The way we approach branding dictates just about everything front-facing about our businesses. With a strong brand, all the goals that go into growing and sustaining a business become all the more achievable. When we think about the way brands connect with users, there’s never been a more tricky time to approach how we define ourselves.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, brands either thrived or faltered on the strength of their brand. Consumers spend enough time online shopping nowadays to have a healthy skepticism towards businesses that just don’t cut it. In short: we know who’s faking it and who isn’t. Don’t fake it; instead, take time to explore these trends in building a better brand and find ways to adopt these ideas into strategic marketing plans for the future.
Highlight Authenticity One of the first things a customer knows about a brand is whether or not it’s authentic. When we talk about authenticity, it’s best to go with the definition a digital strategy agency would use.
Brand authenticity comes down to three things: Is the brand true to its message and mission? Is the brand motivated by the right things? Can the brand support customers in their search for authenticity?
It’s not easy to just throw a brand together without losing authenticity. That’s why a lot of these other tips feed into building this crucial element that we all look for when we explore places to shop goods and services. Keep this one in mind while we work our way through the rest.
Work to Build an Online Community
In 2020, we all found ourselves spending less face-to-face time with our friends and family. Many of us turned to online communities as a way to fulfil our needs for socializing, interacting, and belonging. Brands play a role in these online communities if they’re really resonating with their audiences. A simple interest in the same outdoor life brand or clothing company can bring people together.
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Likewise, a company that uses its brand to posture its products alongside issues and interests finds a much easier path to building their online community. We’re all consumers, and we like choosing to buy and support things we can get behind. It’s no wonder we love it when brands help connect us to people that feel the same way.
Audit Your Logo and Adjust Accordingly
We put a lot of a brand’s style and recognition into one simple visual: a logo. Whether a logo is simply an avatar on social media or all over a package, logos matter immensely. When we’re approaching brand trends from the perspective of an already established business, a logo audit is crucial to adjusting accordingly for better results.
When we think of good logos, we can list countless attributes and things we love to see. At the end of the day, it really comes down to logo versatility. A logo should work for numerous spaces and utilities. That means it needs to be simple, eye-catching, and functional across multiple places.
Think Sustainable
The word trend sometimes has a bad connotation. For example, sustainability in branding is often shrugged off as a “trend” that is here for the moment because it’s on our minds. Let’s be clear: sustainability is here to stay. Instead of debating if sustainable values fit into a brand, a better way to approach this crucial topic is finding ways your brand can become more sustainable.
Unlike some trends, sustainable production, packaging, and practices should be something we plan to use for the long haul. Time and time again, customers express their love for brands that think sustainably. It’s good for building authenticity, it resonates with customers, and best of all, it’s a trend that truly makes a difference in the world around us.
