Branding

Introduction

Branding refers to the process of creating and maintaining an identity through an unique name, logo, colour, message etc. It is crucial to present an organisation, program or event in a consistent and recognisable manner to stakeholders and the general public.

Why

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This toolkit is useful when an organisation:

• needs a common ground for presenting the organisation to stakeholders in a professional and consistent manner.
• wants to develop basic branding elements and communication tools for marketing purposes.

What you can expect

In eight steps this toolkit will guide you in creating or recreating the brand for your organisation. Here you’ll find a step-by-step guide, tools, examples and other resources for branding.

Step 1: Establish Need

• Understand and discuss branding with leaders and team. What does it mean, why it is important, and what can be accomplished?
• Agree on who will lead the branding project, discuss how long it will take and what it will entail (which marketing products will be built).
• Make sure that throughout this process, the 'Why' of your organisation, the very reason you exist, gets a clear place in your messaging.

Watch this video to get a good idea of what branding is, and what it is not:

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Step 2: Brand Survey

• Use this branding survey to conduct a small survey amongst selected people from within and around your organisation: your different stakeholder groups. The survey helps understand what words, emotions, or concepts the stakeholders associate with the organisation. The survey can be conducted face-to-face, written, or online (use Google Form or SurveyMonkey for example).

Step 3: Graphic Design Brief

• Decide together who will design the brand and marketing collaterals. Depending on your budget, this may be a professional designer or a staff member/volunteer.
• Create a brief for the graphic designer or designing team member (use the tool design brief template). The brief typically includes vision, mission, values, logo (alteration wishes if any), tagline, desired colours, and word associations.

Step 4: Brand Design

• Discuss the materials you received from the graphic designer. This usually includes a brand manual and three to five different logos (if desired).
• Discuss any alterations and decisions with the designer and the team. It is important to keep alteration rounds under control. This process can be slow and difficult. Getting decisions done in the required timeframe can require a lot of follow-up on both sides. A final decision is taken by the leader and the board.

Step 5: Branding Workshop

• Hold a workshop for all staff members introducing the concept of branding and the new brand identity of the organisation. It is important that everyone in the organisation identifies with the new brand. The brand manual/style guide will be explained and needs to be followed in future by every staff member.

Step 6: Creation of Collaterals

• Create new materials or collaterals once the brand identity has been identified and documented in a brand manual/style guide. To develop each collateral address the following: What is the objective? Who is the audience? What message do we want to send?

Step 7: Interior/Exterior Branding

• Discuss with leaders and the team what elements the branding of your physical environment will entail: door sign, walls, carpets or curtains in brand colours, etc.
• Use your creativity to ensure the office represents the organisation’s new brand identity.

Step 8: Follow-up

• Conduct a follow-up survey with internal and external stakeholders after six months. The internal and external image should now match (your brand should evoke the image you want).
• As your organisation grows, you may eventually consider re-branding as you grow more professional or change focus. However be aware that changing branding too frequently can damage your recognition and professional image.

Key To Success

• Keep it as simple as possible especially if you do not have an experienced communication manager.
• If possible involve a professional graphic designer in the creation of brand elements, but ensure that it is a collaborative process and decisions are made on both sides.
• Avoid too many iterations and modifications and trust your instincts.

Challenges

• The organisation may not have a dedicated communication person. Thus, the resources to do communication activities can be limited.