Ready for the next level.
The playing field that brands move on changes all the time: It can become larger or smaller, set foot on by new players or even be replaced. Only those who learn to master the rules over and over again (or make their own rules) will stay among the winners. Together, we’ll take your brand to the next level by means of a brand refresh or relaunch.
When is brand alignment with SBD the right choice for you?
When you want to reposition yourself as a brand.
When your organisation has changed or is going to change.
When your market has changed or is going to change.
How can you align your brand with SBD?
With our brand alignment service package, we’ll help you refine your brand presence in the face of rising expectations or economic changes. Depending on your requirements, we’ll either implement all measures or a part of them. Select a section to learn more.
- Analysis
-
Approach
In our analysis we’ll evaluate how your brand is perceived today. To do this, we’ll question numerous members of your internal and external target audiences to determine brand awareness and brand image.
Outcome
The survey results and their evaluation will serve as an empirical basis for the upcoming strategic decisions.
- Identity workshop
-
Approach
In our identity workshop we’ll get to know each other and define, among other things, your brand’s “self-image” according to the model of identity-based brand management. Moreover, we’ll identify your target audiences and compare you to your competitors. We’ll record these and other workshop results in an extensive documentation.
Outcome
We’ll create a common understanding of your organisation and/or product and identify potential differentiators and important similarities to your competitors. Thereby we’ll lay the foundation for refining your brand strategy.
- Brand compass
-
Approach
The brand compass is an analytical tool that illustrates your brand’s identity based on the workshop results. Therein we’ll summarise the brand essence in a short, incisive statement and describe the brand core values as well as individual characteristics derived from them.
Outcome
We’ll draw an authentic image of your brand grounded in reality that provides the target for brand management. From now on, all branding measures will conform with at least one and contradict none of the core values defined in the brand compass and therefore convey a consistent overall impression.
- Brand architecture
-
Approach
If your brand is part of a brand family, we’ll revisit questions such as:
Are the individual brands treated equally or hierarchically?
Do the individual brands always represent the same or different identities?
Does the umbrella brand dominate or remain in the background?Outcome
We’ll develop an architectural system that fits your brand constellation and defines the relations between the individual brands.
- Guiding principles (vision & mission)
-
Approach
Guiding principles are your overarching values and goals in a nutshell. Typically, there are two guiding principles: The vision describes what you as an organisation want to achieve in the long term. The mission specifies what you need to do in the short term to get closer to your vision. Before we formulate your guiding principles, we’ll gain a comprehensive impression of the various motivations of your employees in a joint workshop in order to appropriately take all interest groups into account.
Outcome
We’ll formulate authentic guiding principles based on your brand identity that motivate your employees for your common goals. This will help your organisation remain on track and strengthen your brand from within.
- Naming
-
Approach
If the existing naming isn’t effective (anymore), we’ll develop a suitable brand name or a naming system together.
Outcome
You’ll receive a sustainable naming concept that fits the identity of your brand and leaves room for its future evolution.
- Claim, slogan, tagline
-
Approach
If required, we’ll develop one or more brand messages for you. Depending on how these messages are used, they can come in different shapes – from classic advertising slogans to smart brand claims to ubiquitous taglines.
Outcome
The message(s) will be applied systematically across all channels and shape your brand’s image according to its determined identity.
- Logo
-
Approach
Radical changes to your central design element can lead to alienation, which is why we execute logo redesigns with the utmost caution. Each change must be founded in the brand identity and contribute to conveying it more effectively than before. By means of guidelines we’ll define how the revised logo is utilised in various contexts.
Outcome
Your logo will be consistent with your brand’s essence, prompt the right associations in a fraction of a second and offer the greatest possible recognition value.
- Colours, typography, imagery, morphology
-
Approach
In overhauling your brand design, instead of individual colours, fonts, images, and forms, we’ll always look at the overall impression resulting from their combination. This is where the question of whether your design principles match your brand identity or if your brand should be characterised by different visual elements in the future will be answered.
Outcome
If required, you’ll receive new and memorable design elements whose interplay reflects your brand’s identity precisely, as well as specific guidelines for their application.
- Text & tonality
-
Approach
With brand voice or corporate language guidelines we’ll characterise your brand’s unique tonality based on its core values. They define who says what how when why to whom whenever your brand “talks”.
Outcome
You’ll enable different authors to create consistently styled texts in your brand’s name. This is how you’ll present yourself convincingly not just visually but also with your content.
- Documentation
-
Approach
Depending on your requirements, we may document your new brand design in a traditional manual, an interactive brand portal or a premium-quality brand book that offers not just functional but also emotional benefits. In addition, we’ll be happy to offer you our lead agency services to implement your brand identity sustainably.
Learn more about brand management with SBD here.
Outcome
Binding guidelines will make it as easy as possible for you and your service providers to create compliant designs for your brand.
- Communications
-
Approach
Once we’ve revised your brand design, we’ll typically create the first media content right away, from press releases to ad campaigns to entire online presences.
Learn more about brand communications with SBD here.
Outcome
Your new brand design will pass its first test with compliant media content.
What is SBD’s brand alignment process?
We’ll align your brand together in multiple stages, each of which constitutes a self-contained, iterative process. You’ll have ample opportunity in each stage to give feedback and approve the transition to the next stage.
We’ll be happy to make you a tailored offer for aligning your brand.
Boris Schmelter
Consulting, CEO
bs@schmelter-branddesign.de
Tel: +49 89 – 512 662-34
Why should you align your brand with SBD?
You’ll receive a complete brand design from strategy to design to text.
You’ll adapt to market changes successfully.
You’ll facilitate future growth with a brand that compels both internally and externally.
