Calvert Creative

From the time we wake up in the morning (Philips clock radio, Irish Spring soap, Gillette razor, Kellog’s Frosted Flakes), and throughout the day (Honda Accord, Apple computer, HP printer, BIC pen, AquaFina water, Motorola cell phone), even into the night (Sony TV, Tide laundry detergent, Tempurpedic mattress) we are bombarded with brand names. We also interact with the brands of other businesses, such as our bank, supermarket, customer service with our cellphone provider and credit cards. And in the past several months, we’ve been inundated with the brands of the presidential hopefuls John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.

Now, let me back up a second. When I say brand, I’m not just talking about the apple icon that I see on my Mac laptop or Tony the Tiger that adorns the cardboard box that holds my Frosted Flakes. I’m also not just referring to the sans serif type and setting sun icon that Obama uses in his “A Change We Can Believe In” posters and website. I want to be careful that I don’t throw that word around like it’s a “thing” that I just hold in my hands and then toss in the garbage after I’m finished with it.

Defining the Term

Brands are not created by designers with fancy software. A brand is not a logo. It is not a typeface. It is not a mascot. It is not advertising. It is not created on a computer. It’s also not something that is created in a couple of days or weeks.

What we’re talking about here is an experience; a mindset; a relationship.

A brand is not just a logo, it is a constructed array of feelings and memories and emotions that are evoked by interacting with a company, a product, or an individual. Yes, people can have brands. I mentioned in the first paragraph about the campaigns of McCain, Clinton, and Obama. Ask any of these three if having a well-branded campaign is crucial. Ask if it’s important to have a clear message, with everything from communication materials to campaign volunteers delivering the same consistent emotion and appeal as the candidate. I’m pretty sure I can accurately guess their response.

The Challenge

Believe me, this term brand is a very complex and potentially confusing topic. It seems like everyone has a different idea as to exactly what a brand entails, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re all wrong. I think it just supports the notion that a brand is an ongoing process, that it’s a living, organic message that can change and evolve each day and mean something different to everyone. It also means that it takes a lot of effort and support from a lot of people to make a brand successful and strong for many years. What happens to the Sprint brand when one of their customers has a bad experience with customer service? How is the Royal Caribbean Cruise brand affected after not appropriately handling customer complaints?

So it’s neither the designer that creates a flashy logo, nor the copywriter that constructs a catchy tagline that make a brand successful. Yes, these pieces are a crucial part, and they should be creative and memorable. But the real work comes into play when the logo starts being applied to all of the communication materials and delivered to thousands of new customers, and the secretary welcomes a new client at the door with a smile, and a returning customer is elated to find that the new product they just purchased is even better than the last version. It takes time. It takes a lot of dedication and patience. It takes a strategy that is flexible enough to respond to market changes and new audiences. And it takes people willing and passionate enough to make bring this into fruition.

This is as much a challenge to me as to those reading this post. These are the challenges I face and the things I must remind myself as our team works to create a new identity and marketing strategy for our company. These are just my own thoughts on how the term brand is defined.

What are yours?