‘Nothing.’ A pronoun denoting an absence of a something or a particular thing that one could normally expect or desire to be present. Numerically represented by the digit 0 (zero), ‘nothing’ is a philosophical term that explains non-existence. Cipher. Naught. Nada. Scratch. Zilch. And that’s exactly what we discovered upon reviewing our website analytics over 1 year ago. Not one visit. Not one single click. Not one anything. Nothing.
A distinct absence of a particular thing which we, like all online businesses most certainly desire, web traffic.
At first, we thought, “the system’s broke… the Internet itself is probably down… the guys at Google must have moved us off page 1… the server’s no good and the host is shifty.” A myriad of illegitimate claims failing to cover up the one key truth — after years spent in devotion to other people’s brands, we had neglected our own.
Since its launch in the late 1990’s, the company website has remained untouched, ageing rapidly in comparison to the Internet evolving around it. With an aesthetic more likely to feature in the World’s Ugliest Dog Show than grace Victoria’s (not so) Secret Runway and a site navigation as useful as Stevie Wonder riding shot gun, the web page represented all that was bad about early age web design.
Our brand failed to communicate its unique personality. In this moment, the walls came crashing down and the resulting wave of realisation revealed that our online brand was stuck in time. An anecdotal reference to a byegone era. A blemish on a company predicated on its attention to detail. For a long while, we languished in this trough, placing our company re-brand in the proverbial ‘too hard basket’.
But this was all about to change.
In a recent meeting, informally featuring several mahogany hued, single malts, it was acceded unanimously that the company brand required urgent attention. With clarity paradoxically realised at the bottom of what was admittedly, an over-engineered bottle of scotch, plans for a comprehensive cosmetic upgrade were set into motion. Failing to obfuscate his obvious intoxication, a contributor boisterously announced that this new corporate identity was ‘gonna be the brand of all brands’, a proclamation met with a rousing reception. At the night’s crescendo, excitement was almost palpable and the ensuing bout of hyperbole un-surruptitiously championed our brand as a world beater.
A rose amongst thorns.
Prestigious yet understated.
Sophisticated with youthful exuberance.
Evoking faith amongst agnostics, memories of lost love and the fire of one thousand Santorini sunsets.
The envy of Disney and Coca Cola, media tycoons will swoon and conglomerates wobble at the knee.
A unicorn in the mist.
The magnum Magnum Opus of all brands.
Nothing could bring us down… at least, until sobriety the following morning.
If any thing useful was garnered from the previous night, it was the conclusion that branding is a delicate dance routine far too complicated for individuals under the influence of delusion. It requires the navigation of juxtaposing opinions, raw emotion, pragmatism and expertise. An effective brand requires intimate understanding of business practices, the environment in which it operates, its peoples and values. Its history, present and future.
At our marketing agency, we strive to deliver messages with a distinguishable, emotional and personal brand. Our days are filled with ambition, acquiring and developing the brands of talented individuals from around the world. With our experience and expertise, we are uniquely placed to deliver what most would consider undeliverable — effective and proven influencer marketing and business development, facilitating sustained sales with distribution in over 90 countries. However, revitalising a long-established brand identity is complicated, a daunting task (made easier by a bottle of whiskey) requiring immediate and extensive redistribution of resources. Especially when that brand is your own.
In all, the issues associated with constructing a unique, valuable and distinguishable brand in todays saturated online climate are greater than design alone. And thats why we’ve decided to tackle the process head on,
re-constructing our brand in full-view of the infinite cyberspace. Not merely alcohol fueled bravado, the coming segments will lay out our process for establishing a unique brand identity for 2019 and beyond.
- 1 — Designing a Brand Strategy
- 2 — Styling a Brand
- 3 — Logo Design
- 4 — Website Construction Page
- 5 — Brand in Use
- 6 — Social Media
Whether you are an aspiring or renowned influencer, salesperson, network marketer, online retailer, service provider, serial entrepreneur, business owner or marketing tragic — branding yourself or your company is crucial.
“Start from wherever you are and with whatever you’ve got” — Jim Rohn
