Tom Simpkins

Here are two different blog posts I found after publishing my entries that help tie together my recent thoughts on Brand Identity and Brand Image.

Is Your Brand a Beacon or a Spotlight? by Rose Cameron
Can be found here.

Rose raises the question of what to do when the brand represents one thing but consumers are experiencing another. She outlines how to begin tackling this problem by positioning the brand for future growth. This is done by positioning the brand as a beacon that reflects aspirations vs. a spotlight that simply confirms realities. The article cites a study that reported 78% of consumers choose brands that “represent their aspirations.” Rose says these consumers are in search of brands that can help them feel that they are moving forward, not standing still. Consumers become loyal to brands that create this kind of experience for them.

The author then writes about understanding how to position the brand as a beacon. This involves understanding the brand’s current value proposition through self examination. She says “Ask how the brand can resonate with consumers through a shared vision vs. simply an informed reflection.” What does the brand really stand for?

The article goes on to explain how when the realities of the brand are discovered and a new, more aspirational brand image is developed, confidence is renewed. She says, “You know your purpose. You can focus on how to make yourself most pertinent to your audience on your terms vs. theirs.”

This article really resonated with me because of the author’s metaphor of the brand acting as a light. I imagined lighthouses directing seafaring vessels through a foggy night. A narrow spotlight only focusing on one point can only be seen from one perspective where as a radiating beacon beckons from every direction and guides towards the future.

by Darvin Atkeson LiquidMoonlight.com

This article spawned a nice discussion in the comments that I participated in about how to make sure an aspirational brand identity still matches the brand’s value proposition. These are the types of detailed discussions that often only arise in the comment section of blog pages.

5 Branding Basics Every Logo Designer Should Know by Fatima Mekkaoui
Can be found here.

The article explores branding-focused logo design for the real world. While the majority of the article describes how to choose a brand-identifying logo, the beginning of the content really sparked my thoughts. Fatima begins by explaining the difference between a logo and a brand. I have mentioned this in a few of my posts this week so the article immediately resonated with me. She gives two definitions that really clarify the brand/identity relationship.

First: Logo as defined by Wikipedia “The logo is the image embodying an organization. Logos are meant to represent companies’ brands or corporate identities.”

The second definition is very enlightening: Brand and Identity: “A burning scar with bankable value”

This precise and vivid description was outlined in an article from 2005 written by Chris Kenton (found here) and summarized by Fatima. While it took me two posts to describe brand as a distinguished mark and identity as a precise value statement, the definition above describes brand and identity in six words.

These two articles help clarify and solidify my recent thoughts on branding and I wouldn’t have found them if I wasn’t plugged in to the wealth of knowledge and perspective available in the blogosphere.