8ed1e311285233.txt

Why Online Branding is Important

2010-09-13T16:50:00.000+10:00

By Briana Ford - Looking Glass Blog

http://lgmassmedia.com/blog/

Once you establish a company, branding is one of the most important things you can do. “Making a name for yourself” is more than a few billboards and commercials; you have to build up a reputation. If you want to become a household name, or anything close to it, a lot of hard work and dedication has to be put into your efforts. Nowadays, people are moving towards pull marketing as opposed to push marketing. Push meaning you’re going to the consumer; pull meaning the consumer is coming to you. Naturally people see push methods as traditional ways of doing things, like using print. A lot of pull tactics are used online. More companies should now be focusing on pull branding, or online branding.

When people are unsure of a company name they’ve heard, rarely do they go to the phone book anymore. The main source of information now is searching for the company’s online presence. If they don’t have a presence, or you can tell they set up their profiles and left them to rot, you’re less likely to engage any further with them. This is the 21st century; we’re living in what I like to call the “tech times” and companies that aren’t hopping on the bandwagon are being left in the dust. Here are a few reasons why online branding is important:

· You’re being Googled: Maybe not just Google, but if someone is hearing your name, it’s (sometimes simultaneously) being typed into a search engine. No website? No profile on social networks? More than likely, no customer for you. Even online, people are looking for established companies and referrals. If you’re no where to be found, (in some cases) you may as well not even exist.

· You’re building trust: People like to feel important. I go to my favorite Starbucks (which is coincidentally also the first Starbucks I ever went to) all the time because they make me feel important. They know my name and they know the drink I like. The same applies when customers are able to follow you or be your friend.

· You’re expanding your reach: On the Internet, things go viral. You’re not limited to your local reach; you can go national or even world wide if you want to. If you want people near and far to engage with your brand, establishing an online presence is important. It allows everyone access to your company.

· You’re taking matters into your own hands: I’m sure by now you’ve heard of BP’s run in with a Twitter user claiming BPGlobalPR and painting them in a (justified) negative light. Just think if you didn’t have the proper online real estate for your brand. If someone else is portraying themselves as your company, the negative effects could be devastating. When you have your name, you have the power.

It’s more than just doing what everyone else is doing. Branding has developed into more than some bumper stickers and a street team. You can still implement the same tactics, just using online tools.

http://lgmassmedia.com/blog/

Business, Branding and the Art of Storytelling, by Jonathan Fields

2010-08-30T11:33:00.000+10:00

Business, Branding and the Art of Storytelling, by Jonathan Fields

Ever wonder how to make yourself stand out from all the other business puppets?

One of the most compelling ways to launch and build a business or brand is to create a legend around it. Tell a deeply compelling story that draws in not only clients and prospects, but employees, partners, collaborators, mentors and evangelists.

I’m not talking about fabricating a story from thin air, but, rather, bringing substantially more art and deliberation to the way you craft and share yours. Done right, with integrity and authenticity, it can transform the way you do business and make everything from day to day operations to sales and marketing infinitely more easy.

There are many powerful story lines around which to build your legend.

The reluctant hero is a classic example. Elements include:

• Setting the scene

• The ordinary Josephine or Joe stepping into the role of protagonist

• Exploring and deepening a pain or yearning for something

• Being forced with great reluctance into action by the inciting incident, which creates…

• The unlikely hero/adventurer/discoverer, vision-quester…you… and

• Sets in motion the quest for an answer, during which there comes

• The inner struggle, which inevitably leads down the wrong path

• That circles at the last possible moment back to

• The revelation, an awakening or moment of discovery, which leads to

• The solution, that sets in motion a new fully-awakened path, then

• Salvation, innovation, creation and adoration

When we tell this story in the context of defining, launching and building a brand or business, the purpose is not to provide a respite, escape or moment of entertainment, but rather to so closely pace the experience of the reader that they actually step into the story, they experience a sense of transference that goes beyond rapport.

They become the protagonist. And, in pacing their current experience, you are telling their story, sharing their tale of woe, their pains, frustrations, emotions and deep need for resolution.

You bring them to a place where they’re hanging on every word to find out just how the story resolves itself.

Because in the story’s resolution, they find their own resolution.

And, this is the moment you bridge the gap from pacing and agitating the readers’ current experience, from telling their story through the lens of your own quest to leading them into the part of the story that’s yet to unfold. The events, people and solutions that will bring solace, remove pain and deliver them into a place of exaltation. Salvation. Respect. Success. Devoid of pain.

And, guess who those people, events and solutions are?

They are you, your ideas, your products, your services, your solutions.

This is just one example of how to tap the power of a well-crafted evolutionary metaphor, the reluctant hero, to build a connection between you and your prospects, then deliver them into what seems an irrefutable desire to buy what you’re selling as the only logical way to resolve their own pain, to solve their own problem.

So, my question to you is…

What’s your story?

Your legend?

Your journey of discovery?

The one capable of defining your quest and revelation, fueling the growth of your community and driving them to action?

http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/storytelling-business-brand/

4 Keys to a Successful Brand, by Monica Skipper

2010-07-28T14:30:00.000+10:00

Monica Skipper, Marketing Manager, FedEx Global Brand Management
Jul 19, 2010

What’s the personality of your company? Whether we’re referring to our corporate identity, global shipping services or business products, this question is always top of mind at FedEx, where I’ve worked as a marketing manager for five years. Answering this question in a clear, concise way is vital to establishing any successful brand. You don’t need a huge budget or an advanced degree to create a strong brand identity. But you do need to keep these basics in mind:

1. Make it relevant and meaningful. When selecting your brand elements, don’t shy away from critical thinking. Make decisions based on your products, your target audience and your mission, rather than personal taste alone. Dig deep, examining your brand with an open mind. Work to understand your customers’ needs and align your brand message with those needs.

2. Keep it simple. Meaning and simplicity go hand in hand. Maybe you’ve selected a particular shape, in a particular shade of blue, to help communicate your brand. That might be enough to create a lasting impression without adding another color to the palette, or another symbol to the mix. Like any good artist, a great brand builder knows when to stop.

3. Image is everything. After you’ve shared your brand with the world, it’s best to stick with it for a significant length of time. This will give customers a chance to remember — and eventually connect with — your brand identity. So choose your logo, fonts and colors with care. Are you going for a business persona that’s fun, serious, modern, retro, or all of the above? Do your homework on the latest design principles and plan your image accordingly.

4. Consistency is crucial. Once you’ve determined the set of standards, or “style guide,” for the writing and design of your business materials, it’s best to adhere to those standards in everything from advertising to business cards. Consistency is what separates the professionals from the amateurs, so it’s important to express and deliver on your brand message in a consistent way. Repetition is reputation, after all.

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/4-keys-to-a-successful-brand-monica-skipper

10 Essential Tips to Implementing Your Brand Successfully, written by Dennis Marsman

2010-06-28T16:26:00.002+10:00

A great piece on implementing your brand written by Dennis Marsman.

Whether launching a new brand or rebranding an existing one, brand implementation is one of the toughest exercises a company can go through. The challenge is that this is not a daily process, so most companies don’t have much experience with or knowledge about it. Here are VIM Group's pointers on what to look out for.

1. A badly managed brand implementation is like a bottomless money pit.

Before you start, an analysis of the visual, organizational, and financial impacts of the implementation is essential. Incorporate centralized tracking of all costs to ensure that there are no nasty surprises, for you or the stakeholders.

2. Project planning is crucial.

Given the scale of work, it is necessary to prioritize where and how efforts should be concentrated in order to ensure individual business units know exactly how to approach rebranding. Realistic targets, backed by practical and technical knowledge, need to be set in order to push the brand implementation through.

3. Extraordinary levels of detailed information are gathered in order to build an effective implementation plan.

This information is priceless – uploaded onto an online project management system it can help protect your investment and provide an ongoing point of reference for existing and future stakeholders.

4. The design stage is the least expensive but most glamorous aspect of a (re)branding process.

As a result it receives the most attention from senior management despite the fact that the real challenge, and cost, comes down to implementation. In our experience, the ratio between the expenditures for branding consultants and design compared to the cost for implementation could be 1:20, depending on the size and complexity of the organization. Momentum is easily lost when the sheer scale of work required becomes apparent; therefore, it is vital that senior management remain involved right up until the last sign is installed. Otherwise, the program will lose focus.

5. The integrity of the design must be protected by implementing a consistent and manageable image.

Impractical designs are harder and more expensive to implement, so the design stage must be guided by practical advice. Don’t forget to set up a thorough design briefing, which includes aesthetic, communicative, technical and legal requirements.

6. Translate the basic design to designs for different brand touchpoints like signage, vehicles, stationery, and clothing.

Make prototypes before the real implementation. What looks good on a piece of paper may not look the same on top of a 20-story building.

7. Global brands require global implementation management.

A lot of brand touchpoints will involve multiple regional suppliers, even if modular designs are manufactured centrally. Partnering with an international implementation agency will promote consistency and cost control.

8. Obtaining the buy-in of local managers to your branding program and reducing the possibility of local maverick activity diluting the brand is crucial.

Local teams must understand the reason behind the (re)branding and how a consistent image will benefit them directly. Acceptance of brand standards is not automatic. Most people see their department's or unit's circumstances as an exception – do not give them any excuses; instead give the support required to get the job done.

9. Emphasize internal communication about the project.

During the process, be sure to involve all concerned departments like Corporate Communications, Human Resources, Marketing, Facilities Management, Fleet Management, and Purchasing. Different managers are motivated by different things and need to be addressed in different ways. Treat the departments with respect as they are integral to delivering a successful implementation program. Don’t forget to communicate the project goals to the people who have to work daily with the brand after the implementation.

10. Don’t forget the external communications to relevant stakeholders like customers, media, and shareholders.

A brand implementation is an excellent opportunity to tell the brand story, including the brand positioning and the brand values.

VIM Group
http://www.vim-group.com/index.php/about-us/news/347-brand-implementation-10-tips-to-successfully-implement-your-brand

9 Keys to Building a Stand-Out Brand Identity by Erin Ferree

2010-06-17T15:47:00.000+10:00

A great piece on brand identity, written by Erin Ferree.

Brand identity is the combined effect of visual elements in your marketing materials. A basic brand identity kit consists of a logo, business card, letterhead, and branded envelope. This basic set of materials can be extended to include a website, brochure, folder, flyer, or any other professionally designed pieces.

A successful brand identity is built around the following 9 key characteristics:

Unique in "look and feel" and message about your business. Make sure that your business's graphics stand out from and cannot be confused with those of the competition, and that the ways you talk and write about your business are uniquely yours as well.
Repetition helps potential clients—and current clients—to remember and relate to who you are and what you do in your business. Experts say that it takes somewhere between 6 and 12 "impressions," or contacts with your business, for customers to truly remember you and connect with your business.
Consistent use of your logo, tagline, and materials and what you say about your business. You will only be able to build a strong brand for your company by designing unique visual and verbal elements and then repeating those elements through all of the materials that you create.
Memorable elements help your business to stand out as well. You'll be able to create brand memorability through consistency, repetition, and uniqueness of your graphics and materials. Make your graphics memorable by creating a unique logo and using a consistently strong Visual Vocabulary. Create memorable text by using alliteration (repeating similar sounds, such as using words that all start with the same letter), repetition, unique word combinations, and lively imagery in your copy.
Meaningful graphics make your company's message come to life through symbolic graphics, colors, and type choices in all of your marketing materials. Meaningful text will express what your business is really all about, and help to give some depth to your developing brand. And, perhaps more importantly, your audience will be able to understand the meaning in your graphics and text — it will be accessible to your target market.
Clear graphics and text communicate your message in an understandable way. Make sure that your graphics are crisp, clean, simple, and meaningful. And make sure that your text expresses your point and is not confusing — that it explains your point well.
Honesty in your brand identity materials. If clients do engage with you and then you don't live up to the brand promises you made in your materials, then they will feel alienated from you and your company... or worse. This can really damage your relationships and your overall brand, so make sure you can stand behind your brand and deliver on your promises before you distribute your branded materials.
Personality for your business helps make sure that you don't look like everyone else, so that potential clients can immediately tell that all of your branded materials are coming from your business. If you're the owner of a one-person business, your brand identity might resonate with your own personality. If your business is larger, or if you want to make it appear larger, you can create your own brand personality to connect with your potential clients.
Professionalism in all things, from the quality of your graphics, to the way your text is written (proofreading is essential!), to your personal presentation: the way you talk, dress, and speak. Professionalism in customer service and in the way you treat people you meet is also important. Follow through on your offers and promises.

If you include all of the above elements in your brand identity, you'll have a business look and feel that will really help your marketing messages to be taken seriously: one that will enhance your overall brand.

About the Author

Erin Ferree is a brand identity and marketing design strategist who creates big visibility for small businesses. Through her customized marketing and brand identity packages, Erin helps her clients discover their brand differentiators, then designs logos, business cards, and other marketing materials and websites to reflect that differentiation, as well as to increase credibility and memorability. As the owner of elf design, Erin is passionate about helping small business owners stand out in front of their competition and attract more clients. Hundreds of small business owners and corporate entities across the US and Canada have relied on Erin to create content and visuals that support their brands.

http://www.elf-design.com/article-9-Brand-Keys.html

The Five Keys to Effective Management of Branded Assets - Signage, Point of Sale Material and Internal Merchandising

2010-05-18T14:37:00.001+10:00

Some of the most important assets for any retail business are those that promote their brand in the retail environment. These branded assets usually consist of signs, point of sale material and internal merchandising units. Many Australian companies find the effective management of their brand to be a difficult challenge. This article aims to shed light on common issues and provide realistic solutions to this challenge.

1. Examine the consistency of your brand image in the retail environment

Causes of inconsistency

The company does not have a definitive guide to the application of the brand image in the retail environment.
There are inconsistencies of the brand image in the retail environment; in terms of the actual image, size, materials, colours and location.
There is a lack of central control for the application of the brand image within the company.
There is a lack of maintenance of the branded assets in the retail environment.

Solutions:

Introduce a branding manual, with complete specifications for an approved family of branded assets for the retail environment.
Ensure all suppliers have access to the correct branding manual to guarantee consistency.
Check all work upon completion for compliance with the branding manual guidelines.

2. Assess the level of protection or maintenance provided to the brand image

Causes of lack of protection/maintenance:

The person responsible for the brand image is not responsible for the branded assets' ongoing maintenance.
Funds have not been allocated for the ongoing maintenance of branded assets.
The department responsible for maintenance has a low level of brand awareness.
Poor branding and maintenance requirements are not reported by the outlet management.

Solutions:

Raise awareness of the importance of branding across the organisation.
Put in place systems to manage the brand in the retail environment for its entire life cycle.
Bridge the gap between the communication of the brand to the consumer and its representation in the retail environment.
Ensure there is an allocation of funds to maintain the brand image in the retail environment.

3. Determine whether the branding strategy is coordinated or disjointed

Causes of a disjointed branding strategy:

The brand image is implemented by different departments or regions.
Communication of the company's branding strategy is not well documented.
External influences cause a change to the presentation of branded assets in the retail environment, e.g. council/landlord/regulatory restrictions.
Budgetary restraints compromise the brands presentation and consistency in the retail environment.

Solutions:

Publish a branding manual, including a family of branded assets suitable for the retail environment.
Make the branding manual available to all managers and suppliers and ensure any updates are communicated to each recipient.
Centralise control of the brand image application to the department responsible for the integrity of the brand.

4. Ensure the best value is being achieved for the branded assets

Reasons for not achieving best value

There is no competitive quoting process for each job, possibly due to resource restraints.
There is no co-ordination of national purchasing for standard products.
There is no assessment of the supply chain to identify areas of cost reduction.

Solutions:

Gain competitive quotes from the market for each job using thorough specifications outlined in branding manual.
Standardise products and co-ordinate national purchasing to gain volume discounts.
Cut out unnecessary links in the supply chain and introduce direct procurement where possible.

5. Identify the level of branded asset control

Outcomes of absence of asset control mechanisms:

There is no register of branded assets.
Maintenance work that is carried out on branded assets is not recorded.
There is no control over the condition of branded assets and the actual brand they display.
Life expectancy of the branded assets is shortened due to neglect.
A register of branded assets would need to be compiled whenever a re-image is required.

Solutions:

Implement a register of branded assets in the retail environment.
Record a history of maintenance work carried out on each branded asset.
Identify branded assets where no maintenance has been carried out in the maximum permissible time frame and assess the situation.
Keep branded asset register up to date, eliminating the need for a national survey when a re-image program is undertaken.

This article aims to enlighten readers to see their branded assets in the retail environment as more than just signage, and hopefully these solutions can help your company gain the most value from your branded assets.

Losing previous brand equity through rebranding

2010-03-26T12:17:00.002+11:00

As the latest media reports talk of what name ANZ has chosen for it's newly purchased insurance arm 'ING Australia'. The insurance agent network voices it's concern about adopting a name that includes a reference to the bank, incase it gives the impression to their clients that they represent the ANZ.
This brings them to the point of needing to introduce a new brand or risk allianating their customer base. ( The rights to the ING brand name expire this year)
This begs the question of what value will they lose in brand equity from their purchase of the insurance buisness.

Those quirky adds with Billy Conelly and the no frills, low cost, golobal strength message are all associated with the brand name and have considerable value.
It will be interesting to see what migration strategy the branding agency use to link the past brand equity with the new brand. A simple statement such as 'the new name for' just wont be enough.
It makes you wonder wether the brand value and cost to develop a new brand were taken into the equation when the negotiations took place.
We'd be interested to hear form anyone who has experience in these areas or an opinion...

An Insight into the Pick N Pay Re-branding Campaign

2010-02-08T16:53:00.001+11:00

Pick N Pay is one of South Africa's leading retailers and has been around for more than forty years.
In this video interview, Lindsay Webster-Rozon, GM Strategic Marketing at Pick N Pay talks about the reasons behind the total brand transformation.

10 Tips to Effective Implementation

2010-02-08T16:39:00.001+11:00

Brand implementation is considered to be a less glamorous exercise when compared to the creative phases of branding. Nevertheless it involves a lot of investment, hard work and persistence. Effective brand implementation is not about featuring the logo on everything in sight, instead it means delivering a constantly revitalised brand experience throughout all brand touch points.

Whether you are launching a new brand, relocating or rebranding, we have put together a few tips to help improve your implementation process:

1. Plan, plan, plan

Thorough organisational and financial analysis is essential to help determine the budget, resources and systems required to introduce the new brand. Establish a timeframe to complete the project and monitor progress and key milestones.

2. Introduce a centralised system

Implementing a centralised system is paramount in maintaining control over the branding process. The system will help you track and monitor the cost of the project and ensure that the information is communicated across all stakeholders.

3. Carry out site audit

Carry out a detailed audit of branded assets and other advertising opportunities at all site locations. The audit must include detailed photos and measurements.

4. Upload detailed information to an online system

Like any other large scale project, brand implementation requires large levels of detailed information. Having this information available on an online system allows for better communication, reporting and inventory tracking. Furthermore, an online system provides a record of work history eliminating the need for a national site audit when a re-image program or maintenance is undertaken in the future.

5. Close the gap between design and implementation

What may look good on paper may not necessarily translate well into the built environment.

Organise a briefing with your designers and implementers to make sure that all requirements have been met including aesthetics, legal and technical.

6. Focus on consistency

Consistency is king – protect it with your life. Irrespective of the size of your company, you should have a comprehensive brand style guide in place which outlines your corporate colours, fonts, approved usage and rules for brand application. The style guide is your companies’ bible and as such all stakeholders should have access to the correct specification.

7. Go to the market

Evaluate suitable suppliers to participate in the tender process. Request conforming tenders and encourage additional non conforming tenders which might demonstrate innovation.

8. Implementation

Allocate sufficient project management resources to manage the manage the project. Initiate works with successful contractor (s). Monitor progress against timeline program. Establish communication paths.

9. Adopt a long term approach

Your identity may look great within the first year of implementation, but what happens after that? Think about processes that will safeguard your image – factor in maintenance may be required in order to embrace satisfactory brand integrity in the future.

10. Hire the right agency

If you lack the resources, hire a consultancy that specialises in the holistic process of branding and execute the strategy across multiple platforms consistently. In-house teams can then be employed to maintain the new strategy based on established brand style guides.

Is The Hertz Rebrand Hurting For Real Change? (via brandchannel)

2010-02-08T12:10:00.002+11:00

The rebranding of rental car icon Hertz, begun last year, is now in full swing. The nearly-100-year-old brand is updating its 2000-plus rental locations, its logo and employee uniforms, as well as expanding its fleet to offer sports cars, including the Corvette ZHZ.

The whole effort is meant to help consumers establish an emotional connection with the brand. More of the campaign is set to roll out in early 2010 and will include a brandcameo in the film "Up in the Air."

The effort comes as Hertz's recent revenues are down by almost a quarter -- and while this is probably for the same reasons everyone's revenues are down, nowhere in the rebrand or its slogan, "Journey On," is there mention of, you know, providing better service. (One visit toComplaintsBoard.com shows Hertz isn't exactly hitting it out of the park.)

Graj + Gustavsen's Simon Graj is skeptical about the Hertz rebrand. He told Forbes, "When I hear about a new logos and new uniforms, I'm reminded of the 1990s when marketers were talking about consumers like they were little kids that are attracted to pretty pictures. To be relevant today you have to provide great service and make a big difference."

That's funny, because a year ago, Hertz conducted some online surveys for the rebrand, under the guise of "your rental experiences at Hertz," and this same thought very much occurred to afew people:

"Just got a note through my mail a few minutes ago for a very extensive survey for Hertz... Had a chance to point out a few problems with the Hertz brand etc (i.e. rubbish treatment of regular renters and old decrepit cars), but, the interesting thing was that it seems the real point of the survey was to trial out a new corporate logo/branding for hertz... I wonder if they're going to actually fix any of the underlying problems with Hertz service or just go for an expensive rebranding whilst they lay off thousands of staff."

Who would ever think such a thing!

Full credit to Brandchannel.com, thanks guys for the fantastic resources.

Peugeot re-brands for 200th aniversary

2010-01-28T12:21:00.004+11:00

French auto company Peugeot has unveiled a new logo in celebration of its 200th anniversary, evolving its lion marque and adding the tag line 'motion and emotion' ahead of series of car launches.

The decision comes less than a year after the PSA Group (which owns both Peugeot and Citroen) launched an extensive rebranding program for Citroen.

The move is part of a broader plan by Peugeot-Citroen Chief Executive Philippe Varin to overhaul the group in order to boost sales and profitability by expanding its global reach, leveraging its brands and extracting more revenue from services. Auto companies generally revamp the visual identities of their brands every 10 to 15 years to keep them from going stale in the minds of customers.

The first production vehicle to display the new Lion will be the RCZ which is to be launched this spring. Global Peugeot dealerships will have to update their corporate identity to match the new logo, but Peugeot has not revealed how quickly it wants this to take place.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-18T17:05:00.001+11:00

Wishing you and your families a very merry Christmas, and a happy safe and successful year.

Looking forward to your comments and feedback in 2010 :-)

Bank of Queensland rebrands as BoQ

2009-12-18T16:54:00.002+11:00

Established in 1874, Bank of Queensland is a leading Australian financial institution, with over 280 retail branches and 2500 ATMs throughout Australia and New Zealand.

After more than 30 years, the Bank of Queensland has unveiled a new corporate logo. As part of a national rebranding initiative, the Brisbane based lender has decided to drop the "Queensland" and come February will be known as BoQ.

The bank's new logo incorporates a burnt ochre colour to reflect the diversity of Australian communities - regional, bush, remote and metropolitan.

After more than 30 years of Bank of Queensland's blue box logo, our look is evolving to reflect our ties to all different types of communities throughout Queensland, and we're going to move into NSW and Victoria,"

As we open more branches, especially in regional and bush areas, we want the lifestyles of people in those communities to be captured in our emblem. Our move reflects what we see as our biggest strength right now, that we are small enough to be very close to communities just as big banks lose that real relationship" explains Managing Director David Liddy

We will upload photos of the new image in the next few days...stay tuned! :)

How to be green in tough times

2009-10-28T15:07:00.004+11:00

Many environmentally friendly changes sound good in theory, like LED, or solar powered signage. The trouble is that many of those fixes may take years to make back the cost – and most corporations are limited in affording such luxuries in these stagnant economic times.

Retailers are now fighting the green battle on two fronts. There is still a strong requirement for them to be eco-friendly, but with cash in very short supply, financial accountability is paramount.

The good news is that there are still plenty of affordable ways to go green and maintain your finances.

Here are five ways to help you convey an eco-friendly image with your signage:

1. Compact Fluorescent Lights

These advanced light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than regular bulbs and they last about six to twelve months longer. Experts say that replacing regular lights with CFLs can be the cheapest most effective way to get big savings on energy bills;

2. Retrofit existing signage

Simply adding a timer or converting a mechanical transformer with an electronic one can reduce your operating costs by as much as 30%. Businesses can typically expect an 18 to 48 month return on their investment depending on the scale and nature of the conversion. In some cases, it may be more cost efficient to simply replace the signage. Not only will you experience the energy efficiencies, but you will also be able to refresh the look of your business and depreciate the capital expense;
3. Maintenance

Ballast and other electrical components over time rust and perish creating resistance in the electrical circuit which in turns reduces the energy efficiency increasing the electrical running costs of illuminated signs. The replacement of these components at regular intervals can help keep your signs energy efficient and also help reduce the possibility of component failure and costly call outs between services.

4. Signage Reclaiming program

An effective way of reducing waste is the reclaiming of existing substrates or the re-purposing of other object items for new signage projects. Although this process requires a lot of coordination, it means that most eco friendly products can be considered in design and used to reinvent the new signs. To find out more about the type of products that can be repurposed into signage, call us on 1800 300 103 or email us here

5. Signage waste management

The signage manufacturing process creates a significant amount of unused product including vinyl, scraps, acrylic scraps, wood panels and unused overstock. Many of these items can be re-used again for community projects or recycling centres. Re-use and recycling centres take donations of reusable materials such as plastics, textiles and paper, contact your local recycling centre for more information.

How green is your organisation? Let us know your thoughts!

ANZ Rebrand to cost $15 million

2009-10-28T12:16:00.010+11:00

ANZ plans to spend $15 million on the signage overhaul in 2010, with further spending being planned in 2010.

The new brand consists of just three elegantly curved blue shapes appended to ANZ but chief executive Mike Smith believe it reflects a world of difference to its bank. The decision to rebrand was made after 18 months of research in which customers, staff and advisers concluded the bank needed to streamline its brand as it widened its push into Asian markets.

What do you think of the new logo?