Branding Archives - FableSquare

5 Tips for Building a Strong Brand

by Sindhu Prabhu | Jan 2, 2020 | Branding

What is Branding?

Think about some brands you know and love: Apple, Nike, Starbucks. Why do these brands stand out to you?

Did they have a magic tool? No. Did they just wave a wand and enchant you? Probably not.

The reason behind their popularity is the creativity and originality, and the ingenuity to bring that out. Apart from delivering quality service, they went the extra mile to create an identity for themselves.

Now, let’s take a closer look at branding and what you can do for your brand.

Define your archetype

Carl Jung conceptualised archetypes as the recognisable patterns, images and symbols derived from the collective unconscious. For example, Mercedes-Benz, the expensive luxurious high-end vehicle falls under the category of ‘The Ruler’ from the archetypes. Defining your brand using these archetypes helps your audience to connect with and remember your brand effortlessly.

Have a professional / creative logo

Once you have your brand archetype defined, you need to have an appropriate logo. Your logo is your identity, so it must be well-thought and professionally designed. It must invoke the emotion of your brand archetype to have maximum impact.

Shine a light on the unique benefits

Your products/services and their benefits are unique to your brand in at least one way. Identifying what is special about your brand and focusing on the value it brings to the customer makes your brand stand out.

Example: ‘Your friend with a car’ by Lyft where they said their drivers would be fun and the journey would be exciting. ‘Reliance Jio’, focused on providing good service at a price that none of its competitors had even thought about. This approach of positioning themselves made them different from their competitors.

Show positivity in your communication

What is special about some successful brands you know? Positivity.

The audience prefers it when the brands make them feel good rather than putting them down. Dove’s #SpeakBeautiful campaign fits very well as an example. Social media, more often than not, makes you feel negative about your looks. Dove partnered with Twitter and built a new tool to measure the impact of words. The tool gave an insight into what one’s words collectively mean, inspiring them to speak positively.

Be innovative and stay approachable

Make your brand a blend of innovation and customer-centric. People prefer talking to humans over bots. Be there for your customers as you grow as a brand.

We believe these business branding ideas will help you strengthen your brand-building process. If you would like to understand the process of branding in-depth, visit us.

Five Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Good Logo

by Mangal Karnad | Aug 10, 2018 | Branding

They say it takes only a couple of seconds to form a first impression. Be it a casual meet up, interviews, pitching to Leads or meeting customers, first impressions matter! It can break or seal the deal. A company’s logo is like a first impression. It’s more than just a graphical representation, and it does have the ability to create a positive experience and a lasting impression. Here are a couple of reasons explaining why a good logo is essential to your business.

Represent the Business

A well-designed logo represents who you are and can form a brand perception. Colours, fonts and designs used in a logo play a vital role when it comes to influencing the consumers’ thoughts. A simple and uncluttered logo is easy to perceive and remember. While creating a logo, ensure the designer understands the essence of your brand and it is highly recommended to design it in the vector format. This is essential to maintain the resolution (clarity) of the logo whenever the logo is scaled.

Build Customer Loyalty

We often hear people say, “I need a xerox”, and without a second thought, we know they are actually referring to a photocopy. Such is the impact of brand familiarity – in this case, the brand name itself has become a commodity. As consumers, our inclination towards buying services/products from a familiar brand is more when compared to a new brand. A logo is the face of your brand. The way the logo portrays your business can help the brand get etched in the customer’s mind. The consumers’ familiarity with the brand can help your business go a long way.

Establish Brand Identity

Consumers build a sense of trust when they are satisfied with the products/services. Consistency in the quality makes the brand more dependable. A logo is an element that expresses your brand identity. Hence it is imperative to craft a logo that’s here to stay. Keeping this is in mind, it may not be an ideal practice to change logos frequently just to incorporate what’s currently popular/in style – since this can communicate inconsistency in the brand and evoke confusion among the consumers.

Facilitate Branding

Most consumers can identify a well-known brand by just glancing at the logo. For example, the yellow letter ‘M’ on a red background reminds most of us of a McDonald’s restaurant. It is also interesting to note the clever combination of colours used in the logo. Psychologists say the colour red can stimulate attraction and appetite, and yellow can trigger happiness. In short, a logo connects people with your brand.

Differentiate your business

The footwear market today is flooding with different brands of shoes. Amidst this, the ‘swoosh’ (check mark shape) logo grabs our attention, and we immediately recognise the brand, Nike. A simple logo that is fluid and indicates motion and speed – perfectly fits into the athletic shoe category! It is also said to portray the wing of the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike. The clarity and simplicity in the logo help a business stand out in the competition.

Do I really need a Website? – Part 1

by Dhanya J | May 1, 2018 | Branding, Content Marketing, Design, Marketing

website

/wɛbsʌɪt/

noun

a set of related web pages located under a single domain name.

A question which haunts any small businesses is “Do I really need a website?”.

In simple words possible, Yes! You do!

The reason is also extremely simple. In one word, No, two words to be precise.

Digital Footprint

It may sound preposterous. It really isn’t. The whole idea of anything ranging from posting a personal photograph to updating your current location on social media is all about Digital footprint.

Having a website helps a business greatly.

Visibility

It is a beacon where customers can queue in front of your door. It not only provides you with visibility but also sales and a way for you to advertise your expertise. A clean, beautiful website with necessary content surely puts you ahead in the game.

Credibility

Small businesses face problems with credibility. A customer is always aware of this fact and before placing for service or product, he/she will have a look at your website. And what would they think if you had no/mediocre website? You guessed it right. They walk right past you. This has a huge impact on sales.

Engagement and Retention

Customers are always on the lookout for engaging content. Blogs are a way to achieve that. Websites with blogs are always appreciated. Blogging is also a way of increasing traffic to your website and it is one of the most sought-after marketing tools.

According to Hubspot, 53% of marketers use blogging as a top inbound marketing priority. Another statistic to blow your mind away, according to Hostingfacts, There are now 3.74 billion Internet users in the world as of March 2017.

So, in short, your business is available to this huge number. With proper plans and marketing strategy, you can tap into the plethora of prospects.

Why

The question now really is “Why don’t I own a website?”. Think about it, in this time and age, where there is tons of competition, getting ahead is what counts. Smaller things in a business which were not a priority, makes a huge difference now. Companies are finding out ways to entice customers. Websites are one way to create a buzz and remember “First Impression is Key”.

Creating Lasting Impressions

by Mangal Karnad | Nov 29, 2017 | Branding, Personal Branding

Lasting Impressions:

Have you heard of the Von Restorff effect?
The Von Restorff effect also called the ‘isolation effect’, states that an item that “stands out like a sore thumb” is more likely to be remembered than others. In other words, we remember people, places and things that are outstandingly different.

Named after Hedwig von Restorff, a bias in favour of remembering the unusual.

For instance, the most famous structure in Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa, known worldwide for its unintended tilt to one side. An inadequate foundation on the ground which was too soft on one side to support the weight of the structure caused the tilt. Just imagine, it’s remembered because it’s built badly!

Imagine shopping in your neighborhood superstore, 2000 brands are trying to get your attention, so how will you buy the 20 that you need, and not end up with a lot more? To be easily remembered, or to stay on top of one’s mind, a lasting impression helps. With products it is called branding; the same rule applies to people as well. People, like brands, need to be distinct, and that is where ‘Personal Branding’ comes into play.

Successful brands stand for something, Tally for accounts, XEROX for photocopying and Bisleri for mineral water. Likewise, for people to be considered a brand, it is essential to have a point of view, some people will be against you, but there will be someone supporting your point of view. The adage “Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything” says it well.

Let’s talk about leaders; we can never imagine Mahatma Gandhi in a suit, Usha Uthap without her gorgeous silk sarees and large bindi or Dr. Kiran Bedi with long hair!
Each one of them communicates a message or a principle. Gandhi stood for ‘non-violence.’ Read more about Gandhi here: Gandhi – The Master PR Practitioner.
Popular Indian director Farhan Akhtar described Usha Uthup as ‘A Rockstar in a sari’, she stands out as a pop and Indipop singer with her unique traditionally draped sari, fresh flowers in her hair & a bold, big bindi. She is an ambassador for traditional Indian values.
Dr. Kiran Bedi for her no-nonsense attitude and for bringing in a positive relationship between police and people.

Brands get built over long periods of time; it takes conscious and consistent effort. To begin with, one can focus on identifying which aspects of

His or her traits to showcase, and then go about being uniquely showcased.
A couple of aspects to keep in mind to be established as a brand:
Be Knowledgeable – Be a Subject Matter Expert
Have a Personality – Be well dressed and carry yourself with panache
Seek Publicity – Speak in industry forums, write about the subject and become a guide to your industry.

Building a brand “YOU” takes perseverance!

Design is more than just a Software Tool

by Mayur Bhat | Sep 13, 2017 | Design, Branding, Marketing

There are three responses to a piece of design – Yes, No, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for. – Milton Glaser

To instil the WOW in your audience, you need a great combination of concept, content and design. Easier said than done, right?
This blog addresses how to get the WOW emotion from your audience through design.

Does a software tool have anything to do with creating an extraordinary design?

Most of us are familiar with the “I heart New York” logo, Milton Glaser came up with that in the back of a taxi on his way to a meeting in the year 1977.

Hardware tools used: Pen and Paper
Software tool used: None.

This logo earns the New York state close to $30 million each year.
Did he use any exquisite software tool? No.

It is a common misconception among many that, to design, you need to have a good software in place. This was not the case a couple of decade’s back when designs were manually done with pen, paper and sketch boards.

To design is to envision, it is to see something that doesn’t yet exist.
To design is to give your ideas and thoughts, physical form.

If you’re new to designing and you feel that not knowing a particular software is holding you back from what you want to achieve, this article is for you. It is also for designers who feel they can’t reach their pinnacle because of lack of knowledge of a particular software.

“I am a great believer in the primacy of drawing as a means of engaging the world & understanding what you’re looking at.” – Milton Glaser

The design you make is a medium through which you communicate your ideas. Designing with a pen and an artboard has its own perks. To design it with a pen is to give it physical form. Work done manually always lasts longer in your memory.

Listed below are the general requirements for designing:

Ideas

Ideas are the mysterious spur in our minds about a particular subject. Each one has his own ideas and that is why we are so unique. Having an idea is the first step towards good design. Ideas are the fundamental blocks of design.

Strategy

Strategize how you want to achieve your design, a design is a combination of ideas. Haphazard execution of ideas would lead to a mess.

Vision

Designing is like walking in a dark tunnel until you find the light at the end of that tunnel. Then you go back and get other people to also see that light.

Roughly picturize how you want your final design to look. When you start you have no idea what your final design will look like, but you must have rough a picture in your head. To envision is to create a path to that light source at the end of the tunnel.

Memorability

To create a good design is to make it rememberable and distinct. Simpler is better. The first impression should be a lasting impression.

Intricacy

The details of your design are very important. The smallest details have the largest impact on the big picture. Scrutinise to the minutest detail.

Patience

Patience is a requirement for all designers. Some days are tough, where your ideas seem abysmal. Take a walk, free your mind by engaging with people.Talking helps in exchange of ideas, also giving rise to fresh ones.

Designing software’s are means by which you create your design. It is the workplace for your design and is a means to an end.

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