Written by Alex Valderrama, Founder and Principal of Cranium Agency
In the past, traditional branding and marketing took on a role in one shape or another to include messaging and printed material. As branding experts, we are tasked and challenged with providing our clients with best brand practice advice. Technology in the form of information, and how we communicate and deliver information, has caused us to look at our strategies whether it be branding, marketing or business in a whole new light. As innovation in the digital world is getting smaller and faster, we are inherently forced to adapt and create real brand experiences within smaller spaces.
Other aspects of the current branding and digital environment are the current culture of immediate and instant gratification. Our clients want to see progress and ROI almost instantaneously. It is is not much different than it was ten years ago, except for the fact that we have the luxury of measuring ROI and data faster than ever before, therefore allowing us to make strategic corrections much more quickly. The topic I want to discuss is not so much about the technological data intelligence, but how our message and brand will succumb to the current digital world in our lives.
First, the most basic strategic channel to communicate is your website. How it looks, how it responds to the user, how much content there is and overall how much it reflects your brand, tone and character are all important points to consider.
Second, as social media provides us with avenues to communicate with our current customers and potential new ones, we also have limitations on visual branding and the potential to create a wrong impression of your brand messaging. Even as Facebook has emerged as the leader in social networking, and LinkedIn offers other benefits, you would be wise to look at each one with the realization of whether they are right for your company or not. There are alternative social media networks that offer different benefits such as Twitter, Pinterest, Bumperslide, etc. Important issues to consider are whether your company has the resources and the expertise to launch and maintain them. Whether they provide the correct channels, you need to reach your intended audience?
Third, on the topic of resources, companies have done well to embrace the new digital world in the form of native and web applications, designed to implement new strategies and to help develop new business funnels, engage current clients and provide layered information depending on the sales cycle. The financial, internal and external resources needed take some planning and organization but are well worth it if done properly.
And lastly, how does your brand translate in these digital mediums? The limited amount of physical space, colors, logo, brand messaging can sometimes be challenging, not to mention the variables in web browsers, mobile screen sizes and limitations to technology with each of these.
If a great brand is to survive the impact of digital technology, it can be accomplished with sound advice, great talent, and a strong brand strategy.
