Since Jazzbones was founded in 2005 we have worked with companies big and small on their branding. Branding defines how your customers, suppliers, staff, etc. view you. Positive branding can make a huge difference to your business.
A Jazzbones branding package typically comes into play at one of two key moments.
1. When a company launches and needs to form a brand identity from scratch
or
2. When a company decides that its brand identity needs a wholesale refresh, in other words, rebranding.
We have worked with businesses as diverse as local start-ups and established multinationals. The motivation, however, is always the same: ‘how do we stand out from the competition?’.
The Jazzbones branding process begins with really getting to know your company, what are your products and services and what are your USPs.
Ideally, this involves not just research into the company, its current brand identity, its target audience, its sector and its competition, but talking to your workforce about how they see the company and what it stands for – asking questions like where are we now? where do we want to go? And how do we want people to perceive us?
Then comes the branding exercise – looking at how the company presents itself in all its day-to-day business, both visually and in its messaging.
The first element our graphic designers work on is the all-important logo. A good logo must be simple, original, memorable, timeless and reflect the company’s values. Its shapes, colours, fonts and images should be strikingly different from other logos in the company’s sector. It should also work across all channels, traditional and digital.
At the same time we are working on the logo we will be working on the messaging; essentially, the words to complement the visuals.
This starts with a short mission statement – who we are, what we do and why we do what we do. This should excite both your clients and your own workforce.
From there we create a tagline. The purpose of a tagline is to create a memorable phrase that sticks (think of Nike and ‘Just do it’). This helps customers identify your brand and your message. Depending on its length, the tagline may be incorporated into the logo. Using Nike as the example again, sometimes they use just the swoop with the tagline.
At the same time as our designers are working on the logo they will begin thinking about the company’s overall colour palette. When used correctly, colour palettes form your brand’s visual foundation, help maintain consistency, and make your visual identity pleasing to the eye.
The other key element to the visual element is the typography, or collection of fonts used. The fonts for say, online headers may be different from the fonts for a print catalogue. Each typeface, such as script, serif, sans serif, etc. can convey a different feeling, just as colour conveys emotion. Therefore, it’s important to put some serious thought into your typography choices.
Once the branding process is completed – typically, after multiple stages of creation and feedback - and you are happy with your new look and feel we will provide you with a Brand Guidelines book with comprehensive specifications related to your brand, messaging, logo, typography, colour palette, and rules on how and when to use these assets.
The Brand Guidelines will be your branding bible; applicable across websites, social media, print comms, internal comms, advertising, POS, etc. and will ensure that your branding is consistent across all channels.
If you would like to know more or if you would like to have a FREE brand review, then speak to one of our brand consultants today. Call our friendly team on 01793 847300 or email nathan @ jazzbones.co.uk