Our keys: What to keep in mind when we are building a brand

These are 10 key concepts and references for building a brand:

1. Concept and creativity: always

This statement seems obvious, but considering the number of new elements and trends that pop up each year, we always strive to keep this one in mind. Creativity is an essential tool when we intend to add value to brands, especially in a competitive environment in which there is an increasing number of products and services. Ideas need to be well conceptualised and developed, making sure that they are versatile and consistent with the trademark’s brand strategy.

2. Simplicity: less is more

We are among those who think that you do not necessarily communicate more and better by adding a lot of elements. Simplicity makes content stand out, as long as it is clever and as long as it has an element of surprise that is singular and ingenious. We must find and use the specific, necessary elements to express the essence, get rid of the superfluous, and leave room to convey the fundamental messages, ideas and values. Accordingly, Nomon will continue banking on the absence of unnecessary decorative elements.

3. Branding with commitment

The so-called greenwashing has already gone down in history as a trick. Consumers are no longer satisfied with merely cosmetic business decisions, but instead demand that companies and brands position themselves as agents of positive change. A large sector of the public now question the status quo and wish to contribute to society through the consumer choices they make. Today, being a brand with values is no longer a matter of labels, companies must respond by highlighting their real commitment to developing more ethical and sustainable models.

4. Human-centered brands

For a brand to be memorable and profitable, it must create emotional bonds with the customers. The only way to achieve this is to think and act with the focus set on people. After all, aren’t brands created, developed and managed by people? If this is true, it should be easy for these brands to act as such, dialoguing and communicating with the same code system as people do and, of course, also assuming, if necessary, potential mistakes. Furthermore, it is very important to achieve a balance both offline and online. The more real and closer to society the brand is, the easier it will be to achieve this point of union.

5. Responsive branding

A brand can be expressed in many ways and through multiple communication channels. For this reason, we strive to create identities that are flexible, versatile and adaptable to all channels, both offline and online, but without missing out on their consistency. If the brand does not project its personality in a consistent manner across all the channels, regardless of whether they are digital or not, it could potentially risk losing the trust of audiences.

6. Data for brand positioning

Data analysis has become an enhancement tool that has spread over the years to all economic sectors as well as to internal and external processes of the companies. In branding, specifically, the contextualisation and data analysis allows for an improvement of the user brand experience, as it helps understand what the brand is about and what it does. This collected knowledge, along with an intuitive factor that we have developed throughout the years with our experience, allows us to evaluate brands in a more objective way.

7. Branding with digital content

The creation of interesting content in the digital field, seeking the largest possible impact, has gained ground in the last decades, due to the incorporation of digital platforms and social networks into our daily lives. Communicating, telling stories, being active and visible in the digital realm is essential to generate experiences and interact with our clients, especially younger generations that base much of their decisions on what they perceive in these channels. The messages need to be clear, direct and surprising, either for their boldness or for their cleverness.

8. The importance of art direction

Art direction is a strategic asset in brand communication, as it visually and graphically conceptualises the brand messages in today’s overly complex context. Disciplines such as illustration and photography convey brands and their products and services with a unique characteristic personality. Thanks to their particular visual language, these disciplines also allow us to tell stories that create a connection with the public and make them familiar with the brand.

9. Typography is branding

Typography is an indispensable element in brand creation because it has the ability to communicate on its own. When we design a typeface from scratch or modify an already existing one, we do it to express the essence, values and personality of the brand. We must endow it with the importance it deserves, since it is the ultimate way to establish a dialogue with our audiences.

10. Colour is a must

Colour in branding is evidently also fundamental. Correctly defining a colour palette that reflects and communicates the brand values and essence is crucial. Colour helps differentiate and identify a brand and position it within its sector. It influences our perception and appeals to our emotions but, more importantly, it is key to a smooth transmission of the message.

In order to ensure that branding correctly communicates the brand message, we must dedicate the necessary time to defining and choosing the correct colour palette.

As a branding agency, at NOMON DESIGN we focus on defining and creating the identity of the brands in their entirety, building their values and strategic message through creative work.

If we correctly apply all these concepts and trends, we will maximise the value of brands by projecting a unique, coherent identity with personality.