Creating a brand image - why is it crucial?

Not every industry is the same, and thus the needs of companies from different sectors are also different. Image creation brand requires an individual approach. One that will provide unique solutions. How? Thanks to extraordinary ideas.  

What will you learn from the article?

Creating a brand image is an extremely important process for every company that can bring significant benefits, such as increasing customer recognition and loyalty. In this article, we will explore various aspects image creation brand, starting with its definition and discussing the key steps that should be taken to effectively build the image. You will learn how to take care of relationships with customers to strengthen their commitment and loyalty to the brand. Using the example of the Apple brand, we will look at image creation practices, analyzing their effectiveness and strategies. We will also discover what challenges companies face when creating the image of a luxury brand and what benefits they can gain from a properly implemented strategy.

We will also try to answer the question of who to entrust marketing to. We will present the influence of bloggers on image building brand and we will verify whether image research is worth the price. Finally, we will identify factors that should be avoided in order not to damage the brand image and effectively manage its reputation in the market. Get ready to deepen your knowledge of key factors influencing customer perception of your brand and effective strategies for building a lasting and positive company image on the market.

Creating the image of a company is a key element of a business strategy. A good reputation and image attract investors, consumers and employees. Nowadays, when competition is huge, creating a positive image of the company is extremely important. This is influenced by many factors, such as the quality of products and services, business ethics, social activities and ecology.

Effective image creation is a process that requires effort and work. However, if done properly, it can contribute to a significant improvement of the company's position on the market and building long-term, prosperous relationships with customers and external partners.

The path of image building is a multi-stage and long-term activity - so it must be very well thought out and developed. Even a brilliant idea will fail when the actions are chaotic and random. So how to create a good brand image that we care about?  

Creating a brand image - definition

Branding is a process that should start with analyzing the current situation. If it turns out that your brand is not recognized enough, is going through some kind of crisis, or you have not taken any action at all, it means that it is time to do something about it.

A positive brand image is one of a marketer's strongest tools. It is based on building a brand based on its emotional and functional values. The elements of your brand identification include more than just the logo, colors and images you use. Your brand is made up of the emotions you evoke, the stories you tell, the experiences you deliver and the promises you keep.

Creating a brand image consists in giving the brand specific features of its personality. The selection of features and associations should be tailored to the real needs and expectations of the selected target group. Building a positive brand image also means showing it to the world in an authentic way. In everything you do and in all the messages you send. The essence of an authentic message is finding value in what you offer and pointing to the real needs that you meet, and then dressing it in the right words and images.

Creating a brand image, i.e. creating a strong, convincing, expressive and easily identifiable brand is crucial, no matter how big the company is. Your brand identity should reflect your brand experience and values. The logo is the first thing most people will think of when they hear about your brand, so it should relate to it in the right way.

Regardless of whether the company is local or its reach is much larger, sooner or later it will be necessary to take actions to create its image. Even if it is very popular among regular customers, it is worth doing it, if only because of the search for potential consumers who will use our products or services.

This is especially visible in the case of activities of non-governmental organizations, which must have an impeccable image and at the same time constantly reach new recipients. One scratch is enough, and the entire creation of the brand image may turn out to be a futile effort. One wrong move and the public could lose trust in the foundation or association, and the organization itself would lose credibility. Following this lead, it is worth spending some time on preparing a solid image building strategy.  

Creating a brand image - quotes

As Paweł Tkaczyk emphasizes in his book "Brand Nooks" - "A brand for a consumer means a specific thing. A brand is often a mental shortcut that allows you to quickly grasp a specific product category or feature. Therefore, the brand should be very precisely defined. Before you start building it, define in detail what it should be for your consumer, and in the next step, add what your brand is not and will not be. It requires a little bit of planning for the future. "

The author also notes that "Brand building is a tedious and lengthy process. Take your message to everyone who wants to hear, and then carry it on even further. Constantly find new message channels, reach more and more recipients. Eventually your brand "grabs" and you start picking the fruit. "

Naming, i.e. giving a name to a brand, is slowly ceasing to be an amateur practice. Brand image management requires specialist knowledge. More and more often, companies turn to professional advertising agencies with a request to develop a catchy name that will distinguish them from the competition. However, Paweł Tkaczyk points out that "There is no point in investing in a name that is not supported by coherent marketing communication. Taken out of context - even the best one - will lose in competition with well-composed, characteristic communication. Therefore, demand a complete name: with an explanation of its meaning potential, a series of associations connecting it with your company or product, etc. Only then can you think about conquering the market.

Brand value – use its strength

Creating a brand image is a long-term process, but the effect is worth the effort. Paweł Tkaczyk points out that "We create a brand not only to give the consumer the feeling that he is buying something more than a" dry product ". Apart from adding to the core value, the brand is a value in itself, and this value can be transferred (or tried to be transferred) to other products or services. How should this be done? First of all, one should answer the question of what is the perceived value of the brand. Why does our branded product function in the minds of consumers as better than a comparable product of the competition? Where is his strength, what is the difference? If we manage to define it, we should try to transfer this value to a new category. "

Time to create a brand image - what to do?  

At this point, you need to consider what are the main goals that the company wants to achieve and why it deserves a positive image. How did she work for it? Creating a brand image requires answering the question: what is the mission of our company? To define it precisely, you need to know: 

• Why did we set up the company and what values do we follow in its activities? 
• What goal do we want to achieve? 
• What role do employees play in our company and how should we take care of them? 
• What is the role of our clients and how would we like to repay them for being in this group and supporting our activity? 
• You can also outsource the development and implementation of brand image creation to a PR agency

Once we answer these key questions, we should prepare for implementation - creating a brand image requires acting according to a plan. If there is no appropriate person within the brand, it is worth starting cooperation with an external agency which, thanks to its experience, will precisely match the activities to the company's profile. Not every action will be appropriate for our company. So it is a precisely tailor-made plan. The brand image creation strategy should include its most important aspects. If any of them are missing, there is a high probability that the entire plan will not succeed as expected.

The mere phrase "our brand mission" does not tell the audience much. It is therefore often referred to as "customer relations" or "our team", in which the brand boasts of its relations with the environment.  

How to build a brand on social media?

Social media is now often the first port of call for customers when it comes to engaging with a brand. Nowadays, there are few companies that do not have a profile on social media - it is one of the sources of brand promotion and a platform for building the desired image. The direction of our messages determines how the recipients will interpret them and whether we will make mistakes. Consistent entries, eye-catching graphics, showing the functioning of the brand from the inside - this will bring the brand closer to both regular and potential customers. Let's not forget about the employees, who are the strong pillar of the company.  

Corporate identity of the company is one of the first keys to success. Coherent elements that graphically represent the brand and allow recipients to remember it should be associated with it at the very first moment. All elements of visual identification, not only those on the web, should present a similar color scheme, the same logo, the current font and all aspects thanks to which the brand will be associated with them.  

How to build a positive brand image online?

When running your own business, it is impossible to climb higher and higher without working on your image. Entrepreneurs rent billboards, invest in leaflets and brochures, and buy advertisements in the press, television and radio. However, bearing in mind how powerful the Internet currently has, it is difficult to ignore it in your image-building activities. Virtually every company finds a place for itself on the Internet, so you have to work on your image there as well.

The website is the basis for presenting the offer on the Internet. It can even be said that it is a virtual headquarters of the company, therefore it has a high representative value. As in the case of a building, the first impression is important, the site should meet certain standards. The graphic design correlating with the values that the brand wants to convey will determine whether the customer stays on the site. Then the content - those that engage and provide valuable information, will keep the customer for longer.

A website that wants to appear high in the search ranking must be positioned for the right key phrases, and on this occasion it is also worth mentioning about regular software updates - Google is more likely to promote websites that are regularly updated. If you want to build a credible image, do not use stock photos. These photos are good, often high-quality, but they say absolutely nothing about your business.

If you really want to stand out, show yourself and the people who make up the company and talk about them. This way you will increase your credibility. When you do not create your image only on the Internet, you have to take care of marketing communication that will create a coherent ecosystem. For example: if the main color of your company is a combination of juicy green and white, use it everywhere - both on the website and in advertising leaflets.

Identity and brand image - how do they relate to each other? Company image is not permanent. It is shaped by a number of smaller or larger factors that you often have no direct influence on. It is important to constantly monitor how others perceive the brand. You can actively create your image by being active on social networks. Then you not only have more control over what others say about the brand - most likely most opinions will appear on the profiles - but at the same time you give yourself a chance to acquire more customers. The image of a company can be ruined very quickly. By keeping your finger on the pulse all the time, you give yourself a chance to react quickly. Do not forget about it.

Action in a crisis - do you have a plan B? 

The company's behavior in the event of a crisis certainly also affects the brand image. It should be conscious and as thoughtful as possible. It is worth acting right away - waiting out the crisis and reacting to losses is not a strategy. Let's not let one crisis ruin the brand's image achievements. Therefore, it is worth ensuring good preparation - it is enough to predict certain situations and precisely describe the course of action in each case. Then nothing sudden will surprise our company, and creating the brand image will bring the desired effect. 

How to care for customer relations? 

Relationships with customers are also one of those activities that affect the creation of a brand image. In the past, this term meant direct contact. Today, it is often even impossible, e.g. for online stores. So how do you approach building relationships in such a situation? The network offers us a lot of possibilities. In order to fully use its potential, activities in this field should start with building a transparent website that would be a real compendium of knowledge about the brand. There, we can present information about the company, present the range of products or services, inform about various benefits and boast about the brand's successes. We should also remember about updating Google's business card and taking care of all sources of information about our brand, having in mind, above all, the recipient to whom we direct each message.  

Brand awareness among the recipients of a given brand depends on many factors. First, we must pay attention to the quality of the products or services offered by the company. The better our products are, the greater the chance of attracting the attention of recipients. However, that's not all - the way the brand presents itself on the market is also important. Communication with customers, advertising, as well as the way the company operates in social media are factors that affect the perception of the brand by recipients. Ultimately, these activities must be tailored to the target group, which should always be in the center of the company's attention. If we approach the topic with care, the chance of achieving a high level of brand awareness among recipients will increase significantly.

Creating a brand image on the example of the Apple brand

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." Apple is not afraid to create trends. He knows that in setting the rhythm he is beyond the reach of the competition. By creating its image, it not only achieves its goals, but also inspires other companies, which even more effectively builds the image of the brand in the minds of recipients as an expert, innovator and timeless legend. He is positioning himself as a rebel when it comes to brand archetypes - promises a sense of freedom and independence.

“Some say - let's give the client what he wants. But our job is to find out what the client wants before he wants it. " Apple keeps a close eye on the market and keeps a close eye on social changes. Thanks to this, she perceives signals that allow her to think far ahead.

“There is a belief in Apple's DNA that technology is not enough. We believe that only technology combined with humanism brings exceptional results. " People are always at the heart of Apple's marketing communications. Human emotions are at the heart of any advertising campaign. Thanks to this, they raised a group of loyal supporters, and even fanatics.

“You have to work hard to bring out the pure thought that allows for simplicity. But it's worth it, because when you have it, you can move mountains. " One of the key values of the Apple brand, which can be seen both in the design of products and in creating the image, is simplicity. Minimalism and essentialism allow you to highlight what is most important and do not unnecessarily draw the attention of the recipient.

"We hire people who want to do the best things in the world." Apple realizes that the company's image is created by all employees, regardless of their position. Unfortunately, they are as effective as they are ruthless in this, and all actions of insubordination are ruthlessly suppressed. A clear and consistently followed communication policy is the strength of the brand as an employer.

"Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who change it." Apple is not afraid of bold moves, as long as they are consistent with the brand image created from the beginning. Fidelity to oneself translates into unflagging loyalty of customers who boldly reach for new products from Apple's offer.

What does it look like to build the image of a luxury company?

A luxury brand is attractive, both in terms of its external image and the identity it comes from. The logo of a luxury brand is often minimalist, and the claim, i.e. the slogan, is simple and expressive. All promotional materials, incl. business cards, catalogs, website and social media profiles are refined in every detail. Packaging is often of value in itself and is clearly distinguishable from cheaper alternatives. Design is the key to visual identification of luxury brands. It is around him that experiences related to the use of the offered products and services are built.

Luxury brands generally represent valuable heritage and a distinct identity, which is best presented using storytelling. It's easy to see that all the advertising creations of luxury brands are based on telling engaging stories that are deeply memorable and encourage further interaction. To do this, you need to clearly define the mission and vision of the brand and have them before your eyes at every stage of the implementation of the communication strategy.

The use of luxury brands is a multi-stage experience that goes far beyond the purchasing process itself and brings with it the promise of belonging to a specific community and a guarantee of quality and reliability. When deciding to buy a luxury product, the customer chooses a specific lifestyle with which he identifies himself immensely. And it is this lifestyle that is the axis around which advertising messages in the form of content, photos and videos are built.

Who should be entrusted with marketing and brand building? 

Branding and all marketing activities These are tasks that should be entrusted to specialists. Planning marketing and advertising activities is another step to spreading knowledge about the brand and at the same time building its image on the Internet. Product sales are an indispensable element of the image strategy because it is a kind of circle that starts and ends in the same place. Both the image and the sale of products or services are our goals, and building the company's image is also a tool to increase sales, while sales are the result of creating this image. Regardless of the size of the marketing campaign, all available resources will help promote the brand.  

Advertising on the Internet is a great tool supporting marketing activities Google Ads or Facebook Adsbut also of good quality contenti.e. sponsored articles, press releases, blog entries, expert texts and all kinds of substantive descriptions that enrich the brand's marketing portfolio. Let's not forget about responding to customer inquiries - they are valuable information for us, what we should additionally supplement or improve.  

What is the influence of bloggers on building the brand image?

The blogosphere grows stronger year by year, and if it is used well, it will strengthen the good image of the brand. Cooperation with a blogger or influencer gives many new opportunities that were beyond the reach of entrepreneurs just a few years ago. Specialists agree that influencer marketing is a very dynamically developing channel of communication with recipients and gives a great opportunity to acquire new customers, but above all to build a brand image. There is much to gain from cooperation.

First of all, awareness is growing when building a brand image, because bloggers, thanks to their reach, can help you acquire customers who have never heard of the brand before. By choosing an influencer who is related to the industry in which you operate, you also reach the right target group. In addition, bloggers who regularly publish entries about your products or services contribute to the growth of customer confidence in the company, creating a brand image in line with its DNA.

Where to start?

However, before you decide to cooperate with a blogger, carefully look at his entries. Assess their quality and content to get an idea of the style in which they write. Also consider whether such a person will fit the image you want to create. Bloggers are different, and it's not about their industries or interests, but about their lifestyle. Some people prefer humorous and casual content, while others prefer cool professionalism. Collaborating with a person who does not fit the image you want to create may end in failure.

When it comes to the duration of the cooperation, you have two options: one or two entries or long-term cooperation. It is also worth adding that ranges are important, but not the most important. If they are not followed by creativity, coherence and understanding of the values that your brand wants to bring, even cooperation with the most popular blogger will not bring the expected results. Mutual understanding and joint implementation of the set goals is important. Collaboration requires the involvement of both parties, if a blogger has an idea for content, don't stick to yours and try to trust them. After all, he knows his audience best and knows how to reach them.

Brand image research – is it worth doing?

Based on brand image research, you can accurately assess what associations and emotions it evokes among consumers. It is worth noting that the brand image is not limited only to the logo or advertising campaign - it is a comprehensive image that is shaped by customer experiences, brand communication and its values. Research allows you to identify the brand's strengths as well as areas for improvement.

Brand image analysis is crucial in building an effective marketing strategy, because it provides data on the basis of which you can make accurate decisions, adapting activities to the expectations and preferences of the target group. Moreover, image research allows you to monitor the effectiveness of marketing activities and adapt strategies in a dynamic market environment. A company's image contains a lot of valuable information - after all, its offer is often perceived through the prism of the brand's image. Creating a company's image helps build its desired image in the minds of customers.

Why is creating a brand image profitable?

• brand image increases its awareness and contributes to its growth and development,
• through the company's image, the company can shape the perception of its brand in the eyes of recipients,
• the brand shapes its positive image through consistent actions, which makes its communication consistent,
• creating your own brand helps you stand out in a competitive market,
• brand strategy helps set the direction of image activities,
• the target brand image is what one strives for through a strategy of building brand awareness, creating positive associations and promoting the values that one wants to convey to consumers and customers.

  Company image management allows you to build brand awareness. Building a company's image is a never-ending process, just like building a company's brand. However, shaping a positive image of the company is an investment that pays off.

Summary

Since shaping a brand's image is a complex and complicated process, it can be concluded that mistakes are easy to make. The absolute basis is strategy and reliable branding, but even here it is easy to make mistakes, especially if you want to build the brand yourself and do not have experience or appropriate knowledge. One of the most common, and at the same time most elementary, mistakes is an undefined target group and lack of brand features. How do you want to stand out in the market? What do you want to give your customers and why should they choose you? The essence of creating an image is uniqueness. A brand that is remembered is a brand that sells well. Look for your own way to be original, think about how you would like to be remembered and start taking action.

Another serious mistake when building a brand image is the lack of consistency in communication. Different style of speech – different for each channel, inconsistent graphics and different promise. Ask yourself: how can your audience remember your brand if it looks and says something different every time? An image is something that evokes specific associations with specific products or services, and inconsistent communication hinders the process of remembering. Customers will be broken and confused, and after some time they will forget about your brand. Creating a brand image therefore requires a consistent approach.

Mistakes also include a lack of understanding of the consumer's world. A moment of reflection on how the client thinks and what he is guided by will allow you to offer him exactly what they are looking for. Finally, it is worth mentioning the mistakes that you yourself make and which are seen by every recipient. Denial of mistakes is not a good thing, nor does it reflect well on the brand itself. did you make a mistake? Admit it and show consumers how you solved it. Let them feel that they are important to you and you want the cooperation to run smoothly. In this way, you will turn mistakes into benefits, and recipients will appreciate that you are honest with them.

You do not want a crisis situation to paralyze the activities of your company? contact us - we will help you prevent this.