Brand Strategy

The Brand Strategy determines who the brand is targeting, how it will be done, and any other specific goals.

• Things that should be considered:
  • Type of product/service
  • Potential consumers (target audience)
  • Competition
  • Aspirations/goals
  • Where it will be sold (mall, store, street, online, etc.)

Brand Values

What is the brand promise and USP that will separate it from its competition? Typically a brand will have a “stitch” they live by and advertise to the consumer. For example a company might be pro athlete, pets, environment, etc. and will sponsor/donate those areas. 

Target Audience

Who is your product/service for?

• Demographic Profile:

  A demographic profile may be developed through statistical data to give you factual information about your potential consumers. Typically age, gener, income, occupation, education, religion, and ethnicity are included. It gives you a broad unbias view.

• Consumer Profile:

  A consumer profile may be used to help the design team focus on the target audience. A photograph, age, occupation, interests, and other information on a typical consumer is outlined. It’s very similar to just making little bios of what your typical consumer

Competition

You must look at other brands in the marketplace you are entering. Look at their target audience, pricing, design (logo, packaging, etc.), strengths & weaknesses, USP.

Positioning

Almost all brands will be entering an already flooded market. All brands attempt to stand out amongst the competition. You must find a way to corner the market. How are you different and how can you leverage that to surpass other brands?

Production

The design process in a creative industry such as marketing and graphic design is not always as linear as other productions however having something to guide you is important. This gives you a better idea of when you can deliver and for how much.

Applied artists make hamburgers. When art is created for arts sake money and livelihood is not a consideration. As an applied artist you are creating a product that is consumed. You get paid. Therefore you want to create the highest quality work in the timeliest manner. You want to make the best burgers everyone wants and make as many of them as possible. Consistency and Speed. The best way to achieve this is process.

The Client. A plan gives a client an idea of what they are paying for. It is also a great way to include them in the production. Be sure to have review points included in your design process

You want to make a lot of burgers AND you want them to be delicious.

Typical Process

• Research & Analysis
  • First you want to gain as much insight into the company/product/service as possible. What is their history? Mission? Values? Consumers? Etc.
  • Complete Quantitative research by finding statistics about the industry and target audience.
  • Complete Qualitative research by interviewing consumer subjective feelings about the brand
• Concepting
  • First come ideas. This is an area that you may find your own methods. For each person it is different.
  • You may want to make notes about ideas that you have or to help focus your designs.
  • Sketch out as many thumbnail designs as possible. It is not about quality but instead quantity. You want to make a buffet of options. I would suggest drawing on paper or something paper like. It’s nice to get away from the computer and removes computer/software influence. It’s physical
  • This may be a good time to have colleagues look at your work thus far and/or the client.
• Refinement
  • Tie down. Select your favorite designs (2-4) or elements from design and organically polish them.
  • Once you have a solid 3 designs you should have client review
  • Using the feedback from the client you complete the selected design.
• Delivery
  • Present the final design. Presentation boards may be created to show the design applied to packaging and other applications.

Rebranding

Even if a brand is “working” it is necessary to refresh the brand to keep it current, exciting, and to improve generally.

The history of the brand should be celebrated and utilized where possible if it is has a positive value.

When reviewing think how you could improve positioning. Maybe change brand market category(luxury, mid, value), enter a new marketplace (online, stores, door to door), adjust target consumer, etc.

Sometimes you only need to update one element of the brand (USP, Strapline, Logo).

Hanes is the most popular clothing brand. Almost everyone has something Hanes. Click the image above to see how their logo has transformed throughout the years.

Adobe Dimension

Adobe Dimension is a 3D layout and rendering software used to create rendered 3D images that you can quickly and easily apply produce. 3D models are not created in the software. Instead premade assets are provided while the user arranges the models, lights, and materials. You may also apply your images on the materials of the objects. The rendered quality is pretty decent.

Did you remember to?

• Read through the lecture
• Submit Rebrand and Package Design Lab on Blackboard