10 Tips to Effective Implementation

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.