Branding agency – how can it help you?

A brand is a name, symbolism. What distinguishes a given company from the competition identifies it. Today's brand is also a well-functioning organism. An organism that has something important to convey has a history of its own and influences the emotions of its recipients in a specific way. An organism that has a character, a certain value and thus can be saved in the minds of recipients. The process of shaping brand awareness and creating its image is called branding. What makes branding? And how can a branding agency help us in this area?

What will you learn from the article?

As the competition becomes more fierce, branding plays a key role in building the company's recognition and success. Ale co tak naprawdę składa się na branding? Dlaczego jest on niezbędny dla każdej organizacji? Jak wykonać skuteczny branding, który wyróżni firmę na tle konkurencji? W artykule przyjrzymy się głębiej zagadnieniom związanym z brandingiem i roli agencji brandingowej w procesie budowania marki. Dowiesz się, czym dokładnie jest rebranding i jakie są jego korzyści. Pokażemy także różnice między agencją brandingową a marketingową oraz podpowiemy, jak wybrać odpowiednią agencję do realizacji swoich celów brandingowych. Przygotuj się na pogłębioną analizę świata brandingu i krok po kroku poznaj, jak można wzmocnić markę swojej firmy.

What makes branding?

Only a strong brand has a chance of success in business today. A strong brand is aware of its advantages, which it emphasizes at every step, communicates in its messages, and uses it in marketing. He knows how to reach the target group, he knows how to win over his customers, make them trust her.

The process of shaping a strong brand, i.e. branding, means giving the brand character by selecting an appropriate name, coming up with a claim (brand slogan), designing a logo, preparing a visual identification system (i.e. business cards, letterheads, presentation templates, image materials, sales offer templates, or gadgets). ). These elements are constantly repeated in the brand's communication and accompany the brand throughout its entire period of operation. Therefore, they must be unique so that customers remember them and identify them with the brand. Branding is also a way of construction brand recognition by giving it a number of unique features with which the recipients are to identify it. It is to underline the brand's value and thus distinguish it from market rivals.

Branding also means:

• systematization of brand communication in digital, i.e. preparation of a coherent website, newsletters, social media,
• defining the brand archetype,
• developing a marketing strategy i communication strategy,
• defining promotions and ongoing actions taken by the brand,
• the quality of products or services offered by the brand,
• as well as other factors that affect the perception of the brand by the environment and the feelings of recipients about the brand.

All the assumptions of the brand branding are contained in the so-called brand book.

Check

Branding is not a one-time activity that will immediately make the brand popular. It is a process of detailed planning and then continuous care for consistency and the desired perception of the brand. It is building brand awareness using various marketing and management tools and activities. It is the process of creating an emotional connection between the brand and the audience. The basis of branding is a reliable brand strategy, defining its most important distinguishing features and values, characterizing what the brand is now and what it wants to be in the future. The strategy sets the directions for the brand's development, thanks to which it will be able to build awareness among its recipients.

Branding stanowi swoistą esencję marki. Jak wpływa na jej działalność? I co do tego procesu ma agencja brandingowa?

Why does the company need branding, i.e. the main purpose of branding

From the above paragraph you can easily deduce that the purpose of branding is to create a specific brand image, keeping it in the minds of recipients and spreading it on a larger scale. But that's not all. The purpose of branding is also a kind of ordering the brand image and maintaining consistency in all communication channels. Branding is also a definition of rules that will allow you to communicate effectively with individual target groups, efficiently and comprehensively manage the brand on all levels and, if possible, adapt to trends in the industry.

Branding it's a process. It requires time, commitment, a solid strategy and consistency in action. Is it worth it? Without a doubt! Well-conducted branding - whether done by the company itself or by a professional branding agency - is an unquestionable source of a strong competitive advantage and a recipe for guaranteed success in business.

What can branding give you?

Thoughtful branding brings benefits in the long term. First of all, it creates a strong one brand identity, which translates into its positive, lasting image - both in the eyes of customers and contractors, industry competitors and employees. Thanks to this, it strengthens the brand recognition in the market.

Have you ever wondered why consumers choose one specific product from among the many competitive products available on store shelves? Sometimes they do it automatically. They don't think long, compare or check what will be more profitable for them. Example? Here you are!

Let's assume that you have two chocolates to choose from - classic Milka wrapped in a well-known purple packaging and a product of a brand you've never heard of - the packaging doesn't mean anything to you, the name of the brand doesn't evoke any specific thoughts. Which board will you choose? Without any hesitation, we can say that Milka.

Why? The secret lies in the strength of the brand. A brand with a strong, consistent identity and a positive image has a better chance of spectacular success on the market than a brand that has not taken care of consistency and does not stand out in any way. A brand with strong branding can stand out from the competition - it knows how to build a lasting competitive advantage. It is credible and therefore has loyal customers who often recommend it to others.

Check

Thanks to the recognition, the brand does not have to spend huge amounts of money on marketing. Sales are self-generating and generate attractive profits. A strong brand has a large market share. In addition, it is easier for it to promote new products, and brand management itself is simpler and cheaper. Nobody does better than building a brand image public relations agency.

How to do good branding? A branding agency can do it!

Branding is an art. It requires knowledge in the field of image creation, experience and excellent knowledge of the market. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs make basic mistakes that negatively affect the entire process - and even often decide about its final failure. As a consequence, the brand, instead of being spectacularly successful on the market, cannot stand out at all, and in the worst case scenario - it collapses.

The most common mistakes made in the branding process include:

• "Excessive" creativity and too much experimentation, which can blur the brand image - individual branding elements do not fit into the company's strategic assumptions, differ significantly from each other, and thus the company is not able to build a strong, uniform identity,
• copying from other brands - branding is to distinguish the brand from the competition, give it a unique character; by copying branding elements from other companies, we will get effects opposite to the intended ones, and we can even meet with a negative reception of target groups,
• omitting the prospects of brand development - i.e. failure to take into account the strategic development plan in the branding process; creating branding "for now", the lack of versatility that will allow it to develop and adapt to changing trends,
• omitting functionality - the appearance of individual elements of identification is important, but functionality is just as important,

Mistakes can destroy the entire branding process, reducing its effectiveness and leading the brand to ultimate failure. If you want your brand to be successful, entrust the preparation and implementation of branding to specialists. Check what a professional can do for you creative agency.

How does a branding agency work in theory and practice?

A branding agency is a company that creates brand identity. Its goal is to create a specific image of a specific brand (in such a way that it will be remembered by recipients) using the most important elements of building awareness. Among them, we can mention the name, logo, visual identification, strategy and values that the brand is to represent.

The main tasks of branding agencies include:

• creating new brands,
• carrying out changes in the image and structure of existing brands, known as refreshing or rebranding.

A branding agency is supposed to effectively introduce the brand – or its product/service – to the market. It achieves its goal by carrying out brand image research and market analysis, creating a brand strategy, naming, designing visual identification, implementing and communicating the brand on the market.

In theory, the branding agency only deals with the introduction of new companies, services or products to the market. On the other hand, in practice, the scope of its operation is more complex and includes conducting an integrated comprehensive offline and online campaign, using various tools and communication channels.

In fact, the activities of a branding agency resemble projects carried out by advertising and interactive agencies, operating in the 360 ° model. As part of cooperation with a branding company, not only a brand with a new image is created, but also a complete advertising campaign, tailored to the company's profile and its products. In the process of creating branding, the agency may use social media, ATL campaigns and other tools that are also used by advertising agencies.

Check

Branding agency – 3 main tasks

The core of the duties of a professional branding agency consists of three elements:

Strategy

Branding agency na początku współpracy z daną firmą skrupulatnie analizuje jej sytuację wyjściową, a w szczególności skupia się na szansach i zagrożeniach, jakie płyną z otoczenia, profilach i działaniach konkurencji, a także na mocnych i słabych stronach, by wyróżnić markę spośród rynkowych rywali. Na podstawie zebranych danych określa wytyczne dotyczące pozycjonowania marki na rynkach, na których działa – wyszczególnia cechy wizerunku, które marka powinna promować oraz te, które raczej nie doprowadzą do jej sukcesu. Na tym etapie powstają również zarysy marketingu firmy.

Corporate identity

Corporate identity, i.e. visual identification, is an integrated whole, a set of elements that make it easier for a brand to communicate its individuality and value on the market. CI ensures the consistency of products, services, advertising messages and other messages sent to the environment. It is a kind of visual identity, which consists of elements such as:

• logo,
• slogan,
• colors of markings, advertising materials, company headquarters,
• fonts used - type, colors,
• shapes, textures, and anything else that create the overall brand image.

Corporate identity is also naming, i.e. the appropriate naming of a brand or its product. This is an important stage in the branding process, because the final success of the brand largely depends on the name. A well-chosen name will distinguish the company in the maze of competing brands. On the other hand, an incorrectly chosen, hard to remember or badly associated name is a potential blow to your own business.

Corporate identity is the starting point for further brand activities. Therefore, it should be consistent with its characteristics, policy, values and strategic goals.

Branding

Ostatnim etapem kompleksowej budowy wizerunku marki jest docelowy branding. Branding agency przedstawia klientowi pełen zestaw materiałów marketingowych, składający się z nazwy, logo, identyfikacji wizualnej marki. Zgodnie z wcześniejszymi ustaleniami i zakresem współpracy, klient może otrzymać także:

• carefully prepared development strategy,
• advertising creations,
• creating websites,
• schedule of activities in social media,
• product packaging design.

What is rebranding?

Branding agencies primarily deal with the comprehensive introduction of new brands to the market. But that's not all. The second area of activity of professional branding companies is rebranding.

Rebranding is the process of modifying all or some of the selected elements that make up the company. It is a kind of refreshing the image, which can prove useful in the case of expanding operations to new markets, changing the market strategy, changing the owner, entering the stock exchange. It is also a good solution when serious problems arise that disrupt the proper functioning of the company, negatively affect its recognition and make it difficult to generate satisfactory profits.

The purpose of rebranding is to give the brand specific features, strengthen its specific advantages or consciously emphasize the changes that have taken place in the company. As a result, evoking new, more positive feelings related to the brand or adapting it to new circumstances.

Check

Rebranding this is a new opportunity for the brand, but also a significant risk. The new image may not appeal to the recipients, and rebranding, instead of helping, will only hurt the company's operations. In order to enjoy the expected results, it is worth entrusting rebranding to professionals. The experience of a branding agency can tremendously help in this important, extremely difficult process.

Rebranding, i.e. a new face of visual identification

Rebranding to skomplikowany proces. Wymaga czasu, pełnego zaangażowania i dobrego, przemyślanego planu. Jak profesjonalna agencja brandingowa przeprowadza rebranding?

The first stage of work is a detailed analysis of the current activities of the brand. Specialists take a closer look at, inter alia, company marketing, image-building activities, communication with individual target groups. Then they conduct a market audit, with an emphasis on competitors' activities. The analysis of the target group and the definition of the needs, goals and expectations of the brand are also of great importance.

The analyzes are to indicate where the brand is currently located, how it compares to the competition, what aspects require improvement, what needs to be focused the most, and what can remain unchanged. The obtained data constitute the starting point for further stages of the project.

Based on the analyses, the agency's experts prepare an action plan and then, in consultation with the client, develop a new brand image. Individual elements of the new image are implemented in accordance with the agreed schedule.

Branding and marketing agency

When analyzing the scope of activities of a branding agency, it is impossible not to notice a powerful similarity to the scope of operation of a marketing agency. However, branding and marketing agencies are not the same.

The marketing agency does not develop motifs, logos, does not create an image. He only uses it. Adjusts the marketing strategy to the developed identity and assumptions of the brand strategy, combining them with target group. The task of a branding agency is to create an image that will translate into the success of marketing activities. The aim of branding is to base the image on the brand's strengths and valuable values, which will be a valuable source of competitive advantage necessary in the marketing process.

Branding is about drawing attention to the brand, while marketing is a tool for reaching specific recipients with the message. Branding precedes marketing. In other words, marketing is based on branding. And it connects these areas!

How is a branding agency different from an advertising agency?

Agencje brandingowe często błędnie utożsamiane są z agencjami reklamowymi. Jednak między tymi podmiotami widoczne są wyraźne różnice – szczególnie w charakterze działań oraz przeznaczeniu realizowanych usług.

Today, a brand that wants to count on positive feedback from recipients must have a friendly, characteristic image that will be its hallmark, something that will distinguish it from the competition. This image is created by a branding agency.

The company focuses on designing the brand and creating its basic principles. It can also plan a campaign introducing the brand to the market or communicating the change that has taken place in it. The essence of its activity, however, is creating the concept of the brand and planning activities that will help it to subscribe to the awareness of the recipients.

Check

Agencja reklamowa zaś prowadzi bieżące działania reklamowe i promocyjne, które mają przełożyć się na zwiększenie sprzedaży, wzrost rozpoznawalności marki i utrwalenie jej wizerunku wśród odbiorców. W założeniu agencja reklamowa nie zajmuje się projektowaniem koncepcji marki, a wyłącznie realizowaniem jej założeń. Nacisk kładzie stricte na działania promocyjne, podczas gdy agencja brandingowa głównie skupia się na wizerunku, który ma pomóc wypromować markę na rynku.

How to choose a branding agency?

Przed wyborem konkretnej agencji brandingowej powinieneś określić cel, jaki chcesz osiągnąć, współpracując z taką firmą. Celem może być dotarcie do nowej grupy docelowej, zmiana wizerunku ma bardziej ekologiczny, wprowadzenie nowego produktu na rynek.

Be sure to specify whether you only need a small intervention of the agency (e.g. creating a logo) or you are counting on a comprehensive service that includes building or rebuilding the entire brand - from A to Z.

Następnie skrupulatnie przeanalizuj wybrane agencje brandingowe, pod kątem ich doświadczenia, dotychczasowych realizacji, kompetencji, zakresu świadczonych usług, opinii klientów.

Choose an agency that employs many highly qualified specialists, has a 360° approach to branding and is able to offer you a comprehensive service at the highest level.

Zwróć uwagę na kontakt z agencją brandingową. Sprawdź, czy zaangażowała się w Twój problem, przedstawiła Ci konkretne rozwiązania, jest spójna w myślach i działaniach, trzyma się wyznaczonych terminów od początku współpracy. Jeśli coś jest nie tak, nie wahaj się zmienić agencji. Pamiętaj jednak, żeby w umowie podpisanej z agencją zawrzeć zapis o ewentualnej rezygnacji z usług.

Increase your chances of spectacular success in business

One of the most important elements for business success is the creation and effective building of a brand. Comprehensive branding is a process. It requires an appropriate strategy that takes into account the brand's unique identity and the needs and preferences of its target audience. Creating new brands is extremely important for companies that want to develop and gain an advantage over the competition. It is equally important to refresh the brand's image when it has been on the market for years. Therefore, both when we create new brands and when we want to need rebranding, supporting the brand image through a rebrand agency is the best idea.

Warto skorzystać z usług ekspertów, którzy pomogą w opracowaniu efektywnej strategii budowania pozytywnego wizerunku i zwiększenia rozpoznawalności marki na rynku. Pamiętajmy, że nieodpowiednia strategia mogą prowadzić do niepowodzenia, dlatego kluczowe jest zaangażowanie się w proces kreowania marki i budowania strategii na poważnie. Branding agency powinna wesprzeć nas m.in. w obszarze komunikacji wizualnej i komunikacji marketingowej marki. Obszary działań agencji są przy tym dużo szersze. Wdrożenie konkretnych działań jest uzależnione od potrzeb klienta.

Rola storytellingu w pracy agencji brandingowej

Współczesne agencje brandingowe coraz częściej wykorzystują storytelling jako kluczowe narzędzie w budowaniu silnych marek. Poprzez tworzenie angażujących narracji, firma brandingowa może skutecznie przekazać wartości i misję marki, co pozwala na głębsze połączenie z odbiorcami. Zastosowanie storytellingu w strategii marki umożliwia agencji brandingowej wyróżnienie produktów lub usług na tle konkurencji, tworząc unikalne doświadczenia dla klientów.

Jak agencja brandingowa wspiera startupy?

Dla startupów, współpraca z agencją brandingową jest kluczowa w procesie budowania rozpoznawalności na rynku. Agencja brandingowa co to? To partner, który pomaga w kreowaniu spójnej tożsamości wizualnej, definiowaniu wartości marki oraz opracowywaniu strategii komunikacji. Dzięki temu, początkujące firmy mogą skutecznie konkurować z bardziej ugruntowanymi podmiotami. Branding agency oferuje kompleksowe usługi brandingowe, takie jak projektowanie logo, tworzenie materiałów promocyjnych czy doradztwo w zakresie strategii marketingowej.

Worth knowing:

1. What is a branding agency?

Branding agency specjalizuje się w kreowaniu, rozwijaniu i zarządzaniu wizerunkiem marek. Jej zadaniem jest budowanie świadomości marki poprzez m.in. badania rynku, analizowanie zachowań konsumentów, opracowywanie strategii brandingu i tworzenie kampanii reklamowych. Wiedza i doświadczenie agencji brandingowej to klucz do stworzenia fascynującego wizerunku marki, który zostanie zapamiętany przez konsumentów na długo. Oprócz tego, agencja pomaga przedsiębiorstwom w budowaniu pozytywnych relacji z klientami i wyróżnianiu się na tle konkurencji.

2. What does a branding agency do?

Branding agency to firma specjalizująca się w budowaniu i rozwijaniu wizerunku marki. Zajmuje się kreowaniem strategii marketingowych, projektowaniem logo, identyfikacji wizualnej, a także działań związanych z marketingiem internetowym i budowaniem społeczności online. Pracuje także nad wykreowaniem tożsamości marki, która przyciąga klientów i zapada w pamięć, wyróżniając się na tle konkurencji.

3. How to prepare a branding strategy?

This is not an easy task, but it is certainly crucial for achieving success on the market. The first step is to understand your brand, including its values and goals. Then you need to analyze the market and competition to better understand where the company can stand out and what it offers to customers. You also need to define your target audience and how you can reach them. Ultimately, the branding strategy should have clearly defined goals and means of achieving them through marketing activities. Thanks to the appropriate branding strategy, the company will be able to build a positive image and gain loyal customers.

4. What is branding?

Branding consists of many elements that create a brand image and affect its recognition. How a given product or service is perceived by consumers has a significant impact on its success on the market. The essence of branding is how the brand is presented to the world. It is not only the name, logo or packaging, but also the way of communicating with customers, the quality of products and services or the approach to the natural environment. A good brand is a guarantee of quality in the eyes of consumers, which translates into loyalty and higher sales. That is why it is worth taking care of branding from the very beginning, because a poorly constructed brand image can contribute to its downfall.

5. What are some examples of branding activities?

Branding activities are a key element of building a brand image. One popular example is a logo, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Other methods, such as creating PR campaigns, sponsoring events or using social media, can also help to increase brand recognition. It is important to act coherently, creating a coherent and consistent image. An interesting example of successful branding activities is the iconic McDonald's slogan "I'm Lovin' It". Which methods of operation are effective depend on the industry and target group, so it is worth conducting market research and test campaigns to better understand customer preferences.