AW Capabilities Month: What is Brand Strategy?
Welcome to Addison Whitney Capabilities Month! Throughout the month of March, we will be designating one week where we will be highlighting one of Addison Whitney’s capabilities – visual branding, verbal branding, market research and brand strategy - via brand salsa and our social media channels.
This week, we are focusing on Brand Strategy, which encompasses the strategic and planning aspects of your branding portfolio.
But what is Brand Strategy? What does it mean to you? Make sure to join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AWCapabilitiesMonth.
At Addison Whitney, we feel brand strategy is important because success is a strong marriage of business and brand strategies.
Successful brands are built on a foundation of meaningful brand strategy. And, that strategy provides the framework for what your brands mean and how they should be organized.
Oftentimes, making decisions about the future of a brand can be politically charged and challenging for an internal team to confront on its own. It’s difficult for a company to be objective about themselves – tenure and passion have a tendency to cloud constructive decision-making.
That’s where we come in. In our collaborative strategy process, we balance business planning with creative thinking to create a clear roadmap for where you want your brand to be in the future. But it doesn’t end there – we also design effective brand strategy tools to help you stay on the path to success.
Here’s what our brand strategy team can do for you:
- Brand Assessment
- Brand Positioning
- Brand Messaging
- Brand Architecture
- Portfolio Nomenclature
- Rebranding
Click here for a sampling of our brand strategy case study stories, and here for our comprehensive brand strategy client list.
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
Want to get exposed to real projects and attain real-life knowledge and skills vital for success in brand strategy? Click here for information about interning with the Addison Whitney brand strategy team!
AW Capabilities Month Case Study Wednesday: Goodyear
Welcome to Addison Whitney Capabilities Month! Throughout the month of March, we will be designating one week where we will be highlighting one of Addison Whitney’s capabilities – visual branding, verbal branding, market research and brand strategy - via brand salsa and our social media channels.
This week, we are focusing on Verbal Branding, which encompasses the verbal aspects of your branding portfolio, such as brand name development, tagline creation, and much more!
As one of the leading global branding firms, Addison Whitney is behind some of the world’s strongest and most iconic brands. We’re proud of the work we do for all of our clients and love sharing our stories, especially our visual branding experience. That’s why this week's “Case Study Wednesday”, where we highlight one of our amazing clients and the work we have done with them, will focus on our verbal branding work!
Our case study this week highlights Addison Whitney's work with Goodyear:
Addison Whitney has worked with Goodyear on a number of projects, including the brand development of three tire lines.
Fierce
We were hired to develop and validate a brand name for Goodyear’s new performance tire line that would stand alone and not be directly associated with Goodyear in the eyes of the consumer.
We created the name Fierce, suggesting competitiveness, intensity and power. Name validation was a key component in the brand development process, ensuring that Fierce would be an appropriate name in a variety of language markets.
SilentArmor
Next, we developed a brand name for Goodyear’s new premium on-/off-road tire for its Wrangler truck and Fortera SUV lines.
The objective was to create a name that spoke to the product’s ability to deliver great traction and ruggedness while providing a smooth, quiet ride. To communicate the desired positioning we developed the name SilentArmor.
Assurance
For the third project, Goodyear wanted a brand name for its new family of passenger tires for mid-priced and luxury vehicles. The new name needed to fit with Goodyear’s leadership and innovation legacy while representing the company’s very best tire offering.
We created the name Assurance to communicate safety, reliability and protection. Research found that Assurance scored high marks for conveying the functional and emotional benefits that drivers look for in tires, and consumers equated the word assurance with dependability, confidence and trust.
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
Want to get exposed to real projects and attain real-life knowledge and skills vital for success in verbal branding? Click here for information about interning with the Addison Whitney verbal branding team!
When is the Right Time to Change Your Logo?
Welcome to Addison Whitney Capabilities Month! Throughout the month of March, we will be designating one week where we will be highlighting one of Addison Whitney’s capabilities – visual branding, verbal branding, market research and brand strategy - via brand salsa and our social media channels.
This week, we are focusing on Visual Branding, which encompasses the visual aspects of your branding portfolio.
When is the right time to change your logo? Or, should the question be, is there always a “right” time?
When it comes to branding, the visual aspect is crucial to success. It is the first thing that is seen, and as consumers and audience members to a brand message, a successful visual branding product can propel a brand to success. When a visual brand is successful, it acts as a foundation for the complete brand package.
When a company is looking into making a change to their visual branding, the first question they need to ask themselves is why – why do they feel a change is needed, and why now? Many brands get swept up in the notion of change for change’s sake, or start looking around at other visual rebrands and feel they need to do the same to keep up.
Two important factors to consider when looking at a logo redesign are to picture the final product across all of the different platforms where it will be featured, and to examine how the logo fits in with the whole picture of your branding – how well does it compliment your brand name, tagline and overall corporate identity.
Logo design is a piece of the branding puzzle, and when companies lose sight of this and make the logo the only aspect of their branding, they are left with a visual component that may look nice, but has no weight or meaning behind it.
As Cathleen Foley, Addison Whitney’s Manager of Visual Branding, puts it, “A good logo fits within the larger picture.” She recommends that a company’s new logo should stand the test of time, and more importantly the test of change. Instead of adopting the latest trend, make sure it helps tell the brand story.
To illustrate this point, simply look at the logos that are deemed “iconic,” the ones that are looked to as the standards for how a lasting visual identity should be done. What do they have in common? They all are simple, flexible logos that convey what the brand is trying to say without overshadowing the overall branding message.
The Nike swoosh for instance is one of the most simple and yet most recognized logos in the world. Nike hasn’t had to change this aspect of their brand even while they have undergone some shifts in their branding portfolio because the logo speaks to who Nike is and can adapt to the many messages that it is included in for the company.
The moral of the story is that logo redesign shouldn’t be scheduled like your next meeting – there shouldn’t be an email reminder that pops up and tells you that “Logo Redesign” is beginning in 15 minutes. It should come as a piece, albeit a very important one, to the branding puzzle. If the piece is out of place, the puzzle can’t be completed and the branding will miss out, but if visual fits, then it can be the driving force behind successful branding.
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
Want to get exposed to real projects and attain real-life knowledge and skills vital for success in visual branding? Click here for information about interning with the Addison Whitney visual branding team!
AW Capabilities Month Case Study Wednesday: Darden Restaurants
Welcome to Addison Whitney Capabilities Month! Throughout the month of March, we will be designating one week where we will be highlighting one of Addison Whitney’s capabilities – visual branding, verbal branding, market research and brand strategy - via brand salsa and our social media channels.
This week, we are focusing on Visual Branding, which encompasses the visual aspects of your branding portfolio.
As one of the leading global branding firms, Addison Whitney is behind some of the world’s strongest and most iconic brands. We’re proud of the work we do for all of our clients and love sharing our stories, especially our visual branding experience. That’s why this week's “Case Study Wednesday”, where we highlight one of our amazing clients and the work we have done with them, will focus on our visual branding work!
Our case study this week highlights Addison Whitney's work with Darden Restaurants:
Addison Whitney has had the privilege of an ongoing relationship with Darden Restaurants, owner of the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant and Bahama Breeze chains.
Olive Garden
The Olive Garden project presented the challenge of updating its corporate image to be reflective of its new positioning as an authentic, rustic, family-oriented restaurant. Consumer research revealed that the current corporate identity projected an outdated feel. To overcome this challenge, we leveraged the Olive Garden name equity and created more sophisticated script lettering in a modern font.
Several icons to complement the new Olive Garden look were tested; however, the warm feel and vibrant colors of the grapes were a consistent favorite. The distinctive grape icon was implemented on signage, menus, place mats, take-out items and promotional materials, and it serves as a memorable, stand-alone symbol for the restaurant chain.
We also developed and implemented a corporate standards program for Olive Garden.
Bahama Breeze
Our work with Bahama Breeze was a little different. Because the restaurant experienced extraordinary growth and success in such a short time, inconsistencies arose in its corporate identity.
We evaluated the corporate visual brand identity, including the logo, color, image, interior decor and collateral usage in order to appropriately recommend strategic options for a visual brand consolidation. We recommended a logo evolution to provide the opportunity to establish a stronger corporate identity portfolio while still maintaining the positive aspects of the logo. We also established the graphic standards content for the Bahama Breeze Brand Visualization Guide.
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
Want to get exposed to real projects and attain real-life knowledge and skills vital for success in visual branding? Click here for information about interning with the Addison Whitney visual branding team!
AW Capabilities Month: What is Visual Branding?
Welcome to Addison Whitney Capabilities Month! Throughout the month of March, we will be designating one week where we will be highlighting one of Addison Whitney’s capabilities – visual branding, verbal branding, market research and brand strategy - via brand salsa and our social media channels.
This week, we are focusing on Visual Branding, which encompasses the visual aspects of your branding portfolio.
But what is Visual Branding? What does it mean to you? Make sure to join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AWCapabilitiesMonth.
For all of us at Addison Whitney, it's much more than just pretty pictures
You only get one first impression; what is yours worth to you? A strong visual identity sets the tone for your brand, and at Addison Whitney, we specialize in understanding the impact and implications that design has on your business.
Visual Branding includes:
- Corporate Identity Development
- Logo Development
- Brand Standards
- Identity and Stationery Systems
- Package Design
Our designers are problem solvers and strategic thinkers. We approach each project with a refined balance of creative vision and strategic foresight resulting in a singular, memorable design that encompasses the essence of your brand.
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
Want to get exposed to real projects and attain real-life knowledge and skills vital for success in visual branding? Click here for information about interning with the Addison Whitney visual branding team!
Welcome to Addison Whitney Capabilities Month!
Throughout the month of March, we will be designating one week where we will be highlighting one of Addison Whitney’s capabilities – visual branding, verbal branding, market research and brand strategy - via brand salsa and our social media channels.
We invite you all to join the discussion with us on any of the content platforms, and hopefully we can inform and give you a better picture of some of our specialized areas!
The schedule for Capabilities Month will be:
- Visual Branding: Week of March 2nd
- Verbal Branding: Week of March 9th
- Brand Strategy: Week of March 16th
- Market Research: Week of March 23rd
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
AW Rewind:
The Addison Whitney
Week in Review - 2.27.15
Welcome to the final February edition of "AW in Review", our roundup of our latest brandsalsa and Addison Whitney news and posts!
Don’t forget, you can stay up-to-date with everything from Addison Whitney by joining the conversation with us on our social media channels – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+
Regional Brands Rise in 2015 Harris Reputation Quotient Poll
Harris Interactive, one of the worldwide leaders in polling and research data, recently released its annual Reputation Quotient® study, ranking companies based on how the study’s participants named the brands that stand out as having both the best and worst reputations.
One of the biggest surprises of the study came at the top, with Wegmans Food Markets, a regional supermarket chain with just over 85 stores, taking the No. 1 spot over brand giants such as Amazon and Samsung, who came in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively... Read More
When is it Time to Reinvent the Brand Wheel?
We’ve all heard the expression “there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.” Typically, it is used to explain the reasoning behind keeping the status quo, and not taking a chance and making a change where the speaker doesn’t see one being necessary.
A brand strategy approach that takes this route is a risk and reward proposition, and a decision that does not come with a one-size-fits-all aspect. Each brand and each brand marketing approach is different, and the ones that find the most success are those who fit the decision appropriately with the brand... Read More
Lowe's Enters Connected Home Market with New Brand
Looking to make a considerable mark in the smart/connected home market, Lowe’s has begun leveraging Iris, its new brand that offers a range of connected home products, as outlined in a new article from Warc, an advertising best practices, evidence and insights website.
The article, “Lowe’s Builds Smart Home Brand,” looks into how this new brand leverages Lowe’s experience in retail experience and product development in establishing a brand establishing a brand that is designed to go toe-to-toe with some of the top brands in the technology space in the race to the top of the smart home portfolio... Read More
February 27, 2015
Lowe’s Enters Connected Home Market with New Brand
Looking to make a considerable mark in the smart/connected home market, Lowe’s has begun leveraging Iris, its new brand that offers a range of connected home products, as outlined in a new article from Warc, an advertising best practices, evidence and insights website.
The article, “Lowe’s Builds Smart Home Brand,” looks into how this new brand leverages Lowe’s experience in retail experience and product development in establishing a brand establishing a brand that is designed to go toe-to-toe with some of the top brands in the technology space in the race to the top of the smart home portfolio.
The Iris smart home management brand products allow consumers to connect all of their smart home devices across a platform of suppliers. From starter kits that provide a shortcut to starting the connected home process to accessories that supplement what the consumer already may have in their home, it is a brand that not only connects the home, but connects the products involved.
Prior to Iris, consumers looking to connect their home ran the risk of products not “talking” to one another if they came from different brands. But with Iris (and in turn, Lowe’s branding), products across platforms can be united in the home.
“Lowe’s moving into the connected home can position itself as the tech-savvy homeowner’s or contractor’s store of choice,” says Beth Anne McPheeters, Director of Brand Strategy at Addison Whitney. “It’s brilliant, considering that connected homes were a major feature of this year’s CES and are a top trend for home modifications that provide the best return on investment for homeowners now and in the future.”
The brand, Iris, is not only a way for Lowe’s to diversity its product offering, it is a way to tap into a growing general consumer market, expanding past that of home owners and professionals. Lowe’s is bringing its brand into a new space as an unexpected player. Lowe’s strategy behind Iris also extends to its impact on the overall brand attitude and perception, says McPheeters.
“Iris presents Lowe’s with an interesting way to evolve its brand,” she says. “When looking at Lowe’s and Home Depot, Lowe’s offers homeowners, particularly female shoppers, an easy-to-navigate experience with an emphasis on stylistic décor, not just home improvement/building products. This move can push Lowe’s into a gender-neutral technology leadership position, providing it with an opportunity to own Smart Home Improvement, even if only for the short term.”
Sources and Links:
https://www.warc.com/News/Default.aspx?ID=34244
https://www.lowes.com/cd_Products_1337707661000_
https://www.lowes.com/cd_Iris+Solutions+Center_1377803835565_
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands. We specialize in verbal and visual branding, brand strategy and market research.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
When is it Time to Reinvent the Brand Wheel?
We've all heard the expression “there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.” Typically, it is used to explain the reasoning behind keeping the status quo, and not taking a chance and making a change where the speaker doesn’t see one being necessary.
A brand strategy approach that takes this route is a risk and reward proposition, and a decision that does not come with a one-size-fits-all aspect. Each brand and each brand marketing approach is different, and the ones that find the most success are those who fit the decision appropriately with the brand.
Brand equity can be one of a company’s strongest and most valuable assets,” says RJ Clouse, Brand Strategy Manager at Addison Whitney. “As it relates to key elements of a brand, I think that reinvention rather than recreation is the key to ongoing and deep emotional connections.”
The Budweiser Clydesdales have become a staple of the brand’s Super Bowl advertising campaigns. For years, it has been a given that at least one of their commercials during the game would either feature or have a tie back to the Clydesdales. It’s what people have come to expect from the brand, and so far they have complied year after year.
Another less famous, but just as powerful for the brand, is Old Spice, says Clouse.
“Old Spice, with heritage in scent and masculinity, reinvented its message of what it means to be masculine in an authentic and humorous way. This approach builds the deep brand connection with a solid foundation in brand equity for a new generation.”
After years of brand equity building connected with this particular ad campaign, how wise would it be for Budweiser to change its approach? In other words, when you know what kind of ad you are getting, and it has been successful in the past, does it make sense to reinvent the wheel?
The answer seemingly lies within the strength of the metaphorical wheel. Is it an essential and part of the foundation for the brand strategy? Or is it an aspect that has made a move recently into its strong point, but seems to have a shelf life?
In the second instance, the rule of thumb seems to be that it is better to make a change one year too soon than one year too late. Brand marketing can withstand a response that consumers miss that characteristic, but that response is preferable to backlash that it has become old and outdated.
This is where brands and marketers need to be one step ahead in the strategic planning. They need to see the writing on the wall and anticipate what is coming down the road when it comes to brand staples and have plans in place before its run ends.
On the other side of the equation, when a brand staple has become synonymous with the brand itself, as difficult as it may be for the creative focus and the creative departments, keeping it around in some fashion is really the best option.
Consumers, for the most part, gravitate toward the familiar when it comes to their branding, and in this case, the familiar is something that can help grow a brand’s trust with the consumer. They see something they recognize in an ad, such as the Budweiser Clydesdales, and they begin to connect the brand with the nostalgia and comfort that these familiar images bring.
“At times, I think recreation may pay off for short-term benefits of increased awareness or trial,” says Clouse. “But these approaches may not build the long-term, deep, emotional brand equities we strive to help brands achieve.”
Addison Whitney is a global branding firm with a passion for building strong brands. We specialize in verbal and visual branding, brand strategy and market research.
To learn more about Addison Whitney, visit our website at AddisonWhitney.com, or contact us here.
AW Rewind:
The Addison Whitney
Week in Review - 2.6.15
Welcome to another edition of "AW in Review", our weekly roundup of our latest brandsalsa and Addison Whitney news and posts!
Don’t forget, you can stay up-to-date with everything from Addison Whitney by joining the conversation with us on our social media channels – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+
5 Ways to Maximize Your Personal Brand
Maximizing your personal brand is ensuring that you are putting your best foot forward with each interaction and maximizing the impact it will have on your day-to-day life.
Here are five tips on achieving success in establishing your personal brand... Read More
Addison Whitney Global President Brannon Cashion Featured on NPR's "Marketplace"
He joined "NPR Marketplace" discussing the TurboTax recovery from its price-hike stumble and how the brand can come back from it!
Addison Whitney Brand Fanatics Put a Twist on Super Bowl Ad Discussion
Since we knew that there would be countless conversations reacting to how well the brands accomplished this feat, we decided to provide a forum for these discussions to take place, as well as give the participants a chance to look at the ads from a branding perspective, something Addison Whitney specializes in... Read More
One Brand Family, Two Brands, How Many Brand Messages?
The pressure is enough for just those who were marketing just one brand at the game. For some, it was doubled, as they had two separate brands, which lived under the same brand umbrella, with advertisements running during this time.
The trick for brand managers in this situation is to decide whether to combine the two brands to support one brand message, or to establish dual messages and ensure that both are well-received and successful in their goals... Read More
February 6, 2015