Following on from the Spring Bulletin where we identified why you need to market your stud, brand or farm, this article will focus on setting your brand apart from your competitors.
When considering branding yourself or re-branding yourself, it is important to consider more than just the aesthetics and define what it is you want to say about yourself and your brand. By creating a good brand you can create an awareness within the beef industry that it is distinguishable as you.
So what is branding?
Branding can be an extremely vague term, even for marketers and designers. Essentially branding gives meaning to specific products by creating a distinct association in the consumers mind, and clarifies who the brand is and who it is not.
Branding encompasses both the practical and emotional aspects of a product. For example, you may market your bulls as be ready to work (practical) but in a stud setting they become an animal you depend on (emotional) so it is important to consider both aspects.
Both practical and emotional responses should be triggered when consumers are exposed to any part of your branding identity.
An excellent example of this is car brands. Holden and Ford have equivalent products however most people will feel a particular connection to one or the other. To further this example, different car companies have branded themselves to evoke specific feelings for key associations;
You can see that they are all the same product on a basic level – they are all vehicles designed to take you from point A to B, but the branding is what differentiates who the consumer is and targets them accordingly.
Further to that they all appeal to a consumer on a practical and emotional level, as all good branding strategies should do.
When it comes down to it a brand will influence someone’s basic instincts about a company, person or stud, and the success of that business will decrease or increase as a direct result of this.
The ultimate aim of creating a brand is to attract and retain customers, which is done by delivering your product in line with any brand impressions or promises. In its simplest form, your brand is the image you create for your product and branding is the strategy which you use to create that image.
4 ways to set your brand apart
A branding identity covers – at a minimum- a name, logo, a key message or tagline and a visual identity. Not all branding is created equal, so it is important to maintain a clear vision of what your ultimate goal is.
Help your designer help you
Preparation can go a long way when working with others, and this is especially important when you are paying by the hour for a result. Whether you are using a graphic designer for your graphics or not, these principles should be considered before starting any design, and could potentially save you money by giving a realistic expectation of what is possible.
To create a dynamic and engaging graphics there are a few things you need to think about:
It is best to look at branding as an opportunity to distinguish yourself in your chosen market, and not an obstacle you need to jump over. It is an opportunity to show the world who you are and what you can do for the world.
If you have any questions or have content suggestions please contact Ebonie Sadler-Small at design@angusaustralia.com.au
Feature Image: four ways to set your brand apart