Branding goes far beyond a catchy logo or a trendy color palette—it’s the lifeblood of your company. As a seasoned Brand and Communications Strategist and CEO of Points North Studio, I’ve seen firsthand how integral a vibrant brand identity is to an organization’s success. Let me take you on a journey into the world of branding as I see it—full of potential at every creative seam.
My Foundational Belief About Branding
Consider this foundational belief: your brand is the first impression; it’s how the world sees you even before they engage with your product or service. It isn’t simply an accessory to business—it’s a cornerstone. If your brand doesn’t resonate, it could mean missing out on key opportunities like funding, sales, or that critical client relationship.
Crafting an impactful brand begins with strategy, not design. That’s our approach at Points North. We prioritize understanding the client’s narrative—who they are and what they represent. Through creative brainstorming sessions, stakeholder interviews, and user personas, we dissect and reconstruct a brand’s story, ensuring it connects with the audience on a human level.
Pretend Your Brand is a Character
Brands, to me, are like characters. Just as you’d describe someone captivating you’d meet by chance, I challenge clients to personify their brand: its look, its talk, its personality. It’s this personality that entices people to want to know more—and the same goes for a brand.
Building this narrative isn’t about heavy repetition or bland communication; it’s about crafting a multifaceted persona that truly engages and interests your audience. Through meticulous research and empathy, we shape the verbal and visual elements of a brand to mirror its identity authentically.
Once established, maintaining a clear and consistent brand voice across platforms is imperative. At Points North, our strategy involves comprehensive brand usage guides and a rich database of pre-approved creative assets. These resources safeguard the brand’s integrity, ensuring it’s recognized and respected universally.
The Rapidly Evolving Digital Landscape
But what about the rapidly evolving digital landscape? The challenge here is to innovate without compromising who you are at your core. Our advice: gauge whether each new platform aligns with your company’s mission and vision before leaping. And when you do decide to embrace new channels, do it with a content strategy that’s as consistent as it is platform-specific.
The Biggest Takeaway
Your brand’s foundation—its values, mission, and vision—must weather the tides of time.
This does not mean stagnation but rather a steadfast commitment to what makes your brand uniquely yours. Cultivating a strong identity allows your brand to adapt and evolve, keeping it relevant and top-of-mind in a shifting marketplace.
In essence, invest time in crafting your brand narrative. It’s not a mere accessory to your business. It forms the collective memory of your stakeholders and charts your path forward. A dynamic, thoughtful branding strategy is not just about surviving the marketplace today. It’s about thriving in the markets of tomorrow.
Jess Watson is the CEO & Creative Director of Points North Studio. She's the co-organizer of Baltimore Womxn in Tech, a big believer in Baltimore city, and a pioneer of working remotely while traveling the globe.
