Comments on: Branding for web professionals: An introduction http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/ User Experience Design, Web Development, and Internet Marketing Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:45:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Challenging Integrity - Personal and Professional Branding | bkmacdaddy designs http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-17293 Challenging Integrity - Personal and Professional Branding | bkmacdaddy designs Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:04:23 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-17293 [...] Branding for web professionals: An introduction [...] [...] Branding for web professionals: An introduction [...]

]]> By: Branding for web professionals: The anatomy of a brand / Brian Cray's Blog http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-17232 Branding for web professionals: The anatomy of a brand / Brian Cray's Blog Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:41:34 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-17232 [...] Branding for web professionals: An introduction I challenged readers to think about a brand as much more than a graphic standards document, and [...] [...] Branding for web professionals: An introduction I challenged readers to think about a brand as much more than a graphic standards document, and [...]

]]> By: Sean Wilson http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2240 Sean Wilson Thu, 21 May 2009 04:17:39 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2240 Great point. The last thing a brand is, in the latest era of marketing, is a logo. These days, a brand is a direct reflection of a company's engagement and efforts in that arena. My personal belief: "I believe in an approach to marketing that views it as the sum of all communications of and about a business or individual." To me, a brand is the sum and value of relationships created/initiated, discovered, offered, reciprocated, unintended but existing. A logo is a convenient target for emotions and--when done right--a nice visual reaffirmation of variable value, which is a direct reflection of the state of the brand's relationships. As I still haven't found a logo designer that can suitably communicate what I would like, however, I may be biased. ;) Great point. The last thing a brand is, in the latest era of marketing, is a logo. These days, a brand is a direct reflection of a company’s engagement and efforts in that arena.

My personal belief:

“I believe in an approach to marketing that views it as the sum of all communications of and about a business or individual.”

To me, a brand is the sum and value of relationships created/initiated, discovered, offered, reciprocated, unintended but existing. A logo is a convenient target for emotions and–when done right–a nice visual reaffirmation of variable value, which is a direct reflection of the state of the brand’s relationships.

As I still haven’t found a logo designer that can suitably communicate what I would like, however, I may be biased.

;)

]]> By: Brian Cray http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2235 Brian Cray Wed, 20 May 2009 16:20:46 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2235 PHYLLIS: True, it is essential to establish positioning through industry/competitive/internal analysis. I believe that brand elements like the USP are influencers, but don't make the brand. Rather, the customer's experience with that USP makes the brand. I'd also say that the customer has already experienced your brand before they walk into your store. At the time they became aware of your store, they experienced your brand and were influenced by the context of the experience. Hopefully the USP was made clear at that time to influence the customer's experience, thereby creating a brand that aligns with the USP. YAEL: My position is that anyone who delivers branded experiences to customers should have a full understanding of what a brand really is. I think that a logo is essential to a good brand, yes, because it offers a tangible memory aid. I just don't want people to think that the logo makes the brand. The logo <em>reflects</em> the brand. PHYLLIS:
True, it is essential to establish positioning through industry/competitive/internal analysis. I believe that brand elements like the USP are influencers, but don’t make the brand. Rather, the customer’s experience with that USP makes the brand.

I’d also say that the customer has already experienced your brand before they walk into your store. At the time they became aware of your store, they experienced your brand and were influenced by the context of the experience. Hopefully the USP was made clear at that time to influence the customer’s experience, thereby creating a brand that aligns with the USP.

YAEL:
My position is that anyone who delivers branded experiences to customers should have a full understanding of what a brand really is.

I think that a logo is essential to a good brand, yes, because it offers a tangible memory aid. I just don’t want people to think that the logo makes the brand. The logo reflects the brand.

]]> By: Todd http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2230 Todd Wed, 20 May 2009 03:22:29 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2230 <cite>and awesome logos cost a lot of money.</cite> Not necessarily true. Nike only paid $35 for their logo. and awesome logos cost a lot of money.

Not necessarily true. Nike only paid $35 for their logo.

]]> By: Yael K. Miller http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2229 Yael K. Miller Wed, 20 May 2009 03:09:18 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2229 @Brian So is your position going to be that you can't just be a logo designer you have to be a brand consultant? What if the client could care less what you have to say about brand? Waht if they say, "you're just a designer. Do you think that a company that understands its brand must have a logo now? My company doesn't have one yet. I've read too many posts that tell you that must have an awesome logo and awesome logos cost a lot of money. @Brian So is your position going to be that you can’t just be a logo designer you have to be a brand consultant? What if the client could care less what you have to say about brand? Waht if they say, “you’re just a designer.

Do you think that a company that understands its brand must have a logo now? My company doesn’t have one yet. I’ve read too many posts that tell you that must have an awesome logo and awesome logos cost a lot of money.

]]> By: Phyllis Zimbler Miller http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2225 Phyllis Zimbler Miller Tue, 19 May 2009 22:24:52 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2225 A brand is larger than customer experiences. A good brand identity/positioning is established before the first paying client "walks through the doors." It's the Unique Selling Proposition you have determined for your business. Join me on the May 20th tweetchat #smallbizchat 8-9 pm EDT to discuss online branding. I'm @ZimblerMiller on Twitter and @MillerMosaicLLC's boss. A brand is larger than customer experiences. A good brand identity/positioning is established before the first paying client “walks through the doors.” It’s the Unique Selling Proposition you have determined for your business.

Join me on the May 20th tweetchat #smallbizchat 8-9 pm EDT to discuss online branding.

I’m @ZimblerMiller on Twitter and @MillerMosaicLLC’s boss.

]]> By: Misty Belardo http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2222 Misty Belardo Tue, 19 May 2009 15:56:42 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2222 I am very much interested in following the next posts. I think it's a great idea that everyone gets involved in understanding the brand before the design process starts. I totally agree with you. The brand is important but i feel for it to be more understood by the consumer, they need to have a meaningful interaction or experience most specially if the medium chosen for its exposure is the digital space. Its not static nor a passive medium. One must engage its consumers for them to come back for more. Looking forward to the next posts. Great job Brian. I am very much interested in following the next posts. I think it’s a great idea that everyone gets involved in understanding the brand before the design process starts.

I totally agree with you. The brand is important but i feel for it to be more understood by the consumer, they need to have a meaningful interaction or experience most specially if the medium chosen for its exposure is the digital space. Its not static nor a passive medium. One must engage its consumers for them to come back for more. Looking forward to the next posts. Great job Brian.

]]> By: Brandon Cox http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2221 Brandon Cox Tue, 19 May 2009 15:51:11 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2221 Awesome post series idea, Brian. I'm looking forward to more. and you're right, a brand is a story, not a graphic. Great stuff! Awesome post series idea, Brian. I’m looking forward to more. and you’re right, a brand is a story, not a graphic. Great stuff!

]]> By: Brian Cray http://briancray.com/2009/05/18/branding-for-web-professionals-introduction/#comment-2219 Brian Cray Tue, 19 May 2009 14:32:11 +0000 http://briancray.com/?p=548#comment-2219 Thanks for the comments Stuart and Mauricio. Both of you make really good points about the value of a brand beyond its logo Thanks for the comments Stuart and Mauricio. Both of you make really good points about the value of a brand beyond its logo

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