marketing :: design :: branding

Branding

Recent Work: Medical Software, Pt-log

Naming, Identity Design + Branding

As a past successful supplier of design and branding services we were asked by Resilience Software – creator of mobile software that supports efficient recording and reporting of clinical, surgical and learning experiences – to develop a naming, identity + branding solution for a client specific product that was to be positioned for more aggressive sales and marketing. The product: Case Log – a well supported, solid, proven performer – is web and mobile device enabled software that allows surgeons to record information about patient interventions and outcomes. (more…)

Jun 02, 2010 | Branding, Design | Leave A Comment »

Designing an Avalanche Danger Scale Warning System

The most pressing problem for those working in the avalanche safety field is how to educate and inform amateur recreationists of the relative risks involved and how best to spot the clues that might alert them to the possibility of avalanches while travelling in avalanche terrain. The just announced new Danger Scale Warning System attempts to do just that.

The avalanche danger scale … communicates the likelihood of avalanches being triggered, their expected size, how widespread the situation may become and the recommended action for backcountry travel.
– federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice

I was given the opportunity to work on the visual design of the Avalanche Danger Scale card, which was the final piece in a multi-year project led by Grant Statham, IFMGA, Mountain Risk Specialist at Parks Canada. The card is intended and was designed to be used in pre-planning of backcountry outings in avalanche terrain and is meant to be referenced with current avalanche bulletins. (more…)

Mar 18, 2010 | Branding, Design | Leave A Comment »

Dixon Transition Society: a Brand in Need

Over the past year, I’ve had the good fortune to meet and work with the people at the Marguerite Dixon Transition Society–an organization that provides shelter, guidance and hope to women and children fleeing violence–guiding them through a complete rebranding program including: brand strategy, naming, visual identity, website and collateral design.

(more…)

Dec 21, 2009 | Branding, Non Profit | Leave A Comment »

DIY–Web Audit

Whether a Web site needs a tune-up, realignment or redevelopment, a web audit is the place to start. The following 54 checkpoints can help to define what can be done to keep a site competitive and in good working order.

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Nov 10, 2009 | Branding, Web design | Leave A Comment »

The New Reality: Saying More With Less

It’s generally accepted wisdom that in economic down times, corporate communications, both internal and external, are not only more important than ever but an opportunity to build competitive advantage. But with fewer resources, what can you do? (more…)

Nov 10, 2009 | Branding, Marketing | Leave A Comment »

Canada’s Brandscape: Insights From Canada’s Top Brands

Successful organizations have their own authenticity: high quality, impeccable service, design prowess etc., that make their products or services desirable and distinct from their competitors. Each brings a unique history, culture and values (spirit of place) to bear in the way they create customer experiences. No matter how well conceived, business and marketing strategies must be in sync and then in step with authentic organizational culture.
1. Authenticity
“ ‘Rendering authenticity’ is one of the most critical factors for success in almost any business today. Consumers and B2B customers purchase offerings based on how well those purchases conform to their own self image… People no longer accept fake offerings from slickly marketed phonies; they want real offerings from genuinely transparent sources.”
– E. Joseph Pine and Jim Gilmore, 
The Experience Economy
Authenticity seems particularly relevant for the Canadian market. Based on research conducted by Environics, there is clear evidence that Canadians are more skeptical about advertising than are Americans.
“Branding is far more than a logo or an ad–it’s about the authentic truth behind the image, the promise of performance, the consistency of experience. All effective branding happens from the inside out.”
– Judith John, Senior Vice-President, Communications and Marketing, Mount Sinai Hospital
2. Culture
Most organizations don’t realize the value of their culture as a competitive advantage. “Your corporate culture very much defines who you are as a company and what it means to be true to self. The essence of authenticity is respect for your heritage, a sense of purpose and your values. Corporate culture is the sum of your body of values.”
– E. Joseph Pine, The Experience Economy
Understanding and nurturing corporate culture as part of brand definition is one of the fundamentals of business success–a refrain echoed by executives with Canada’s most successful brands.
“Culture and brand are one and the same. The culture creates the brand. The brand is the experience that people have when they encounter us. Whether it’s on the phone, at the airport, on the flight or when they have a problem, it’s all the brand. Our culture is embedded in every part of our business. What has amazed me is just how powerful this really is and how few people understand it. Until you live it, breathe it, and are part of it, it’s almost impossible to grasp.”
– Clive Beddoe, CEO, WestJet
3. Values
Companies trying to develop values need to realize that they already have values – they just need to discover them. Changing values is long hard work that can only be achieved through acknowledgment and understanding the limits to what you can do defined by your heritage, your origins and your history–your spirit of place.
4. Meaning
“… for companies to achieve enduring competitive advantage… they must address their customers’ essential human need for meaning”
– Steve Diller, Nathan Shedroff and Darrel Rhea, Making Meaning
“The brands that we value most are the ones that feed our hunger for authenticity and belonging.”
– Jeanette Hanna and Alan Middleton, ikonica. A Field Guide to Canada’s Brandscape
5. Distinctly Canadian
“A brand has to be distinct, it has to have clear attributes, it has to have practical and emotional benefits…”
“The Canadian brandscape is quite subtle, it’s intrinsic, it’s humble, but it’s very passionate when you scratch the surface. If you don’t do your homework right, you’ll get it completely wrong, essentially just a slightly pickier version of American, which is very, very off where we really are. Talk to the consumers or participants in your industry on a qualitative, non-focus-group basis… something where people don’t just give you a ranking of attributes, but give you opinions and hopes and aspirations and desires.”
– Rupert Duchesne, CEO and President, Aeroplan
6. Storytelling
“All good communications comes down to storytelling… The brand is the truth behind the image, delivering content with credibility, authenticity and emotion…”
– Judith John, Senior Vice-President, Communications and Marketing, Mount Sinai Hospital
“For any organization that wants to endure and build long-term value, being true and genuine is essential.”
“If you start to chronicle the great stories that people tell about when they have been at their best as a company–whether it was something that they created or a crisis or how they decided to grow–it gives you signposts to the character behind the behaviour. You have to push people to look beyond the surface, beyond what they would tell someone to sound more important or more interesting than they really are. Then what you
find are some very genuine, important
characteristics that can be significant in differentiating why someone would want to work with them. It’s those stories that are at the heart of great brands.”
–Scott Lerman, founder of Lucid Brands
Great brands are continually exploring these simple, but essential, questions: What will we do in the world? What will we mean to the world? What is our character? What is our story? In addition Successful brands share a number of best practices including:
1. Strong, positive leadership: Their passion is for performance that attracts customers.
2. Clear brand meaning
3. Integrity in approach: Based on real values of respect for customers, employees and communities.
4. Teamwork: The brand is shared and engaged by every part of the organization.
5. Learning and persistence: Learning from successes and failures.
6. Measurement: Develop formal and informal feedback loops to keep relevant and aware of prevailing conditions.
The Best Stories Win!
Great Canadian brands Aeroplan
Air Canada
Canadian Tire
CBC
Cirque du Soleil
McCain Foods
RBC Royal Bank
Rogers
Roots
Tim Hortons
Umbra
Vancity
WestJet
Some of the preceeding is reproduced in part from:  ikonica. A Field Guide to Canada’s Brandscape
– Jeanette Hanna and Alan Middleton
If you have any questions about how you can improve your branding, give us a call. Download the Branding + Identity Process whitepaper from the CD+M website.

Successful organizations have their own authenticity: high quality, impeccable service, design prowess etc., that make their products or services desirable and distinct from their competitors. Each brings a unique history, culture and values (spirit of place) to bear in the way they create customer experiences. No matter how well conceived, business and marketing strategies must be in sync and then in step with authentic organizational culture. (more…)

Nov 10, 2009 | Branding | 1 Comment »

The Design Brief and Why You Need One

A design brief is a written document outlining, in complete detail, the business objectives with corresponding design strategies for a design project–some prefer the term creative brief. The most critical elements of a design brief are: a complete description of the project—what is it that is trying to be done; why is this needed now; what are business goals and objectives; what business outcomes are expected; who is this being done for (the target audience); and who are the key stakeholders in this project. In addition, the brief should address current industry trends, organization or product competition, project scope, time-lines, budgets and measurement of success metrics. (more…)

Nov 10, 2009 | Branding, Design | Leave A Comment »

Keys to an Effective Website

No matter the size or complexity, there are a number of key elements and best practices common to effective websites. Put simply, and in no particular order, here are my Top Ten Keys to an Effective Website.

Keys to an Effective Website

  1. Brand consistency
  2. Personalization (by region, language etc.)
  3. Ease of use / navigation
  4. Quick links / highlights
  5. Call to action
  6. Legibility / whitespace
  7. Communicate with typography: size, weight, italics etc.
  8. Communicate with colour: categorize content by colour
  9. Multimedia and interaction (where and when appropriate): animation, video, audio, links to social media, blogs, podcasts etc.
  10. Good, relevant content tailored for the web

Of course, none of this matters if you don’t have a plan–a solid web strategy with goals and objectives clearly defined.

Nov 06, 2009 | Branding, Web design | Leave A Comment »