5 years ago
Is Brand Implementation Overlooked?
Marcel van den Boogaard
Some brands leave nothing to chance, including how they manage their brand's assets. Brand Implementation can often be considered too late or, dare I say, in some cases as an afterthought.
Brand Implementation is a commonly used phrase that most people are aware of, but what does it actually mean? In simple terms, it’s the application of a brand across visual media. It forms a key part to any successful branding campaign, a continual process through the marketing and branding lifecycle. It doesn’t relate to the creation of a brand identity, but how it's applied to current and ongoing work/campaigns accurately and consistently.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that managing brand assets such as logos, images, fonts, colour palettes or documents would be high on a brand's agenda. I’m not saying its omission is a conscious or deliberate decision – far from it – however, all too often implementation is lost in the world of assumption and can be overlooked.
Most business will spend thousands of pounds on branding (research, conceptualisation and design to create a new identity) but forget about the implementation strategy and roll-out. Designers will consider a whole range of guidelines, templates, grids and rules to make your brand effective across all media; they’re passionate about consistency and their work not being diluted further down the line. If you’re a brand manager you’ll share this pain, it’s hard when we’re passionate about something and others don’t share that passion. Don’t fall into the trap of believing everyone will understand the importance of brand management. Make it your mission to champion the cause and find the right, cost-effective brand management tool or platform for your organisation.
There are countless brand considerations, but there also many common questions: Where is your brand represented offline? Office locations, retail outlets, vehicles, advertising, signage… Where is your brand represented online? Websites, apps, directories, web banners, email footers… What other materials do you have? Images, videos, icons… Who needs access to the brand materials? Staff, volunteers, agencies, suppliers, general public… Do you have all the relevant specs in place? Materials, logos, colours, sizes… How are you going to control the cost?
Designed to simplify life for their users, BrandiQ can save time and cost while also empowering users by giving them the right access to brand assets and resources. Ordering becomes straightforward. Finding documents, images, videos and content now takes no more than a click. Generating on-brand resources makes you feel like you’re the designer, without having to worry if the correct version, template or logo is being used. Brand asset management platforms take care of it for you, leaving you to concentrate on connecting with your audience. BrandiQ could be an important part of your brand armoury.
