You know how those Old West cowboys used to take a hot iron and slap their brand on a cow. That is exactly what you are doing when you say you want to brand your company. And, just like every cow the cowboys owned had the same brand, you want everything – website, business cards, advertising, email signatures, car license plates, tattoos, and the product of course – every single thing related to the company to have that brand. And, they should all look the same or at least so similar in style, color and logo that everyone who sees these things will know it is yours.
Just like those poor cows. Poor cows that made the cowboys rich.
I say this because I went into a store the other day that was looking for new marketing and PR. The store’s walls were a dark blue but the hand-outs at the cashier had none of that blue on them. The shirts and hats worn by the salespeople had blue insignia on them but it was a shade brighter than the walls. When I went to the website, it had its own distinct look and color scheme. The only thing they all had in common was the name of the place. Those cows were running wild.
Brand uniformity is key to the branding of your company and products. You can fiddle with these things but they better deliver the same message or no one will know what the heck you stand for.
Have you ever been to a Love This Life store? I love their stuff and not all of the products within the store sport the same logo other than on the label. Their polo shirts have this nifty little circular smiley face embroidered on the breast. And of course all of the shirts have clever sayings that connote living life in a loving way. There is rhyme to the reason and in that thematic sense there is a strong built-in brand that is recognizable to everyone who becomes familiar with the company. Not all the same color or shape or size, but a brand sense that is easily identifiable.
That is what you want for your cows.
