Authenticity Trumps
Branding and Brand Development
Communicate who you are—clearly, authentically, and effectively.
Table of Contents
Your brand is your image in the public eye. So everyone has a brand, if they are aware of it or not.
However, if you succeed in clearly defining and communicating your brand, all your activities—from your website to social media and personnel marketing—will become noticeably more effective, sustainable, and targeted.
We support companies, associations, and individuals in developing their brand and positioning it consistently and intelligently across all relevant channels.
What is a Brand?
A brand is much more than just a logo or a product. It represents the overall image of an organization or product in the minds of the public. A brand encompasses the values, personality, identity, and promises that an organization, company, authority, or individual holds in the public eye.
The brand “Deutsche Bahn” evokes associations for every German—both positive and negative.
Unverzichtbar
The Benefits of a Strong Brand
Three reasons why you should not ignore the development of a strong brand…
Benefit 1
Recognition and Trust
Trust from customers, partners, and employees is one of the main reasons for a company’s success. A strong brand has been proven to enhance this trust and recognition.
Benefit 2
Market Differentiation
Through your brand, you communicate who you are, what drives you, what your mission is, and how you stand out from the competition. Therefore, a strong brand is essential for differentiation in the market.
Benefit 3
Customer and Employee Loyalty
Your brand serves as a tool to manage the expectations of your customers and employees. When authentic, it fosters a high degree of customer loyalty and employee satisfaction.
Our Approach
Your Sparring Partner for Developing Strong Brands
Discovering and shaping your own brand is an exciting process. As practitioners with over 20 years of experience, we are here to support you with advice and assistance throughout this journey.
- Personal Branding
- Corporate Identity
- Goal and Value Processes
- Transformation and Realignment
Why is the Branding Process So Crucial?
You have a brand—whether you are aware of it or not. Communication on your website, social media, print materials, etc., always influences your brand. As the sender of information, you face an audience that must perceive and understand this information. And as everyone knows from personal experience, communication does not always go smoothly.
Example: Recruitment Challenges
A company struggles to find suitable employees. This could be due to using the wrong platforms, inconsistencies between job postings, the website, and the company’s social media, or a lack of consideration for the needs and desires of the target audience. All these aspects are related to the company’s branding.
Technical issues can be avoided through good web design and a smart online strategy. However, all comprehension problems stem from unclear branding. This happens when the target audience is not properly considered, or the core of the brand—and thus the entire communication—is unclear and diffuse.
In the branding process, we work with our clients to identify the core of their brand and consider how to communicate this core clearly and effectively through logos, typography, colors, wording, and more.
Feedback
Clients with Strong Brands
“As a business coach, I understand the importance of having competent sparring partners. I found such a partner in Netjutant. During a phase of reorientation for my brand, Mr. Schnoor provided me with valuable insights. Together, we formulated an impactful mission that precisely captures the essence of what I offer.
At the same time, Netjutant efficiently and competently supported the redesign of my website and the optimization of my LinkedIn profile, and they continue to be quick and proactive in assisting me with any concerns I have.”
Roland Liertz – www.flex-coaching-werkstatt.de
Business Coach from Waging am See, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria
Color, Logo & Co.
Elements of Brand Identity
A brand identity encompasses a variety of elements that together shape the overall image and personality of a brand. These elements help make the brand unique, recognizable, and authentic. While some aspects of brand identity, such as products and customer experience, can only be influenced indirectly, we are happy to advise you and support you on the path to a coherent and consistent brand identity in other areas:
The brand name is the core of a brand’s identity, and the logo is the visual symbol that embodies this identity. It often serves as a hallmark for the brand.
Finding a suitable brand name is often not easy. However, there are proven methods to unleash creativity in a structured way and purposefully find a coherent brand name. It is worth investing time and effort in this process and incorporating several feedback rounds, as a brand name often accompanies you for a long time. We are happy to assist you in this process or provide independent feedback on your existing ideas. We also help you research whether a potential brand name is already protected by others or registered as a domain.
Once a suitable brand name is found, a logo can be developed from it. A logo can consist solely of the wordmark or include an additional graphic element. Several factors must be considered in logo development:
- Uniqueness and Distinctiveness
- Simplicity
- Meaningfulness of the Representation
- Psychologically Appropriate Color Scheme
- Good Interaction with the Remaining Typography
- Verification of Existing Trademarked Graphic Elements
A good logo is simple and easily recognizable. It subconsciously conveys elements of the brand core to the viewer by either evoking certain appropriate feelings or aligning its representation with the brand core.
BEISPIEL: MITSUBISHI
The Mitsubishi logo is an iconic three-diamond design, known as the “diamond logo” or “triangle mark.” It consists of three rhombus-shaped, overlapping diamonds that together form a unified image. This symbol has several interpretations that represent the company’s values and history:
- Three Diamonds: The three overlapping diamonds represent the three areas of responsibility of the company: towards society, customers, and employees. They also symbolize the unity and commitment of Mitsubishi’s three founding companies.
- Family Crest of the Founder: The design is also based on the family crest of the company’s founder, Yataro Iwasaki. The diamonds represent the three rhombuses of the Iwasaki family, as well as the three oak leaves of the Yamanouchi family, which was also involved in the company.
- The name of the “Mitsubishi” company refers to the company logo and is a combination of the words “mitsu” (three) and “hishi” (diamond). The word “hishi” actually means “water chestnut,” but due to the shape of the water chestnut, it also gained the meaning “diamond.”
Colors contribute to the recognizability of a brand. It is essential to pay attention to the psychological effects of colors on the viewer, as colors evoke deep subconscious associations that can vary significantly from one culture to another.
When selecting suitable colors, one should consider the following:
- Brand Identity: The color palette should reflect the values, personality, and style of the brand. For example, a warm color scheme can convey coziness and closeness, while cool colors may signal professionalism and calmness.
- Recognizability: Consistency in color usage is crucial for building a strong visual identity. The selection should be based on a few primary colors that best represent the brand.
- Color Psychology: We also examine how different colors can influence emotions and reactions. For example, blue is often associated with trust and calmness, while red can convey energy and passion.
- Contrast and Accessibility: We ensure that the colors harmonize well and have an appropriate contrast ratio to be both aesthetically pleasing and accessible.
In addition to colors, fonts play a significant role in the visual representation of a brand. This includes not only the font for the logo but also fonts for body text, headings, etc. Some fonts have become so ingrained in the cultural memory that they are intuitively associated with their brand, such as Coca-Cola or Disney.
When selecting suitable fonts for your brand, pay special attention to the following points:
- Readability: The chosen font should be easily readable in both printed materials and digital content.
- Brand Identity: The font should match the personality and values of the brand. A playful font may be suitable for a brand that wants to convey youthfulness and creativity, while a sans-serif font could represent a modern and professional image.
- Versatility: It is important to choose a font that is versatile enough to be used in various contexts, from logos to websites to printed materials.
Additional design elements such as graphics, symbols, or patterns can complement and enhance the visual appearance of a brand.
BEISPIEL: BURBERRY
A good example of additional visual design elements in a brand identity is the iconic patterns of Burberry. The classic check pattern of the company, known as the “Burberry Check,” serves as an additional design element alongside the logo. This check pattern has been used on various products such as clothing, accessories, and packaging, and has become a recognizable trademark.
The way a brand communicates is also crucial. The tone, language, and style of communication influence the perception of the brand. The tone and vocabulary must align with the brand’s values and resonate with the target audience.
Other Services
What a Strong Brand Can Achieve
The process begins with defining a unique brand. To give this brand prominence, we offer you many additional services:
Ganz persönlich
The Unique Aspects of Personal Branding: Who Am I and, If So, For Whom?
Personal brands are a special form of branding that we hold particularly dear. Here, the individual themselves is the brand, which both limits and expands possibilities.
Are you considering using your persona directly as a brand? Exposing yourself as a personality to the public? This opens up enormous potential, as our society craves authenticity and connection. If you can remain authentic in your professional business process and build your brand in accordance with your personality, you lay the foundation for a customer relationship that no other company can replicate.
We support solo entrepreneurs in the process of developing a personal brand with guidance and assistance:
- We help you discover your personality—your goals, strengths, and weaknesses.
- We explore with you the commonalities between you and your target audience.
- Together, we create a completely unique personal brand for you in a free and creative process.
- If desired, we can also implement this brand for you practically, on your website, social media accounts, and in print.
On the Topic
Target Audience Analysis as the Foundation for Successful Branding
Customers who feel understood and identify with a company’s values are more likely to make purchases and remain loyal to the company. Therefore, a target audience analysis is a crucial step in branding and marketing strategy, where potential customers of a brand or product are identified, understood, and segmented. The goal is to gain a deep understanding of the needs, preferences, behaviors, and demographic characteristics of the target audience. Various factors play a role in this process:
- Demographic Characteristics: This includes age, gender, income, education level, marital status, and location. This information helps to understand the basic structure of the target audience.
- Socioeconomic Background: Information about occupation, income, and social stratification is important for better understanding the purchasing behavior and needs of the target audience.
- Behavioral Patterns and Preferences: Analyzing attitudes, behaviors, interests, hobbies, shopping habits, and brand preferences helps to understand the behavior and decision-making processes of the target audience.
- Psychographic Factors: Lifestyle, values, opinions, and personality traits play a role in identifying target individuals and tailoring marketing messages.
- Technological Affinity: Examining the use of technologies, social media, and digital platforms helps identify suitable channels for reaching the target audience.
A comprehensive target audience analysis enables companies to tailor their marketing strategies more effectively, better position their products, and communicate relevant messages to meet the needs and demands of their potential customers effectively.
FAQ on Brand Building
What is a brand?
The author Seth Godin described it as follows: “A brand is the expectation you have of a product or service, and the experience you actually have.” A brand is, therefore, the sum of all impressions the public has of you. This means that a brand goes far beyond superficial elements like logos or colors.
What can happen if my brand is not authentic or consistent?
Authentic and internally consistent brands build trust with customers, partners, and applicants. However, if your brand does not align with your business actions or lacks authenticity, you can quickly lose trust—and regaining it is not easy. This is why the process of brand discovery and development is so important.
What is special about a personal brand?
With a personal brand, you as a person become the brand. Essentially, you are selling yourself. This opens up significant potential for direct customer engagement and a closer connection to your target audience. At the same time, your personality, your goals, your strengths, and weaknesses play a much more central role in the brand-building process than is the case with comparably impersonal companies.
I find aggressive, inauthentic and grandiose marketing unappealing.
So do we! It doesn’t have to be that way. But keep in mind: brands always involve communication. Therefore, you have a brand, whether you want one or not. The process of actively discovering and strategically building your brand enables you to shape it more purposefully and, consequently, to communicate more clearly and accurately.
Building Your Brand Together
The development of strong brands is at the heart of everything we do.
Does this sound interesting to you as well? We are excited to see what we can achieve together with you!