There has never been a more important time for branding
Branding is not just about selling a product — it’s promoting a belief. A thoughtful brand can evoke an emotional response. It enables your organisation to nurture friendships with your team and customers. This is essential during the current, volatile climate. The world has experienced long-lasting changes.
Branding is your organisation’s distinctive personality, tone of voice and visual style. It helps you to set the right expectations for customers. It helps communicate the vision of your organisation to the public. Remember, design makes ideas tangible and visible — it’s offering people a real belief in the possibilities of life. Make it empowering.
Our creative studio, Buttercrumble, didn’t start as an agency. It was a concept and name in which we were able to work under. As twin sisters, we have always loved to collaborate and this enabled us. It developed into a business due to the community we were able to build online. Social media was instrumental in turning a hobby into a livelihood and a greater vision.
Digitalisation, due to self-isolation, is continuing to transform the way we work. It harks back to the time where Buttercrumble was but a few shared illustrations on the internet. We developed Buttercrumble’s branding to help us express ourselves and mission to an online community, from the comfort of our home. The sense of community has always stayed at our core and we’re able to draw upon this in turbulent times.
From politics to the pandemic, consumer mindsets are shifting. Everyone is re-evaluating their perspective on life and consumption. Therefore, this is the perfect opportunity to align your values with your audience’s. People are seeking products and services which match their ethos.
As a society, we are increasingly concerned about health, wellbeing and finances. The recent uncertainties have caused operations to slow down or shut up shop for good. It’s a precarious time and consumers are wanting to make sensible investments. They will be looking to organisations who feel stable, a safe bet.
What can you do? Your customers or clients will want to look to your organisation as a pillar of dependability. We should be working to create online and offline marketing strategies that cultivate a sense of wellbeing, calm and safety. You can develop your brand messaging so you are using sensitive language. Visuals should feel peaceful and considered. If you have a physical space, it should reflect a sense of home. It's time to step up, authentically.
Trust has to operate two-ways. If you’re able to demonstrate trust to your customers, they will return the favour. You can build rapport through staged payment initiatives, gifts and by offering additional support. When you give generously, you delight customers and strengthen support for the long term.
It does not need to be expensive either. It could be as simple as distributing positive notes to customers to raise morale. By implementing small and meaningful acts, you can gain a competitive edge. These types of interactions help you become memorable. Your brand image becomes positive and likeable.
Those organisations who adopt an altruistic approach to their brand will be fondly remembered as we progress into better times.
About Buttercrumble
Buttercrumble is a creative studio, founded by twin sisters: Chloe and Abigail Baldwin. From their studio in Leeds, the team grants your business the power of self-expression through young-at-heart graphic design, branding and illustration. They love to partner with fun-finders and style seekers, locally and internationally. Clients include John Lewis & Partners, UK Coaching and the Royal Armouries.
www.buttercrumble.com
