10-06-2014

Sins of the Past

Dear House Rules,

Every time I bring up branding to my new business partner, she says buyer beware! Unfortunately, the last business she launched was plagued with a series of costly branding mis-steps. First, she designed her own logo based on a childhood fascination with butterflies. Next, she paid a printer to monogram countless go-to-market collateral pieces with the image. In the end, she contracted with a marketing guru to create an ad campaign that had nothing to do with butterflies and the budget was blown. I know there is a better way to brand. Can you help me overcome the stigma of our branding sins of the past?

Sincerely,
Sins of the Past

Dear Sins of the Past,

There is no reason to fear repeating your colleague’s mistakes. In fact, we suggest you embrace the lesson learned from this “shoot from the hip” brand experience and use it to systematically plan a brand strategy for your new business. Many of the actions taken were legitimate steps in the branding process, they were just out of order or a bit misguided. The following simple steps can put you on the path to responsible branding that produces results. Gather key contributors to your business and answer these questions:

  • Who is your target audience?
  • What makes you different from your competitors?
  • Is the icon forwarding of your product, service or company?
  • How can your brand be used in your collateral without rubber-stamping the logo?

Congratulations, if you can answer these questions, you are on your way to utilizing a marketing strategy and avoiding impulse branding. This can be as easy as following a written plan that you and your core team create together. By bringing a strategic viewpoint to the table and collaborating, you can prevent one person from monopolizing the logo with their personal preference.

In the order of brand strategy, planning comes first, design is next and targeted campaigns are the ultimate expression of your business identity. There is power in partnering, first with your core team members and then, consider working with a brand professional, to help with evocative design elements that get noticed.

About Xavier Creative House

Founded in 2013, Xavier Creative House (XCH) is an award-winning healthcare creative agency specializing in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device. XCH’s global team of brand builders and healthcare marketers, tech-savvy go-getters, and innovative dream-vetters are passionate about the big idea that changes behavior in the healthcare marketplace. They believe life is about connections and that healthcare is about life. That is why XCH delivers bold and evocative creative solutions, amplified by meaningful technology, to energize brands and authentically connect with patients and HCPs.

Where Healthcare Brands Live®

For more information, contact

Sunny White
Founder & CEO of Xavier Creative House