- Walter Landor,
one of America's most successful identity designers, said,
"Products are created in the factory,
brands are created in the mind."
But, I can't invade someone's mind.
So what can I, as a designer do?
The brand that is created in the consumer's mind
is the result of multiple components.
We typically think of the visual aspect,
but that is only a slice of a much larger pie.
Every point of contact a consumer has with a company
reinforces the brand perception.
In the visual world,
this is the message of the communications,
including the logo, the website, environment,
and printed matter.
These are important parts.
The logo, for example, is the entry point to the brand.
It is the first point of contact.
But what happens
if I have a well-considered and successful logo
and an exciting web presence,
but the product can damage the environment?
All the visual success is dashed by bad plastic
and the organization's reputation is damaged.
These are the touch points or places
where the consumer comes into contact with the brand.
The visuals, this includes the logo, identity system,
print materials, website, social media,
motion for broadcast, and environmental space, and signage.
Are they clear and professional
or convoluted and in disarray?
Let's go through these.
Customer service.
Does the customer receive courteous and efficient service?
If so,
they will have a good emotional connection with a brand.
They become a brand ambassador
and tell others how great it is.
But if they are treated rudely or made to feel unimportant,
the customer will have a negative perception of the brand.
Now they're a brand enemy and they'll tell others.
The product.
Is the product useful and made with quality?
Or is it a badly manufactured knockoff
that will easily break?
Unfortunately,
a good logo can never make a bad product good.
The company's actions.
Is the company engaged in sustainable practices
or are they burning rainforests?
In today's market, the consumer is especially aware
of the ethical conduct of a company.
Employees.
Are the employees treated fairly
and compensated appropriately,
or is the product created with sweatshop labor?
This doesn't dictate that every company
should be paying the highest salary possible,
but people are aware of companies
with discriminatory practices or bad working conditions.
And finally, expectations.
Does the product or experience meet
or surpass what I expected?
Did that hamburger taste as good
as it looked on the commercial
or was it bland and overcooked?
Clearly, there are a lot of variables at work here.
The most successful companies are those
that maintain strict quality control
and brand management in each of these.
It's a big job and there's a reason why it's critical.