Brand can mean many different things and be viewed diversely. Do you give your brand and reputation the appropriate attention? What elements does the Brand Keystone include?
We are all Brand aware. McDonalds, John Lewis, Aldi, HM Government, Harrods. All these carry a picture in our heads and a perception which will vary wildly from one person to another. You might think of logos, adverts, costs, failures and quality from this list – these perceptions contribute to an organisations Brand and reputation. In turn organisations use their Brand to promote wares, win followers or inspire spending. The Brand Keystone is key to success, especially in this digitised age.
For the full Keystone picture, take a look at the Gydeline Guardian.
Elements
Brand includes the following elements:
- Reputation – Beliefs, rank, status, statistics
- Perception – Opinions, feedback, ratings
- Market – Competition, share, scope
- Ethics – Moral principles, public policies, code of conduct
- Voice – Communication, language, tone
- Style – Colours, look and feel, fonts, imagery, structure, usage rules
- Logo – Design, variations
Acquisition
Your brand is created through how you run your organisation, what you use to represent the organisation to your Contacts and how you are perceived by your Contacts and People. Logo, company name, product imagery and your website are a few of the elements that require thought and design. The way the organisation, and its People, act in the public eye along with how it communications and conducts itself contributes to acquiring a reputation and market perception.
Utilisation
A good Brand Keystone can be used effectively to achieve success in your objectives. Good brand design is shared, referenced and mimicked. Reputation is talked about and can generate new Contacts and attract the best People. Ultimately Brand leads to Money when married to good products & services.
Maintenance
A Brand needs visibility. It must be kept fresh, relevant and appropriate to the Contacts. Contact Keystone will tell you if your Brand needs adjustment as will your People.
Disposal
It’s difficult to dispose of many Brand Keystone elements. Logos and imagery will recirculate on social media and physical products for years after it’s retirement. A good reputation and public perception is easy to dispose of, however a bad reputation is not as easy to shed. Deliberate re-brands can broadly remove a defunct brand but can cost in both Money and People.
Find out about the other Keystones
