Design-led Branding Versus Strategy-led Branding

With our experience working with various organisations, there are two types of designs typically asked of us: one driven by gut feel and how the logo is best represented and another one that focuses on how brand strategy and the brand story can be integrated across touchpoints. For a brand to stand out in the long run, it is not just about the visuals or your logo.

Think about this: Starbucks logo is a naked mermaid, Nike is a swoosh and Google is just font typography. Simple, understated and really not visually that powerful but yet each of these brands tells a powerful story across its key touchpoints.

Think about how iconic these brands have become. Remember Strategy drives the Experience! Focusing on the logo or just collateral without giving thought to your overall experience is risky – stop thinking about the logo and start thinking about your brand experience. Do you want a brand which looks good today but forgotten tomorrow?

In nutshell:

Keep building your brand and remember that Experience is Everything, get that wrong and design, no matter how creative, will be forgotten.