Brand DNA: a unique recipe for business success

A brand's DNA is the essence of its identity. It defines what makes it unique as well as what what sets it apart from the competition. Thus, it gives customers a reason to buy brand products and not rivals. Identifying this area is a necessary step that a company must take before embarking on a mission to build awareness, gain customers and loyalty to the brand.  

A brand's DNA is similar to a human's genetic code. This information carrier consists of many molecules containing genetic information unique to each of us. There are different ways in which this aspect can be defined. One approach is to highlight your heritage: why the company was founded and how it has evolved over the years into the organization it is today. In addition to thinking about your past, it's also important to focus on your current priorities and future ambitions when defining your brand DNA.  

Brand DNA - definition 

Real DNA contains genetic information about how we look and behave, and it also defines what makes us different from each other. So different that it is unique. It's the same with the brand's DNA. Its essential building blocks are the goal, promise, values, employer branding etc. The whole thing has to be relevant, expressive and effective. So that it resonates well with the audience. Brand DNA is not an advertising slogan or a statement coined for the purposes of positioning. Since it is the center of all brand-building efforts, it should convey a strategic message. To express the basic ideas that guide the expression of the brand and which constitute the essence of its offer. What is its true value? Above all, it is something that can significantly change the company and the way the recipients think about it. 

Do customers see the brand's DNA? 

The client does not break down his brand experience into prime factors. It makes no distinction between marketing, production, sales, or customer service. For the individual consumer, they are just different aspects of the same brand. That's why a brand's DNA needs to permeate every part of it, and the best way to do this is to create a fundamental identity that communicates everything the company does. To do this, it has to really clearly define its values and the personality that the brand wants to express. The business needs to understand who it is and ensure that the customer experience is consistent with what the brand stands for. The purpose of DNA is to help the body adapt optimally to an ever-changing environment. DNA's ability to adapt makes it an apt metaphor for brands today. To create DNA for a brand, a company needs to understand the environment it will need to adapt to in order to grow. 

How to define a brand's DNA? 

Are you wondering how to identify your brand's DNA? Here are some areas to start with. First, the background. Is there a history behind your company that shows that what you offer is directly related to what you are passionate about? If so, make this story interesting for your audience. It is a valuable distinguishing feature. No company has an identical history, but only a few are able to make good use of this fact. Another issue is the price. If you own one of the restaurants specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, with at least a few on the same street, you will have to find something that sets you apart. Maybe your restaurant offers better quality at a lower price? Or maybe it is more expensive, but more exclusive? It is also one of the elements of the brand's DNA.  

Let's move on. Your brand may sell exactly the same product as another brand. However, it can be more active, for example, in a niche market, which means that your target group it is well defined. Operating in a market niche changes the form of things and creates completely new opportunities in terms of marketing activities (what it is niche marketing you will check here).

Another component of the brand's DNA - quality. Let's take two clothing brands for comparison. Both apparently serve exactly the same demographic. They both offer their clothes for the same price. But one brand uses stronger materials and its jeans last twice as long. This brand may advertise itself as offering more value products. Question: what value does your company offer? Also consider this: 

- what is important for your company, not only in terms of trade and industry, but also on a broader, global level? 

- what is your mission and what are your goals for the future? 

- how do you want to help your clients and make their lives better? 

One of the most important goals to keep in mind when developing your business is maintaining a consistent identity across all marketing channels and engagement platforms. To achieve this consistency, it must also be embraced by the brand communication strategy. Consider all these aspects and think about how they can help you create your own unique brand DNA.  

What elements does the brand's DNA consist of?

The brand's DNA explains in detail exactly what the brand is, and how its personality and personality should be communicated company vision. It is a set of elements that allow you to shape the complete image of the brand in the mind of the recipient, which consists of:

1. Brand values, the foundation of every brand. When choosing a specific product or service, customers identify it with the brand that offers it. Consumers pay attention to whether the values that guide a given brand are consistent with what they themselves believe and with what they want to be associated with. Strength, reliability, energy ... - specific values constitute the core of our existence and give meaning to our actions, which is why we are so eager to choose brands that extend it.
2. Brand promises that arise from the fact that customers are looking for solutions to their specific problems or ways to meet individual needs. Your products or services carry specific promises, the keeping of which is the main goal of your business.
3. Brand differentiators that make the brand stand out from the competition by offering something special, distinctive and unique. They create brand image and it is around them that companies should build their market advantage.
4. Brand communication style, that is, the way a product or service "talks" to its potential buyer. In order to be able to reach a given target group more effectively, we have to speak its language, react to their dreams and ills and carefully listen to the needs signaled by the market.

Is it worth focusing on brand DNA? 

Though brand building and determining its DNA is definitely a long process, it may ultimately prove to be the main driver of the company's success. If companies do it right, the DNA of a brand becomes what it really "sells". Established brands can induce people to buy more at higher prices and reduce possible consumer objections. They also create loyal customers who tend to share their enthusiasm with others. Simply put, successful branding and strong brand DNA is every retailer's dream come true. And they deliver brilliant  generating leads. Among the 1,800 brands surveyed, those that were considered the most "significant" scored significantly higher on various KPIs.  

What really makes the brand is the source of the development of all long-term strategies and short-term tactics. Have you ever wondered why some customers develop strong relationships with certain brands? Humanistic psychology, and more specifically Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, is at the heart of understanding this phenomenon.

At some level, these needs motivate everything we do, including purchasing behavior. Not every brand meets the same needs. Understanding the needs that best meet your brand is important for your message and strategy to highlight what motivates customers to work with you. Companies must use their strengths embedded in the brand's DNA.

If you want to improve your company's results and facilitate the work of your sales team, invest in your brand. Develop brand DNA, prioritize quality, be transparent in action, focus on your ideal client. Creating a brand DNA is like creating a map that will inform about all the company's decisions and help the brand develop naturally from the inside. The key to the goal of successful branding is consistency. Having the brand DNA - the guiding plan - guarantees that the company will achieve it. 

What is the brand's DNA built for?

Success is not what you have but who you are. Only generating a DNA synthesis of our brand will allow us to build a really strong and recognizable brand. By creating a foundation based on genuine values, sincere promises and expressive distinguishing features, we can create an "unmistakable" brand, resistant to all temporary trends and fashions.

Be bold, be the first, be different. There is no shortage of products or services like yours on the market. However, there is only one brand like yours. By becoming aware of what exactly is the core of our brand identity, we can build a marketing strategy consistent with other business goals. Thanks to this, our communication will result in unwavering trust of recipients and an established position of the company on the market.

Only knowing the roots can we set real development goals. Moreover, only by building coherent communication are we able to tell engaging stories that will hypnotize our audience. Each one target group it has a common denominator. Nobody likes it being sold to them, but we all love authentic stories. Clients don't always remember what you say to them, but they will certainly code the images that pop into their minds at the thought of a particular brand. Only by going beyond the standard presentation of the offer, we are able to build a crowd of faithful and loyal ambassadors.

An expressive personality attracts attention. Nowadays, more and more often we treat brands as people with whom we enter into a closer or further relationship. We only make friends with those with whom we understand, with whom we identify and who never fail us.

Fuzzy brand DNA

Sometimes it's hard to define a brand's DNA. This happens when:

• the brand has existed for a long time and no one has been interested in this issue so far,
• the company does not have a clear history that would distinguish it from others,
• the target group was incorrectly specified,
• the brand is easily subject to trends, there is no clear strategy of action,
• creates different messages, uses inconsistent language or uses the same messages as the competition.

In the above situations, we can talk about a blurred brand DNA. Unfortunately, the lack of an expressive DNA may have a negative impact on the company's operations. Why? It is worth citing an example of consumers' purchasing intentions. Most people (according to the data even 95%) are guided by their emotions when buying - they pay attention to whether they like a given brand or identify with it.

A company that is not expressive may be rejected. As a result, it will not enjoy as much popularity as the competition, it will be hard for it to stand out and win over a loyal audience. The consequence will be low profits, a weak market position, and in the worst case - the collapse of the business.

Fuzzy DNA needs to be strengthened. In the case of a company that has been operating on the market for some time, this process may be a widely understood element rebranding. Rebranding is the modification of any or all of the elements that make up the brand. Its purpose is to renew the company's image, to give it specific values, to highlight specific changes that have taken place inside the company.

The process of amplifying fuzzy DNA can be divided into several stages:

• Finding brand value - something that defines it. At this point, you should identify values important for the brand and those important for customers and find common points. A detailed analysis of the target group can be very helpful in this.

• Brand promise. This is something we promise the client. Something that will make him want to choose our company. The promise must be true. It should define what the brand is, what distinguishes it from others, what is the higher idea behind its activity.

• Brand style. It defines how the company communicates with the environment. Correcting communication errors is crucial. The brand should be given human characteristics.

• Highlights. This is all that the brand has that others do not. Something that distinguishes it from the competition. It can be a specific product, its unique feature, some important story behind it, awards or distinctions, production method, customer service. The differentiators must be clear. Remember that something that is obvious to us is not necessarily a guarantee for the customer. Therefore, it must be emphasized.

In the process of strengthening the brand's DNA, its identity plays a key role. Make sure it is strong and visible to the environment. Identity includes elements of visual identification (such as logo, name or characteristic appearance of products), customer service standards, organizational culture of the company, CSR e.t.c.

Expressive brand DNA

Expressive DNA is a guarantee of consistency. It is something that defines the brand, it is a solid foundation for its entire business. Thanks to it, the company does not follow trends without reflection. Its activities are uniform and based on specific goals. What distinguishes a brand with an expressive bottom?

1. Unusual history - for example, the establishment of a company, a given product, etc. A good history can be an excellent background for the entire activity of the brand on the market. It is something that distinguishes the brand from the competition and gives it a unique character.
2. Unique. All the features that distinguish the brand. The company can use these qualities to create its identity. They can also be a good starting point for creating marketing and PR activities.
3. Well-defined target group. A brand that knows its recipients perfectly will achieve success on the market faster than one that does not pay attention to building relationships with customers. The upside is operating in a niche and well-defined niche marketing. A strong brand can win the trust of customers. She has a loyal audience - people are eager to come back to her, identify with her, see their beliefs and values in her actions.
4. Perfect quality. The company offers products or services of better quality than the competition, and at the same time provides the same price. Thanks to this, he has more customers.
5. Clearly defined goals. A brand with an expressive DNA knows what it is striving for. It has a strictly defined mission, realistic vision and specific goals. It bases all its activities on its solid DNA.
6. Cohesion. Brand identity is consistent across all marketing channels. A properly composed communication strategy is also noticeable. The company has its own unique, carefully developed language of communication.

A brand with a distinctive DNA is recognizable, it can create a natural buzz around itself. She knows what she can do. It is well aware of the features that make it unique, distinguish it from the competition. A strong brand has character, bases its steps on specific values, works more broadly - it pays attention not only to its business, but also to matters of a wider, global scope.

Brand DNA and the image of the employer

One of the components of the brand's DNA is employer branding – both internal, focused on current employees, and external, which concerns potential candidates for employees. Employer branding is an activity aimed at creating a company as a friendly workplacecreating an image desired employer. The scope of EB includes such elements as:

• company values, goals and philosophy,
• organizational culture diagram,
• quality and style of company management,
• atmosphere in the workplace,
• communication strategy, type of ties between employees,
• motivational tools,
• employment conditions, benefits and social benefit systems.

In a company with a clear, strong DNA, employer branding is at the highest level. It is based on good values. It is clear, concrete, logical and thoughtful. The company cares about providing its employees with the best of everything. They are guaranteed by excellent employment conditions, a rational benefit system tailored to the needs. It works in such a way that each employee feels that they can have a clear influence on the development of the brand.

Good internal employer branding, in which strong brand DNA is visible, translates into a positive image of the brand as a potential employer. Satisfied employees are the company's best showpiece. And candidates trust companies with an established position on the market.

In the era of high competitiveness, you need to stand out in a certain way. It is especially important in industries with an employee market - where there are more vacancies than candidates, and thanks to this, they can browse through job offers in search of the ones that suit them best. Strong employer brand facilitates the acquisition of the best, competent employees. A company with an expressive DNA and well-thought-out employer branding has clearly defined goals, has values important from the point of view of potential candidates, is open, and thus easily attracts talents. Candidates identify with the brand, want to cooperate with it, and trust it.