Why brand continuity is everything
First impressions count, but showing up consistently in a unique and defined way is what makes you memorable. Let’s dive into the basics of what branding is, why it’s so important to have a clear style and some actionable steps to help you get there.
Understanding all the things that make up a brand.
A brand is so much more than just a logo or visual identity. It’s the values, personality and unique proposition that your business presents to the world, it’s the total experience that customers come to expect from you, influenced by visual, emotional and cultural cues.
What is brand continuity?
Brand continuity means that you are showing up consistently across all of your platforms and touchpoints. Think about all the ways that your customers can interact with you, from your website, to your social media, collateral, product packaging and your in-person experiences.
Continuity goes beyond just using the same colour and typeface; it involves a coherent strategy that ensures all messaging reinforces your brand’s core values and promises. Consistency in branding helps in building recognition and trust among consumers, which are critical components for long-term business success.
Did you know - a consumer needs to see your brand's logo, image, or ad around 5-7 times to really get it stuck in their memory. That’s why hammering in your brand’s look and feel is crucial.
Role of brand continuity in business success
Brand continuity is crucial for every business, and consistency in brand experiences reinforces your image and helps build customer loyalty. When all your touchpoints align, your brand will be more memorable, helping you to stand out in a crowded market.
Case in point: Starbucks. Whether you walk into a Starbucks in Sydney or San Francisco, the logo, interior decor, employee attire and even the menu design maintain a high level of consistency. This global consistency reinforces a reliable, predictable experience for customers, which in turn supports customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Starbucks brand guidelines execution examples sourced from Starbucks
Steps to maintain brand continuity
Develop a clear brand identity, then create brand guidelines to support this. Creating detailed guidelines that cover all aspects of your brand, including logo usage, brand colours, typefaces, tone of voice and the overall aesthetic will be a great resource for both your internal teams and an external agencies. This document should serve as the bible for how your brand is presented to the world.
Train your team. Ensure that everyone in the business understands your brand guidelines and their importance. This is obviously of highest importance for your Marketing, Comms and PR teams, but is also highly useful and important for other departments and roles - think about your Sales Team, Customer Service etc., they all all advocates and representatives of your brand, so it is imperative they also understand and support your efforts to drive brand consistency. Regular training sessions can help maintain focus and adherence to these guidelines. Copies of your guidelines should always be accessible for your team for easy reference.
Audit your brand regularly. Conduct regular reviews of your brand’s representation across all channels to ensure consistency. This includes your website, socials, collateral, signage, press releases, as well as any physical locations.
Leverage technology effectively: Use digital asset management tools to centralise and manage your branding materials. This ensures that everyone uses the most up-to-date and approved assets. Have a clear and easy to access set of logos in a range of formats - high res, low res, greyscale, reversed out etc. Also include any custom fonts for your team to download and install.
Embrace feedback and adapt: Be open to feedback from your customers and employees. If certain aspects of your brand are not resonating as expected, be prepared to make adjustments while still maintaining the core aspects of your brand identity.
Keeping your brand consistent is not just about maintaining a consistent appearance; it’s about building a trusted relationship with your customers and stakeholders. Ensuring that every aspect of your brand’s identity is aligned and consistent will increase recognition, awareness and ultimately assist in driving loyalty.
Remember, a strong brand is a consistently presented brand, and a consistently presented brand is often a successful one.
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