You may not be able to define it, but you know it when you see it. You have your own personal style – your brand. From the clothes you wear to the car you drive and the friends you choose to the social media you post, you have created your own personal brand. For the most part, this happens unconsciously. It’s a natural extension of your personality. You may sanitize it a little (if you’re smart) and streamline the message a little, but generally, it’s a reflection of you. Too bad it’s not nearly so easy for a company to get really clear on its brand. In a perfect world, company branding would happen the same way it does with people – extending from its real personality. But companies are notorious for trying to be what they’re not, and because of this, their brand tends to be a little schizophrenic – and there’s no easy fix. So what’s a brand to do?

• Identify your brand personality. This takes some real introspection, hard work and a willingness to be real about your company.
• Simplify this personality. Uncover its core. Choose two to five traits and embrace them. (Here’s where you may have to call in a professional.)
• Develop your creative to reflect this core personality. Your color scheme, graphic elements, font and even voice must clearly say who and what your brand is all about.
• Market your brand consistently using these core brand personality traits.

A word of caution. Consistency doesn’t mean boredom. Your brand personality is your core. Work out from the center with imagination and off-the-hook marketing to reflect the core. Use repetition of core themes; don’t tell the same story, the same way over and over and over. (You just went from schizophrenic to one-dimensional.) When we helped GreatLIFE Malaska Golf and Fitness Club launch their new brand, we gave each golf course its own website with its own content, but when you look at the home pages of all of the partners, you can tell they’re family. While the logos are all different, they generally have a modern energetic feel. As for the brand voice, it carries through in all they say online, in print and on the air. If you feel like your brand might need a little therapy, give us a call. We can help you pull it all together and send you off with a clear bill of health – and a solid brand.