bingbing136

Okay, the picture above (which is pinned to the notice board in our studio) is only meant to be a bit of fun, but I thought it might be useful to put down my top five "branding don'ts" to help those who are about to embark on a (re)branding journey. Although this may sound like a negative point from which to start, it is actually my intention to outline a number of key things to bear in mind whilst undertaking such an exercise. These should prove most beneficial in the long run.  1. Don’t think of a brand as just a logo Your brand encompasses everything from the way you answer the phone, to the quality of your offering, the tone of your communications, through to your customer’s perception of you in the marketplace. It’s a big thing. It’s all about personality. Get it right and everyone wants to be your friend – think Apple! 2. Don’t get bullied by ‘branding consultants’ On too many occasions I’ve met clients who have been left feeling battered and bruised by ‘experts’ ...

It is perhaps tempting to think of paper (or stock) as an ‘old fashioned’ product, slowly being replaced by digital technology. I accept that the Kindle has affected the book publishing market, that the iPad is changing the way we engage with newspapers and that the growth of the web has impacted on the use of paper in general, but to dismiss paper as irrelevant or out-moded would be very wrong. Paper and card is a remarkable commodity. It may be coloured, coated, printed, marked (and the mark erased). It can be laminated with fabric, plastic and metal. It can be opaque, translucent or transparent. It may be made tough enough to withstand acid, or soft enough for a baby’s skin, it can be put into a freezer or treated to withstand fire.  Importantly it can be re-used and recycled and it is made from a renewable and sustainable source. Coated and Uncoated paper… All paper falls into one of these two broad categories. Choosing which one to use is dictated by the unique requirements of...

Having worked in the creative sector for nearly twenty years, I’m pretty good at seeing a colour and being able to give it its corresponding Pantone reference number. I’m sure many people will think that this is a bit sad, but colour is one of the most powerful tools that a designer can draw upon and understanding how colour affects us is key in communicating messages effectively. There are many essays and academic papers on the subject of colour theory. It isn’t my intention to simply regurgitate this material. My aim in this article  is to explain how colour affects us at a basic human level and examine the ’expressive’ qualities and ‘cultural associations’ that we all have with the colour spectrum. Colour touches us all of us at a basic, even primal level. To give you an example: In nature we all know that Red is a warning colour. Red berries, Red-capped mushrooms, - they’re poisonous right? We also know that Yellow in certain situations means danger – think wasps, bees and...

What is a brand? Why is it important? What is a branding strategy? There is a great deal being talked about 'the importance of branding' in marketing and design posts at present - much of which I find misleading and unhelpful. In this post I hope to put into plain words the case for developing a brand strategy, and some pointers on how to make a start. Firstly, though it is worth dispelling the myth that a 'brand' is a 'logo', it isn't... Your brand is the entire experience your customers (and potential customers) have with your company. It’s what you stand for, the personality that you convey and the proposition you set. In short it is: The style/tone of language and images you use The type of messages you give on all your sales material (including the website) The way in which you (and your employees) interact with your customers Your customer’s opinion of you (against that of your competition) Branding is important because: It differentiates you - helps y...