Brand. It’s something marketers talk about.
A lot.
But what makes a brand strong? Is it simply the colours, logo and website? Or is it the products you offer, how your capabilities add value to your clients, how you service clients and how you communicate with them? I would say it’s all of the above and much more.
How do you begin to shape a great brand? It’s similar to building. Getting the structure and foundations right can form the basis for a strong and successful brand.
The messaging house
Above is an example of a ‘messaging house’ that highlights our thinking at White Marble. Using a framework like this allows you to construct and develop your capabilities around your over-arching brand proposition.
At the top of the house, you have your roof. This messaging needs to convey your company ethos and be relatable across the entire business. It should integrate the pillars beneath it and have stretch for future innovation.
Underneath the roof you find your pillars. These hold up your roof and give strength to your messaging house. These pillars relate to particular parts of your business and provide the basis to communicate the capabilities and asset classes that are specific to your company. They are evidence-based and will inform the overarching positioning of your brand.
It has to be authentic
Being authentic is key. People will believe what you say if you live it and breathe it. This authenticity means your brand will be consistent in every way it is positioned to your audience. It will need to work across all asset classes and regions and be something that will differentiate you from your competitors.
It will also provide a common language internally that enables the whole business to talk about themselves. This consistency of messaging builds trust, credibility and awareness.
While this approach can go much further, if you get these foundations right the rest will follow.