Identity Crisis: 6 Steps to Branding Success
By John Nunan, Creative Director, Purple Circle Media

Imagine going out to meet your clients wearing someone else's face instead of your own. Sound far fetched? That's what businesses are doing everyday when they present their company using a logo or identity that doesn't fit. The connection between your image and your personality is inseparable. The difference is that, in business you get the opportunity to choose who your audience is, and how you are perceived. One of the common misconceptions we deal with at Purple Circle Media, is that, some businesses feel identity is unimportant - "we sell based on our reputation and products alone, no-one cares what we look like". Not true. People often don't realize it, but when you give out your business card, you make a first impression. Take a good look at your card from a customer's perspective, what does it say about your company? Does it do you justice?

Your identity should be something that can grow and breathe with you. If planned well, It should fit your business vision as well in five years as it does today. Before you commit to the identity that you could be known by for the foreseeable future, here are a few steps that we give consideration to before jumping into anything.

Know Yourself

• Re - read your company mission/vision - does it still reflect who you are?
• How do you want to be perceived by your customers - Innovative, reliable, high quality? Your identity sends messages, be aware - be in control!
• Think ahead - where will you be in 2-5 years
• Set realistic budgets and deadlines

Know Your Audience

• Demographics
• Identify successful existing clients, or those you would like to target

Build on Solid Foundations

• Give consideration for brainstorming & sketches before committing to any one idea.
• Don't make decisions in a vacuum - ask a friend (preferably someone outside the business) what they think.
• Fonts tell a story - make sure it's the right one. Remember, less is always more!
• If you are using an associated picture or icon, make sure it's easily reproducible in all mediums, at all sizes. It may look good large on your computer screen, but how will it work on your business card?

"Does that come in black?"

• When picking final colors, think about your industry, not your wardrobe. Try not to make selections based on your personal preferences or on current fads - remember this is a long term decision.
• Also, before you pick that full color logo, think about your budget and how many times you may be reprinting it in the future.
• Business is a Black & White world - think about media limitations - will this also work in newsprint or on a fax?

Consistency is Everything

• Don't try to be too clever - you can't make up for style with extra ideas. Keep it simple
  Think of the big picture! This has to cover a lot of different media (Website, brochures, radio campaigns, etc.) - Everything should relate!
• Taste is not universal - Don't take it for granted that yours is best

Purge & Destroy

• Nothing is sacred - Burn those 5 year old brochures collecting dust in the corner. They are not going to tie in with your new ID - and it's probably time they were updated anyway. Renewal is rebirth!

With all these things in place you will be well on your way to building a more solid brand (and maybe even getting to know you company better than before). Refining a company identity can be an enlightening and fun process, that ultimately leads to better communication and improved sales. Good luck!

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