3 Quick Tips to Use Your Logo for Brand ReinforcementLeave a
replyCreating a strong brand through logo design,creative packaging
ideasand overall corporate identity is an essential component of
retail success. Your brand is more than just the images you use in
your advertising and packaging. A companys brand encompasses every
element of corporate image that consumers emotionally perceive when
they think of that company. This might include a brand name,
mission statement and corporate values, visual aspects that
contribute to the brand, and of course, the icon or mark (i.e.
logo) that represents the business.Your companys logo and any other
design elements that you use in your advertising and packaging are
perhaps the most important part of the brand identity being
communicated to your target audience. A great logo is the first
step to creating a brand that will leave a lasting impression on
current and potential customers. Whether you are operating an
online business, running a small local shop or filling stores with
your products nationwide, your logo is an essential aspect of your
brand. Here are three quick tips to help you make the most of your
logo and leave a lasting impression on consumers:Keep Your Logo
ProminentWhen coming up with creative packaging ideas for your
products, always make sure the logo is front and center so
customers see it right away. Retail spaces also provide an
excellent opportunity to keep your logo in the customers line of
vision with well-positioned product displays. The same goes for
online selling efforts. If youre selling items online or promoting
your brand through a company blog, newsletter or any variety of
social media channels, make sure the logo is positioned on every
webpage so customers will see it at first glance. Web designers
often suggest the top left corner, as this is where viewers eyes
tend to go first when scanning the page.
Reinforce Your Brand with Promotional ProductsPlacing your logo
on product packaging, price tags, displays and storefronts is just
the beginning when it comes to brand reinforcement. There are many
ways to use your logo to reinforce your companys brand identity,
including a wide range of apparel and promotional merchandise. If
you have employees that are visible to customers, you can maximize
the impact of your logo by embossing it on their uniforms and/or
nametags. Any opportunity to give out useful products such as key
chains, pens and water bottles is a chance to promote your brand.
This is an especially good tip for public events, conferences and
trade shows.Include Your Logo Every Time You
CorrespondCommunications with customers, vendors and other parties
provide yet another opportunity to maximize the effect of your
logo. Everything from business cards and company letterheads to
email signatures, marketing templates and presentations should
include a prominently placed logo consistent with other aspects of
your corporate identity. Even if the correspondence doesnt include
the company name in bold letters, it should always include the
logo. This is what people will associate with your brand before
they even think about the nameso make the most of it.Six Rules for
Brand RevitalizationMcDonald's Did It, and You Can TooByLarry
Light.Published onJune 29, 2009. 43 Twitter Facebook Google+
LinkedIn Email Print Reprints
Larry Light
Brands do not die natural deaths. However, brands can be
murdered through mismanagement. Some brands are beyond hope -- but
others can be revitalized.Of course, it's not easy. But it is well
worth the effort. We at Arcature developed the following principles
and practices over the years while working with a variety of
clients in a variety of businesses. They're also practices we
applied during my tenure as global CMO of McDonald's from 2002 to
2005.For a brand to be successfully revitalized, everyone needs to
be on the same page. Then they must follow the six rules of brand
revitalization listed here. This "Plan to Win," as we call it, is
built around the eight P's: purpose, promise, people, product,
place, price, promotion and performance.Rule 1: Refocus the
organizationRefocusing the organization begins with redefining the
brand and business purpose and goals. The brand purpose should be
aspirational. At McDonald's, where I held the post of global CMO,
we defined the long-term ambition "to be our customer's favorite
place and way to eat and drink." For the first three years, the
primary focus was on becoming the "favorite place and way to eat."
As Jim Cantalupo, McDonald's CEO, liked to say, we would "be bigger
by being better." How would we accomplish that?Rule 2: Restore
brand relevanceThe brand promise is an articulation of the relevant
and differentiating experience that the brand will deliver to every
customer, every time. Brand revitalization means defining where you
want the brand to be and then deciding how to get there.Over the
years, the essence of the McDonald's brand was the perception that
it was an affordable, convenient brand for families with kids.
There were those who said that equity could not and should not be
changed. But McDonald's set out to change people's perceptions and
go from appealing to the child in your heart to appealing to those
with a young-adult spirit at heart.Rule 3: Reinvent the brand
experienceTo revitalize a brand, we need to bring the redefined
brand promise to life. This is what the five action P's are all
about. The five action P's are people, product, place, price and
promotion.People come first. Building employee commitment to the
new direction, employee confidence, and organizational and employee
capabilities are critical factors that influence future success.And
it's imperative to inspire those in the organization to believe
that the new brand future will happen and that they can help. At
McDonald's a new on-boarding communication was created called
"Learnin' it. Livin' it. Lovin' it."Product is the next P. Products
and services are the tangible evidence of the truth of the promise.
When we redefine the promise, product and service renovation and
innovation are imperative.A disciplined approach to brand extension
can revitalize and strengthen a brand. McDonald's extended its
product range to include products such as salads, yogurt parfaits
and coffee. The Crest revitalizations included extensions beyond
cavity prevention to include tartar control, whitening, breath
freshening, dental floss, mouthwash, tooth whiteners and
toothbrushes.The place is the face of the brand. Whether a store, a
website, a retail display, a kiosk or wherever the "place" may be,
the experience must be consistent with the intended brand
direction. For example, McDonald's embarked on a very ambitious
retail reimaging program. It also updated the brand website.Price
comes next. The launch of the McDonald's Dollar Menu created an
everyday-low-price list of items and enabled the brand to
significantly reduce marketing emphasis on on-and-off discounting.
Overemphasis on deals and discounts builds deal loyalty rather real
loyalty.Promotion comes next. In September 2003, a new global
campaign was launched in 119 countries. The common signature theme
was "I'm lovin' it," supported by a distinctive set of five musical
notes. The character of the communications was designed to reflect
the new young-adult spirit of the brand. The following year,
McDonald's adopted its first global packaging approach. It's the
longest-running theme in the history of the brand.Whether
advertising, special events, public relations, online, cause
marketing, sponsorships, Olympics, World Cup or other forms of
communication, the goal was to be consistent with the new
McDonald's brand promise. Disconnected, monthly promotional
messages and tactics destroy brands.Rule 4: Reinforce a results
cultureMeasuring and managing performance is the eighth P. The
McDonald's Plan to Win included three-year, measurable
milestones.Creating a results culture means it is important to
produce the right results the right way. A balanced brand-business
scorecard should include measurable elements such as brand
familiarity, brand reputation, employee pride, customer-perceived
value, brand loyalty, sales, share and profit.Rule 5: Rebuild brand
trustIn this skeptical, demanding, uncertain world, trust is a
must. As part of revitalizing a brand, rebuilding trust is
critical. Investment in rebuilding trust is an important,
challenging marketing imperative. There is demand for more
openness, more social responsibility and more integrity. Over the
years McDonald's invested in building trust -- Ronald McDonald
House, environmental responsibility, commitment to employee
diversity, local community activities. As the concern with
healthful living has grown, so has McDonald's commitment to
providing appropriate choices -- for example, salads, apple slices,
yogurt parfait, water, juices and milk.Rule 6: Realize global
alignmentThe power of alignment is awesome. During brand
revitalization, we often talk about the need to get everyone on the
same page. But we rarely, if ever, define the page we want everyone
to be on. That's the purpose of the one-page Plan to Win, the
one-page document that summarizes the eight P's and the desired
outcomes.Brand revitalization needs the courage and perspective of
strong leaders. Jim Cantalupo was a decisive, committed leader
providing clear direction and priorities. Charlie Bell, chief
operating officer, was not only a great communicator, his positive
attitude was infectious. They were the leaders who led the creation
and launch of the far-reaching McDonald's Plan to Win. The vision
and positive momentum initiated by Cantalupo and Bell continues to
produce results even in a difficult economic environment.
Packaging to brand marketers and consumers: Can you hear me
now?By David Luttenberger inPackaging Designon August 14, 20141
Email
View GalleryThe philosophical if a tree falls in the forest
question notwithstanding, sound can be very subjective. When your
baby cries at night, you want to hear it. When someone elses baby
cries on an airplane, no one wants to hear it.But when it comes to
packaging, an audible snap, crackle, click or pop generally
contributes positively to the overall user experience. Yes, we all
know thedifference between sound and noise when it comes to the
packaging of salty snacks, so theres no need to sound off here
about it again!Most often in packaging, sound is associated with a
positive reinforcement cue, such as a signal of freshness upon
opening, that a pre-determined dose has been measured or perhaps
that a bottle of medicine or jug of harmful household cleaner is
securely closed and our little loved ones are protected.In Mintels
2014 US Food Packaging Trends reports, reseal ranks second only to
freshness as a most desired consumer attribute. In fact, 92% of
primary or shared shoppers indicate a product that retains
freshness is the most important food packaging feature, and 82%
indicate resealable or reclosable packaging is most important.
Sound can be a significant contributing factor to reinforcing both
freshness and positive reseal.Sound as an intentional mutli-sensory
marketing cue has come a long way since the days of the iconic
Tupperware burp or even the more Once you pop, you cant stop
tagline that become the calling card of the groundbreaking design
of the Pringles chip cylinder.According to sensory marketing expert
Prof. Charles Spence of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at
Oxford University, using auditory cues with food packaging can
enhance the user taste experience by as much as 20%.Recently, such
new product launches as Krafts MiO, have used sound as a positive
reinforcement mechanism. In the case of MiO, on-pack instructions
directed consumers to Flip It, Tip It, Sip It, Click It the final
instruction directly consumers to listen for a double-click sound.
The first click of the lid closed the diminutive container. But the
second click was reassurance that the container was sealed, thus
ensuring the brightly colored, free-flowing water flavoring syrup
wouldnt leak when placed in a pocket, purse or backpack.Sound is
increasingly being used to convey value through product
preservation. Packs that help ensure food safety by incorporating
audible cues that signal food packs, particularly in such deli
categories as processed meats and cheeses, are becoming
increasingly commonplace, but are no less valued by both brands and
consumers for their ability to extend shelf life.In Australia,
Fonterra employs a clamshell with a positive reseal flip-top lid
for its Mainland brand of Colby cheese slices, which it called out
as a Click & Lock feature on the front of the pack (left in
photo). In Mexico, Sigma Alimentos pioneered an audible snap-top
lid for deli meats, for which it earned a Silver Award in DuPonts
2014 Packaging Innovations competition (right in photo).Taking the
auditory packaging cue to yet another level, Snapsil, a
revolutionary one-handed dispensing pack, is bold enough to
incorporate the word snap directly into the brand conversation.
Using a proprietary vacuum-forming process and a unique flexible
packaging lidding film, Snapsil emits a clear snap sound when the
consumer breaks the pack along pre-designated scores. Snapsils
inaugural market application is the Fountain brand of single-serve
condiments in Australia.Author David Luttenberger is the global
packaging director at Mintel. He has 24 years packaging experience.
He can be reached [email protected]. You can follow him on
Twitter at @packaginggeek.CONVERTING BROWSING TO BUYING: KEYS TO
EFFECTIVE PACKAGING DESIGN (PART 3)July 2013 | by Jenn David
ConnollySo your PDP (principal display panel) worked overtime in
getting your potential customer to pick up the product. What needs
to happen now in order to get them to buy? Lets take a look at how
the package can further entice and inspire the consumer to
action.This is the third in our series on creating packaging that
increases sales. (See Part 1 hereandPart 2 here)From here, its all
about the secondary panels supporting everything thats been set
forth on the PDP with informative, inspiring, useful
information.
What goes where.The amount of secondary space and number of
areas you have will depend on the size and type of package. On a
box for example, you have 4 main panels in this order of
prominence:1. Front: This is the PDP. Weve already covered what
goes here in oursecond article in this series.2. Back: You usually
have plenty of room here for some romance copy. But dont just
romance for romances sake, make sure it keeps focused on the
product. If you have room, you can also touch on the company itself
while reinforcing the brand message.3. Left side: This is just the
place for an interesting factoid, or aspect of the company. You can
also dive deeper into the company for further brand story.4. Right
side: Welcome to the nutritional information panel. Sorry, there
isnt much wiggle room on that. The FDA requires that the
information panel be the panel immediately to the right of the PDP.
If this panel is not usable due to package construction (e.g.,
gusseted side panel), then the information panel is the next panel
immediately to the right, typically the back panel. The information
panel consists of company name and address, ingredients, nutrition
facts and any allergy statements if applicable.
On a round container or other package, you may only have
front/back panels.Now that were clear on what information goes
where on a package, lets move on to how you can make the most of
the available areas on a package.More room for romance.You may have
a small blurb of romance copy on the front, just the most essential
words. The secondary panel is the place to expand upon that. (Or
perhaps you opted for no romance on the front due to space or other
reason, then the secondary panel is the place for all your romance
copy.) Go into more detail here. Perhaps you talk about country of
origin, how the product is made or a healthy story. While its
beneficial to be descriptive, remember that you still need to be
brief! Keep in mind the consumer is in the store setting and they
are likely strapped for time. Remember, if its too hard to read,
theyll just put the package down. You want the romance to be easy
to scan, not too long, and so keep it essential and
informative.
How does it fit into their life?Go ahead, be specific. If a
product is new or unusual, people wont know what to do with it.
Give them the tools and get them excited about trying something new
and different. This can be general info such as great for baking or
try in salads. It does not need to be super-detailed and likely you
wont have room for more detail anyway.
The taste of success.Recipes are one of the best ways to entice
customers. A recipe can get the consumer excited to try something
very specific, something they can make right when they get home
from the store. And if they need a few extra ingredients, theyre in
the right place. If you dont have room on the package for a recipe,
consider a hangtag or foldout label.
Multiply the uses. Multiply the sales.Are there other ways they
can use your product? For example, coconut oil found in the
culinary aisle is not only for cooking but also great for use on
skin and hair, but you wont find it in the cosmetic aisle. Tell
your customer multiple uses to demonstrate how versatile the
product is. With multiple uses, theyre more likely to buy.Your
website: the fifth panel.You probably know its a good idea to
include a URL on your package. But take it a step further by
telling your customer they can find more recipes or find similar
products. You may feature the URL in the romance copy. At the end
is a good place, to carry the narrative over to the website. You
should also consider repeating the url by the company info on the
information panel as well, since the consumer might be looking for
it there along with the other contact information.Give them
something for free.The more value you add to your product through
the information on the package, the more the consumer is armed and
informed. Theyll know what they need to get the most out of the
productand get more bang for their buck.What problem can you
solve?Address pain points of the consumer and then show how this
product can solve their problem.
Encourage the repeat sale.Assuming the product is great, the
design is strong, and the copy on point, all components work
together in the consumers home to encourage a repeat sale. If a
product comes in a beautiful package, customers are more likely to
keep it on display in their home, not hidden in a cabinet.The more
the consumer sees the package and dwells on the message, the more
it sinks in and becomes rooted in their everyday lifestyle.Invest
the time. The first time.The efforts you invest in creating the
design will pay off with results. Youll enjoy more sales and less
down time. And take your time, a well-thought out design wont need
reworking every year.Part1: The Whole PackagePart 2: Maximizing the
SaleJenn David Designpartners with gourmet food and specialty
brands to create powerful, distinct, cohesive design that commands
attention and makes an impact.How can we help you take your brand
even further?
