Most organizations are looking for their brand to grow throughout its lifetime, and for some, that anticipated (and hoped for) growth includes expanding outside of their home region or country. However, this growth can come with a downside for the brand if certain aspects, specifically the brand name, aren’t suited to travel. Everything is going well – the brand is growing, new markets are identified, the stage is set for an initial foray into the global market – until the brand name falls flat once it leaves the home market. So how does a brand ensure its success both locally and globally? Here are three areas of consideration to take into account when creating a brand name that will be used on a global scale...

Why do we gravitate towards certain brands while actively avoiding others? What is causing the rise in “lifestyle” branding? When does a brand become something more than just a brand? The answers to these questions could be the basis for an entire blog series, but for this one, we are going to focus on the common theme that runs throughout all of the answers: creating a brand that connects with your audience.

It’s a common misconception that a “rebrand” automatically means a brand new start – that when a rebrand occurs, the slate must be wiped clean and all subsequent branding elements must possess totally original characteristics. In fact, the best rebrands take the opposite approach. They take the time beforehand to identify and research what brand aspects of the previous iteration carry the most weight and provide the most benefit, then find ways to incorporate or pay homage to these aspects in the new brand.

While certain luxury or niche brands may embrace the concept of exclusivity, where does that leave companies and organizations that pride themselves on being open, helpful and friendly? The idea of forgoing a logo isn’t realistic, particularly when standing out in a crowded marketplace is a basic requirement for success. Is it possible to convey both competence and warmth in a logo? Unity and inclusion? Strength and kindness?

At Addison Whitney, we've always identified with the term "brand fanatics" when it comes to our people. This makes sense - it's what we do. We have a passion for creating and building strong brands, and when we're not doing that, we love to analyze, brainstorm and gather new information about branding. But why does branding hold a place among our favorites? We asked a few brand fanatics this very question: Why do you love branding?

Institutions in which the branding includes a place name often include this perspective in their branding efforts. Communities are built on commonality, and place-focused brands provide that on a large scale. The most prominent examples of these are sports franchises, where the name is front and center and which serve as a uniting force for their home bases.

Creating a brand name is an integral part of any branding effort, since the end result will become one of the most visible and widely used aspects of a brand. But its place of importance should not lead to a misguided sense of separation in the development process, where the name is created in a vacuum, far removed from the various brand elements that will surround and support it.

There are many aspects that go into developing and establishing a successful brand. But they really have nothing to do with it. That may sound confusing and close to oxymoronic, but it’s true. One of the best moves a brand-building organization can take is to forget all of the substance that goes into building a brand. Once the auxiliary noise is quieted, then finding the perfect note to start the song becomes significantly easier.

The question whether or not to have a presence on at least one social media platform has become an easy one for brands – without any social media existence, a brand will be left out of one of the fastest-growing and increasingly vital aspect of a branding experience. But now that it’s rightfully assumed that your brand will be a player in the social space, it’s also rightfully assumed there will be some trepidation. Here are five key points to include in your plan to help ease the worries when taking your brand into the social media realm: