“Branding” can be an ambiguous term, there are different definitions for branding, all depending on who you ask.
We at Signs of Intelligence say that branding is the mental value behind your company name.
Why do we stress branding so heavily?
Increases value if the company and separates from the competition
Represents people’s perception of the company “What do they think about my company?”
Quality of product/service
Customer service
Advertising
Reputation
Logo
We’ve actually updated our logo to match our brand. Sleek, easy to distinguish, and appealing to the eyes.
It’s no secret that some of the best imaging and advertising we’re subjected to is simple, easy to read, and never overwhelming. The brand you stand behind is putting your best foot forward when it comes to winning over customers. Some aspects you control and others you simply cannot influence.
“In order for a new strategy to be successful, it must be effectively communicated. In today`s fast-paced world, communicating effectively with signs and graphics is one of the smartest and most effective ways to accomplish this.”-Jim Feeney
You also need to mirror the understanding of needs and wants your customer/client has. Help them distinguish:
Who am I and who do I represent?
Why does my business exist?
The evolution of the Signs of Intelligence logo has gradually changed as the complexity of the business has evolved.
“It’s been challenging to capture a single image that embodies our value proposition and the iconic definition of the company as we are growing”- Jim Feeney
But I do believe that the face of the company should become more defined as the iconic definition of the company becomes more advanced. So here’s a before and after of the brand, we started with to how it has evolved, as of today.
What we updated:
Sharper image
More defined image
Deeper color palette
And an
Encompassing band around the text to solidify and surround what our company stands behind.
” We produce the highest quality products, provide exceptional customer service and we are dedicated to providing the best possible customer experience when it comes to evaluating and producing a go to market strategy for all of your custom signs & graphics.” -Jim Feeney
Now onto a re-branding success story
As I’m currently sipping on my La Croix- Key Lime sparking water..
I’m going to reference La Croix, mainly because of the sheer success of their rebranding, and the dramatic effect it placed on the longevity of their business models’ success.
I’m going to touch on a little bit of La Croix history, and then an analysis of their rise in popularity
La Croix (National Beverage Corp.) was initially branded as an “Anti-Perrier” brand. They wanted to create another line of sparkling water without having the “snobbish” persona as Perrier.
They wanted to hold the title of producing the “all occasion” beverage. While also playing into the “innocence” of the brand- as it’s a healthier beverage option stating it has 0 calories, 0 sweeteners, and 0 mg’s of sodium
The brand was fairly well known across the US, but not to the degree that it is now. And it took a lot of trust within their customer base and since 2002, the brand has taken off.
As their history goes, the marketing team needed to rebrand their imaging for sparkling water. After various trials and tribulations; the team had no choice but to go with the design that had the general consensus of being least favored by management. Now that’s pretty backwards, why would they choose that?
Simple.
They listened to what their consumers had to say, and valued their opinion over what the company executives had to say.
La Croix had to go against with what they knew, with following the trend of other water brands. Instead, go with a more bold and colorful approach, which was more visually appealing and interesting.
And in return with the chance the company took on completely ‘going against the grain’ and choosing a design top management perceived to fail. Zimmerman, who was in charge with the re-imaging, had a hunch that the research might go this way. “The strong color-blocking was impossible to miss on the shelf,” he says. “We weren’t surprised that it was consumers’ preferred option, but we were surprised by how overwhelmingly it was preferred. It was a landslide.”
The company’s sales have been rapidly growing since 2013 and show no signs of slowing down.
Now the other half of their branding plays into their original campaign of being a beverage for all occasions, creating that personal effect.
What National Beverage honed down on to solidify the personality of the brand was to embed themselves on social media. It didn’t just limit the campaign to posting on the different La Croix platforms. But the content curators for those accounts invested equal (if not more) time, engaging and interacting with their online community.
And that investment sure did pay off, in 2015 they officially launched their social media campaign, specifically targeting millennials. Now they are officially the number 1 selling sparkling water brand domestically in the United States.
Check out their Instagram and current campaigns! @lacroixwater
There is power behind your brand. What does yours say about you?
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Signs of Intelligence
