How to Clarify Complex Brands
A marketing industry rule of thumb is that a customer needs seven interactions with a brand before they remember it or engage with it. If the brand is inconsistent in its brand expression, then that rule goes out the window.
Brand expression inconsistency is quite common with organizations large and small. Sometimes with small organizations, a brand style guide doesn’t exist. Or they don’t have the time or employee expertise to manage and uphold the brand standards. Large organizations may have a larger communication department, but that doesn’t prevent other employees from misusing or misunderstanding brand boundaries. I usually get the SOS call when organizations realize there’s a misunderstanding of their brand.
Identify the Brand Relationship
Umbrella Brands example
We do a lot of work clarifying what brands stand for. At times, the best strategy is to rebrand organizations. Even if you’re a public relations pro, brand clarity and perception is an important key to campaign success. Unclear branding happens in many organizations that have an Umbrella or House of Brands.
An umbrella brand has a parent organization (or main brand) with sub-brands that are spinoffs of the main branding. This structure is common in organizations that have a national presence and regional chapters (like Big Brothers Big Sisters).
A house of brands is seen in organizations that have different divisions or offerings — like Disney or within school districts. Each sub-brand has their own identity and some operational autonomy.
Connecting a sub-brand to its parent organization takes a mapped-out brand architecture, a stylebook, execution strategy, and thoughtfulness. Here are a few of my pro tips when I’m in the trenches with an organization working on clarifying its branding.
Audit for Awareness
One of the first steps we take is to conduct a communication audit. We research and analyze the organization’s communication channels, use of its logo/s and overall brand messaging. How do they say who they are across mediums?
Then we determine how stakeholders describe the brand. My goal is to carefully untangle any confusing areas and clear the path forward to sharing an authentic, accurate, and memorable message.
Create Clarity with Defined Relationships
Where it gets complicated is when you see a sub-brand and its parent brand blurring the lines, telling incongruent stories, and ultimately confusing customers. For example, this happens in many educational settings where each school or college within a system operates with autonomy but is expected to express an affiliation with the parent organization (AKA umbrella district brand). Sometimes in these same category/different offering situations, you will see competition for territory, students, or market share -- even between sub-brands that are part of a connected brand family! That’s why it’s critical to have a strategic communication plan built and executed by a communication professional who can help determine lanes, build alliances and create sub-brand resources or toolkits. A professional who’s skilled at branding organizations will know when it’s appropriate to partner with one another and when to respect autonomy between brands.
Consistency is Critical
Apple is very consistent with its branding and most people know that an iPhone is a part of Apple, just like most Texans know that UTSA is a part of the University of Texas system. If your brand is consistent, then you can focus on other parts of your organization to improve on such as customer service or another program. It’s estimated that 71% of consumers ended a business relationship due to poor customer service. Start with a clear brand, and then prove that brand’s value through good products, service or programming. Brand clarity will help attract customers. Offering the best value for their investment in a product, education choice or service will keep them.