RED Print - Brand 101

Brand 101 | Impact of Colour | Print Portfolio

Every company has a personality. An image that it portrays to it's clients and prospects. It is more than just a logo or an ad. Next to your employees, it is the single most important asset of any business. An effective brand communicates the difference between you and your competitor.

Brand is as much about the perception of your product as it is about the product itself. Successful branding involves a careful analysis of your competitors and target market. It also includes the identification of your core business value proposition.

Consistency is key to an effective brand. All of your product marketing and advertising should reflect a focused, consistent brand. The more consistent your message is, the quicker your prospects will "get " it.

From a design standpoint, this includes the selection of colours to be used in all print and web materials. Visit our Impact of Colour page for a description of the colours and the feelings they project. It also includes the font family and text treatments that best reflect your company's personality. The overall look and type of imagery used also needs to be consistent. Once your look is established, you need to carry this through in everything your company produces. This is called your corporate identity.

Ineffective Branding

Many small businesses create their own logos using clip art and a standard font. This may get you by in the short term, but will not help you grow your business to it's full potential. Customers appreciate professional impact.

It is important to remember that you have to sell your product to a population with short attention spans. It takes mere seconds for us to scan a promotional piece or website to see if there is anything of interest to us.

The team at RED have worked for some of the top marketing teams in Canada. We have had the privilege of learning what makes an effective brand. We appreciate clear, easy to understand communications that will have the greatest impact on the viewer.

Just starting out?

If you are starting a new business, this is the time to really pay attention to the image your company will project. If your competitors produce the same type of image using similar colours and treatments, consider thinking outside the box. Consider something different and unique. Something very carefully engineered to capture the attention of your prospects.

Bare in mind that a powerful brand is not only the way your company looks. It all goes back to the core strengths of your business. The quality, service or product that differentiates you from the rest. Your unique brand needs to enhance this in every way possible. Many companies create tag lines that promote that unique quality. Think of something catchy and telling of your services. RED can help evolve the look of your brand to complement this.

Need some Brand TLC?

RED can help you assess and strengthen your brand. If you already have a brand you are happy with, we can interpret this look and feel into whatever materials you need. We can create consistency in brand across all of your marketing materials.

You may also feel that your image is lacking something and you can't quite put your finger on it. We can fine tune your presence whether it be subtle tweaks to your logo or refinement of design.

Does every business need a website?

Many businesses underestimate the importance of having a website. You may think there isn't much point in having a web presence for your particular product or service. In today's marketplace, a website is critical for every business. It should be at the very core of your marketing strategy...and all of your communications should support it.

Websites don't exist just in case someone asks if you have one. They exist to sell your product. Most people do their product and service research online. They surf around to review what everyone has to offer before heading out to do the purchasing. The more people can do from the convenience and comfort of their own home, the better. The web is a valuable tool. There are, of course, individuals who don't use a computer, but that number of potential clients is declining. Your marketing strategy should include ways to reach people both online and offline.

Not all businesses can afford flashy high-end websites. That's just fine. You don't need a flashy expensive site. There are many effective and economical solutions. RED can work with you to create the website you need. We can create sites that you can update yourself. You don't need to know any programming languages or complicated design software. We can make it easy and economical for you. Visit our RED web pages for a list of web services.