In my never-ending quest to help clarify the basics of branding, I want to talk about signals.
Not just design signals.
Not just the signals you send from your advertising, social media posts or PR efforts.
I’m talking about the signals you send from your behavior, your customer service, your mode of operation, your political stance, your brand affiliations, your hiring practices and your community involvement.
Everything you do contributes to your branding effort, and your brand. Here’s the difference.
And it’s not just your signals we’re talking about. Branding is also about the signals your customers are sending by using your product or service.
Look at Tesla.
Tesla owners purchased the cars in order to signal their progressive, environmentally friendly ideals. It’s an early-adopter status symbol that said “Yeah, I’m rich, but I also give a shit.”
Now that’s backfiring, and everyone’s selling off their Teslas or apologizing for the CEO’s behavior. Oopsy!
Elon Musk is sending out some very public signals that are completely antithetical to the Tesla brand. It’s probably the most dramatic example of brand betrayal in the history of capitalism.
People bought into the Tesla dream because they believed their personal values were in line with the brand. That’s pretty well out the window now.
That’s one of the most fundamental basics of branding… don’t break your promise.
Red Bull sends out some very strong branding signals and have stayed true to the brand for 30 years.
They don’t apologize for the nasty taste or the unhealthy ingredient list. They just keep showing examples — keep proving — how Red Bull Gives You Wings.
That’s why they sponsored a skydiving stunt from outter space. They affiliate the brand with F1 racing, the fastest, sexiest sport on earth. They helped invent extreme sports like air racing, platform diving, downhill mountain biking and base jumping.
Red Bull’s not a symbol of economic status, like Tesla. It’s a symbol of your state of mind. They’re not selling an energy drink or a cocktail mixer, they’re selling an identity.
If you drink Red Bull you’re signaling that you’re a risk taker, an energetic high performer, a bad ass. Even though you never jump out of airplanes or go 90 mph on skis.
Love it or hate it, Red Bull’s been very consistent.
Which leads me to another one of the basics of branding: Consistency is key!
Once you’ve pinned down the core brand concept you gotta stick with it. Hammer it home every chance you get.
So you always need to looking for creative new ways to say the same thing.
This is a huge problem for small businesses and start-ups. They tend to bounce around with their brand messaging. They never really seem to land on one, clear point of view for the brand, and so confusion reigns.
I’ve known CEOs who have been in business 15 years, and still don’t know what the hell their brand’s all about. They cannot articulate it.
The best defense against bad business decisions is a good brand strategy.
It should be memorable, and clearly communicated across all stakeholders in the business from vendors to employees to prospects. It should be the rally cry that keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
See, branding is not a project that you put a timeline on. There is no end to it.
Contrary to what you may have read, the foundation of your brand is not logo design. It’s an idea. An idea that sends very clear signals that no one can ignore.
If you feel like you’re getting your branding signals crossed, contact me here.
There are many ways we can help, from weekly coaching sessions for the DIY types, to a complete rebranding experience.
