mccombs ktg webinar thursday, june 18. brand guidelines presented by renae donus spur consulting llc
TRANSCRIPT
McCombsKTG Webinar
Thursday, June 18
Brand Guidelines
Presented by
Renae DonusSpur Consulting LLC
About Me McCombs 2000 alumna Consulting & Marketing background
Accenture Senior Consultant Kraft Foods Brand Management
Started Spur Consulting in 2012 Marketing consulting firm specializing in Customer
Definition, Marketing Strategy, Branding, Marketing Collateral & Communication
Focused on helping start-ups and small companies
McCombs MBA+ Coach
What are Brand Guidelines?
Brand Guidelines are the written and visual declaration of how you want your company and brand to be presented to the world.
They should include more than logos, colors, and font.
Think of them as a bio for your brand. What do you want people to really know or think about your company and your brand?
Why Brand Guidelines?
Consistency Establish rules for everything (logo, visuals, copy) in an
effort to create a unified look and feel for everything you produce and share.
Remember, you’re building a brand – think long-term.
Inspiration Inspire any partner to embrace the brand and what it
stands for.
Who uses them? Employees (training / on-boarding)
Creates a culture of consistency and opportunity Develops brand advocates internally Communicates the vision / mission of the company
verbally and visually External partners and vendors (RFP, training)
Fosters accountability and consistency Inspires creativity and personal investment Influences word of mouth
BOD / Investors Effectively communicates the marketing strategy Achieves buy-in, WOM
Brand Guideline Components Company Background
Product & Positioning
Customer
Brand Principles
Visuals
Voice
Rules
Silvercar Example
Company Background Your Story
How the magic happened… Your Vision
Bigger idea for what could be Optimal goal + reason for existence “Making cancer history”
Your Mission Day-to-day who you are, what you stand for
Tagline
Silvercar
Silvercar Vision
The Product Overview / Key Features
Value Propositions
Positioning v. Competition / Perceptual Map
Silvercar
Silvercar
The Customer Demographics
Age, gender, HH income, etc. Psychographics
Values, opinions, and attitudes Qualitative research is key
Lifestyle / Behaviors Hobbies, interests, purchase behaviors Highlights possible partnership opportunities,
meaningful ways to engage
Silvercar
Silvercar
Brand Principles Defines your brand’s unique personality Determine 3-5 key brand attributes
Consider short-term and long-term Consider customer needs/wants first Brainstorm a long list, then prioritize
Principles need to be differentiated Explanation needs to be clear and meaningful Employees and agencies need to internalize Should be culture-defining
Silvercar
Visuals Visual Brand Identity
Photography or illustration (or both)? Define 3-5 visual attributes / style guidelines Use examples to demonstrate If subtleties need to be emphasized, consider
“Why this / Not that” comparisons Keep in mind that this is the most critical
component of your brand. Your website, app, digital ads, collateral, print, signage should all embrace this section of the guidelines
Details matter!
Silvercar
Silvercar
Brand Voice Copy and Tone
Define 3-5 mandatory copy attributes Create and include examples from:
Email marketing Print / OOH / Other advertising Social media / blogs
Consider including “off-limits” words/phrases Note any nuances Again, details matter!
The Rules What most Brand Guides are based around Logo / Usage / Spacing Colors
RGB / HEX / PMS Typography
Headings / Sub-text Brand Assets
Any objects / items which can be associated and used with your logo
Spotify
Plan of Action Collect data!
Conduct customer research Know your competitors Define customer demographics Engage leadership team and employees Collect examples of good/bad visual imagery Collect examples of good/bad copy
Refine company priorities (mission/vision) Brainstorm brand attributes Hire a graphic designer to make it a reality
Summary Defining your brand on paper matters! Brand Guidelines are a working document
Revisit 1-2x per year Tackling Brand Guidelines sheds light on other
elements of your company Use Brand Guidelines for training/marketing:
Employees Partners / Vendors Investors
Keep customer research as a priority to extend the life of your brand
Thank You! Questions / Comments?
Email me at [email protected] Call me at (512) 850-8021
The recording of today’s presentation, along with the PowerPoint slides, will be available on our Career Resources web page by early next week:
location: https://meeting.austin.utexas.edu/ktgwebinar/