There are few communication mediums with the power of pictures. Pictures tell your brand story in ways that words can’t – just ask anyone who has been successful using Pinterest, Tumblr, or Instagram in their marketing strategies. Your visual branding must up with the rest of your content if it is ever going to be effective.
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
A word that crops up quite a bit in branding and marketing is “congruency.” It isn’t just a buzzword. It’s an essential element to successful marketing. Some companies really get this right. They develop all their own content from copy to images and everything in between.
As an example, have a look at Great Clips’ Facebook page. Note the variances in the logos. Note the language paired with the images. The variations hold attention. The right captions enhance the message of the visuals.
It’s important to note that enhancing and explaining are two different things. If you have to explain your visuals, they don’t belong on your page. Visuals should draw attention to the copy and work in tandem with it to tell a complete story. There’s a difference between that and telling the story of your visuals.
What Does Your Brand “Look Like?”
Have you ever seen a picture — whether it was an ad, something posted to Instagram, a timeless work of art, or something else — and it just stopped you in your tracks? What was it that caught your attention? Was it the picture itself or how the artist presented the subject? There’s no wrong answer here – just think about it. Something drew your attention to that picture.
Now ask yourself: What sorts of things do you see in your mind when you think about your brand? To what aspects of your brand or product do you want to draw attention through visuals?
Now be careful – if you’re selling wine, the easy answer to that question is, “I want people to see wine.” Here’s the thing: Is that really what you want? Remember, it’s the sizzle that sells, not the steak. This is why you need a more well-rounded picture of what your brand “looks like” when you start applying visuals to your content strategy. With that, here are four key pieces to that puzzle that you should be applying to your visual branding strategy.
1. What is the story behind your company’s name?
Do you use a straightforward name for your company, or is it a clever play on words? How you present your business through its name says quite a bit about how you want people to think about it. A more serious name necessitates a more professional and serious visual strategy. A playful, humorous, or catchy name provides you with room to be a bit more expressive, playful, and humorous in your visuals.
2. Why do people love your brand?
I assume you have means of collecting customer feedback. If not, it’s time to put that together. Figure out what it is about your brand that appeals to people the most. It’s a huge piece of your visual branding puzzle.
In a previous article, I mentioned the movie “Office Space” and the line about hamburgers. “People can get a burger anywhere. They come here for the atmosphere and the attitude.” What is it about those things that you have found through collected data appeals most to your loyal customers? That atmosphere and attitude must be present in your visuals in order for them to be effective.
3. How does your brand appeal to the senses?
If you had to describe your brand in terms of the five senses, what comes to mind? It might be strange to think about what your brand “tastes like” (unless you actually do sell wine), but give it a shot and write down your ideas.
Let’s say you sell outboard motors. How do people use them? They use them on boats, right? Now, how do people use boats? They use them for recreation, for fishing, etc. Right there you have a number of things to work with. Maritime colors like blue come quickly to mind. Visuals involving beautiful scenery, successful fishing trips, even grilling up said fish on the beach after a long day on the water can be effective.
Smells of salt air, even motor oil can be effective. Sounds of cheers when someone reels in a big one, the sound of seagulls, or the movement of the ocean are auditory triggers. Then there’s touch and finally taste. The feel of the wheel and the powerful yet gentle vibration of your outboard motor in the hands and feet speak to the quality of your product. Tastes can go back to that impromptu fish barbecue or favoring guests with a tasty treat aboard your boat. All of that from an outboard motor. See how much you have to work with here?
4. What adjectives best describe your brand?
Do a little brainstorming. Jot down whatever comes into your head, then whittle it down to five. Once you’ve done that, see how each of those describing words fit into the images you’ve created based on the five senses. Try to come up with a way to pair each word with all five senses. You’ll be amazed at the mental pictures that form and how genius they seem.
I hope that all of this gives you some inspiration and helps you begin developing a powerful visual branding strategy. Put all the pieces together and watch as your entire content strategy comes into clear, sharp focus with the conversions to match.