If you’re trying to create a strong brand that stands the test of time, there are a few mistakes that you’ll want to avoid.
Some of these mistakes, the biggest brands in the world have fallen foul of. Here are a few tips and examples of branding mistakes to watch out for in 2024.
The difference between brand and branding
A brand refers more to perceptions. The emotions and feelings that you feel when you hear a company’s name or see its logo are a result of its brand.
As a result, brand can mean different things to different people. If you asked 10 people to describe Apple’s brand, they’d all answer differently.
On the other hand, If you asked 10 people to describe Apple’s branding, they’d talk about things like the white apple that forms the logo and the font used throughout their adverts.
That’s because branding refers to the way in which businesses shape their brand. Their name, their logo, their colours, and their marketing material are all part of their branding efforts. Unlike brand, branding doesn’t mean different things to different people.
Common branding mistakes and how to avoid
Inconsistency
Consistency can mean different things. Being consistent across different platforms, being consistent in your messaging, and being consistent with your visuals.
However, when managing consistency, having all areas of your brand singing from the same hymn sheet is crucial to creating a compelling story that builds a connection with your target audience.
Not appealing to your target audience
Speaking of target audience, you could work with the best branding agency in Manchester to create the world’s most creative branding, but if it doesn’t connect with the people buying your product, it’s pointless.
To avoid this, prior to any brand creation or rebrand, conducting research into your audience and what they want is an important step to ensuring your brand hits the mark.
Lack of originality
In marketing, keeping up with the latest trends can go a long way to attracting eyeballs to your brand. But any attempt to jump on trending tactics must be done in a way that’s considered original and in line with your existing brand.
Looking too closely at competitors for inspiration can lead to you duplicating what’s already out there. Today, many brands choose to draw inspiration from Apple’s minimalist branding which some would argue has led to a lack of originality in the branding world.
Relying on AI
Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence isn’t exclusive to branding. So relying too heavily on AI is a problem that’s being seen in several industries.
When it comes to branding, it’s becoming increasingly common to see AI-designed logos. While this may speed up the process of brand design, nobody knows your brand better than you and you risk using visuals that lack originality.
Infamous branding fails
Burger King’s low-calorie fries
In 2013, Burger King attempted to launch a new product, low-calorie french fries. In doing so, they gave us one of the finest examples of not being on brand. While there may not have been anything wrong with the product itself, Burger King failed to realise the importance of its customers and their reasons for consuming the brand.
The self-proclaimed “home of the whopper”, a calorie-filled burger firmly in the junk food sector, doesn’t appeal to those who are looking for a healthy, nutritious option. As a result, the low-calorie french fries were destined to fail from the get-go.
London 2012
The London 2012 branding provides a great example of needing to understand and appreciate traditions and history. In an attempt to bring the brand of the Olympics into the 21st century, designers ditched the historic Olympic rings that are synonymous with the games.
Despite nobody questioning the logo’s creativity or aesthetic appeal, the logo failed to connect with its audience and received widespread criticism for failing to appreciate the history of the games.
Gap rebrand
After 20 years, clothing retailer Gap decided it was time for a rebrand. Rather than touching up their existing, highly recognisable logo, Gap took their brand logo in a completely different direction.
The navy square and stretched serif font were ditched. The new identity had a corporate feel and was more in line with an investment bank or business consultant.
While brands need refreshing from time to time, the old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” also applies. If a company’s branding is fortunate enough to be recognised the world over, leaving it as it is or carrying out a brand refresh are better options than a complete rebrand.
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