Branding is and always has been the key to success; isn’t just about the visual representation of the brand but about how it conveys the brands messaging, voice & values. It consists of a factor of things but mainly focuses on, consistency, differentiation, authenticity, emotional appeal, clarity, flexibility, memorability, and customer focus. When these are all well combined, it helps drive a strong and compelling brand platform that connects with consumers, whilst standing apart from competitors and overall propels the business forward for long-term success.
Let’s take look at some examples!
In this ad example, Heinz have used both their trademark typeface and relatable imagery in harmony to underpin their campaign creative. Heinz are successful at maintaining a strong brand identity as they are always consistent with their branding and applying their brand to different use cases, constantly reinforcing the brand essence with its consumers. The messaging here is simple, it uses Heinz’s heritage and legacy as a foundation to continue building the perception of a trustworthy and reliable brand. With such a strong brand essence their messaging is strong, clean, and simple. It’s all about building the brand so that consumers can piece together the rest without too much instruction or guidance. So, just a small drop of Ketchup and some humbling creative, can really go a long way in supporting the Heinz campaign.
Coca-Cola have mastered the art of consumer connection, with their brand loyalty and consistency playing a big part. Their creatives links to touch, smell, and sound as a discreet way of marketing their product. Coca-Cola is so iconic that, as shown in this example, the visual graphics almost generate the sound of the fizz when the bottle is being opened. No other messaging is needed, as introducing the additional sense of sound takes the consumers just that one step closer to tasting the drink.
Whilst we’re on the subject of fizz; as a partnership with Burger King, Pepsi created an ad which showed their logo being found in the creases of the Burger King take away bag. This is a consistent reinforcement of their logo which consumers now pair the two together in a ‘once you see it you can’t unsee it’ kind of approach, forever reinforcing the two brands together.
McDonald’s, similarly, use their logo in fragments to hint and guide consumers to their eateries. With their brand recall extremely strong anyway there is no need for further explanation in this ad, it is simply telling the consumers where to find them.
Guinness have always created innovate advertisements where they never really advertised, the beer just did all the talking. It was agreed by the Guinness family in 1929, that they would only create adverts if they were at the same quality as the quality of their beer. Over the years Guinness has evolved and grown as a brand but has stayed consistent with their brand story and voice, keeping the focus on the quality of their beer. They use their iconic glass pint shape in their ads, again reinforcing their product whilst creating a variety of connotations and associations with different occasions; communicating that their pint is the perfect pairing for every activity and moment in life; so, no matter what consumers are doing, a pint of Guinness is perfectly suitable for every occasion.
Strong brand identity, simply put, is knowing exactly who your brand is and consistently reinforcing and delivering messaging through a well-executed brand and marketing strategy; adding consumer value, creating sentiment and a brand story that resonates with the consumer, ultimately creating a foundation for brands of any scale, to build on. It’s all well and good looking through these extremely well-known and established brands, but to execute ad campaigns like these you first must have a well-oiled machine of a brand. There are so many elements to a brand, i.e., visuals, messaging, and voice that when combined they provide a solid foundation for the brand to grow. If this is something you think your brand needs or can improve on, our studio team are here to assist you! Just send an email over to studio@hatch.group and we can arrange a call or coffee to discuss this with you.
