Beyond the Logo: The Power of Branding

According to Forbes "86% of consumers consider recommendations and reviews important when they buy". But we all know branding goes way beyond the cool, catchy and collective logo and colour pallette (it does help though). Branding is the personal story you tell, the words you write and the trust your new and potential customers feel.

Let's delve into the true meaning of branding:

What is branding?

Beliefs: What does the brand stand for?
Relevance: How does the brand connect with its target audience's needs and desires?
Authenticity: Is the brand a genuine brand and is it true to itself?
Narrative: What story does the brand tell?
Distinction: What makes the brand unique and different from its competitors?
Integrity: Does the brand consistently deliver on its promises?
Nurturing: How does the brand build and maintain relationships with customers?
Growth: How will the brand evolve and adapt over time?

branding in action, my favourite campaigns!

Quite often, many brands create campaigns that don't align with their objectives and goals. However, some brands excel at targeting their audience and streamlining campaigns. Here are my top 2 so far...

Hair Syrup - Split ends to viral ends

Hair Syrup, a small business based in rural West Wales, has seen remarkable success in a short period. Founder Lucie started creating hair syrups in her parents' conservatory and, despite being turned down by Dragon's Den, the brand quickly gained popularity through clever TikTok marketing. Within a year, they went viral and secured a spot on the shelves of Boots! (Their marketing efforts even won me over!)

The Secret to Their Success:

TikTok Domination: Hair Syrup masterfully utilised a consistent TikTok approach, leveraging employee & user-generated content, influencer marketing, and organic growth to reach a wide audience.
Natural Focus: They emphasised the natural ingredients in their products, educating followers about the benefits and creating a sense of trust, credibility and authenticity.
Community Building: Hair Syrup prioritised building a strong community by engaging with followers, responding to comments, and fostering a sense of belonging.

Sales growth increased by 700%

Dove: developing and educating the next generation

A global brand that has always put itself at the forefront of other people's minds by championing self-esteem for young people. Since their 'Self-Esteem Project' launching in 2004, they have helped over 94.5 million youths. Dove have always projected their authenticity, relevance and integrity onto the next generation.

The Secrety to their success:

Targeted audience: Dove conducted extensive research before executing their campaign; figures like 1 in 3 young women would give up a year of their life for what they consider the 'perfect' body.
Measuring the impact: The main "Self-Esteem Project' has demonstrated the amount of difference they have created for young people.
A lasting campaign: Utilising a positive and lasting impact on communities by creating sub-campaigns including, 'Re-defining beauty', 'Positive Masculinity' and 'Racial Equality'.

95,000,000 youths helped since 2004

Building a strong brand is a continuous journey

There it is, branding isn't just a quick lick of paint; it's the complete foundation on which your brand rests and the reason people choose YOU. From Hair Syrups' TikTok domination to the steady rhythm of Dove's social impact campaign, it's not always about chasing trends; it's about digging deep and understanding your target audience.

So go tell that story, build your brand and let's make your brand shine together. ✨