Mountain Big 5

Strong brands and the preconditions

Brands are one of the most important assets of an organization. Building brand equity is a challenging process. Design is an essential part of this. When does a brand identity contribute to success? Good design can autonomously ensure a substantial turnover plus, a better return and a cultural contribution in organizations. This has been independently researched and demonstrated several times. But what is good design?

We see five aspects that are preconditions. We call these the Big 5:

Belief
Relevance
Distinctiveness
Effectiveness
Tailor-made

Belief

The Brand Orientation Index (BOI), described in a Swedish study, indicates that in order to achieve a successful leadership role (brand organization), eight internal conditions must be met, namely:

• Approach: this is about the mental attitude of an organization towards brand and investments
• Implementation: is the entire organization acting brand-oriented during implementations
• Goals and follow-up: are organizational objectives clearly linked to brand values?
• Relationships: are the brand values externally the guiding principle?
• Identity development and protection: is Design a key discriminator, an entrepreneurial instrument?
• Operational development: is the further development of the organization linked to brands?
• Top management's participation: is management involved and are there ambassadors?
• Responsibility and roles: is the responsibility for a brand clear?

There is a correlation between a strong BOI and operating profit (Ebitda).

Relevance

To what extent does the product, service or culture offer improve the lives of consumers, customers, employees, partners and suppliers? Whether on a personal, social or economic level, brands must fulfill a relevant functional and emotional need. The search for a relevant role for a brand in people's lives is a process we have done many times before.

This involves an emotional connection, a need state that is filled in. In design we look for a directly recognizable emotional message, the purpose of the brand. System 1 (S1) versus System 2 (S2) thinking in design. The brand identity must already give off the story, the signal.

Distinctiveness

Developing brand distinction (distinctive brand assets/DBAs) is about having uniqueness and notoriety.

How do you build a distinctive memory structure for your target groups in times of media fragmentation and information overload? Imagining a concept in an emotional and recognizable way is a start to make a mark. The starting point is what your target groups basically know about you. To then build on attributes that ensure better recognition, more distinctiveness and more relevance.

Target groups can often only remember a single aspect of a brand as a landmark.

Effectiveness

This is about the consumer/shopper/client journey.

Is the information and emotional journey that your target group makes with your communications logical and effective? Every touch point or every step in the journey of the orientation and purchase process, in store, online, face-to-face, calls for a different part and sometimes a different form of the brand message. Analyzing this journey and developing how your brand communication can be most effective is second nature to us.

For FMCG we use our Shelf Orientation Process as a starting point. What happens on the shelf and what does this mean for the information flow?

Tailor-made

Being successful for brands and customers is never a one trick pony!

Developing or re-engineering a company, brand identity and/or personality is custom work. That's why we are Brand Tailors. Understanding where you come from, what your company, brand and culture is and seeing where you want to go is part of our onboarding process. Building strong relationships and coming up with remarkable solutions to really move the business forward is what drives us!

Our approach basically consists of four steps; Find, Focus, Feel, Fly. Each step has its own approach and set of tools. From market analysis, strategy, positioning via the road of concepts, we end up in a phase where design solutions are transferred in a format. Part routes are also conceivable.