Have you ever questioned branding and its importance?

Branding goes way beyond a logo or an image. It is the entire customer experience from your logo and website, to social media and your staff. 

In short, your brand is the way people perceive you.

In today’s culture we are rich in knowledge yet deprived of time. As a result, it’s often the visual identity of a brand that catches the eyes of consumers. In most cases, opinions and perceptions are formed about a brand before the consumer knows what it is and what it’s about. With this in mind, a visual presence is key. It allows you to differentiate your brand effectively and build trust in a world where consumers are bombarded with visual marketing messages several times a day. Promoting your brand at events gives you the opportunity to reach a very specific audience, of which the demographic should already be known, with very targeted messages. The opportunity-to-see is much higher at events as the attendees and participants are there for a much longer period of time, increasing the likelihood of them acting upon the messages they see.

So, what is the importance of branding?

Branding promotes recognition

People are more inclined to associate with your brand if they are familiar with it. When branding is consistent and easily recognisable, people will feel more at ease about participating with you or purchasing from you.

The major component of your brand is your logo, which acts as the face of your company and is often the first piece of your branding a consumer will see. An effective logo design is simple enough to be memorable but powerful enough to give a desired impression of your company. 

Branding sets you apart

It’s important to stand out from the crowd. You are not competing on a local stage. You are competing on a national / global stage where there are many competitors doing the same as you. What makes you different and why should consumers choose your brand over your competitors? Powerful visual branding goes a long way in setting you apart from your competition.

Branding supports advertising

Advertising is a key component of your brand. Choosing the best brand medium and a targeted demographic helps to build a brand. If the advertising focus is too narrow, companies risk being ‘pigeon-holed’ and losing the ability to expand their marketing to reach new audiences. A focus too broad, the company fails to create a definable impression on the right audience.

A strong brand generates referrals

Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool and people love to tell others about brands they love. Would you be able to tell friends about a product or service if you couldn’t remember the brand name? At an event, the crowd is a captive audience; utilise all of the space available to you to showcase your brand messages.

A strong brand helps customers know what to expect

A clear and consistent brand allows customers to know exactly what to expect every time their buy a product or receive a service, putting them at ease.

Your brand represents you and your customer

You are the brand; your staff are the brand and your products / services are the brand. Not only does your brand represent you but, when consumers choose to buy from you, your brand then represents them too. Customers must feel comfortable with your brand values and how well they align with their representation of themselves.

Your brand connects with customers emotionally

A good brand connects with people on an emotional level. People buy into the emotion, not necessarily the products or service – they want to feel good when they buy into the brand. The best branding is usually built on a strong idea. An idea that your staff can hold on to, can commit to and can deliver upon. A strong emotional connection with the brand from all stakeholders results in more streamlined marketing output that better resonates with your audience.

Some events, particularly mass participation sporting events such as marathons, are already emotionally charged for many and using this to your advantage can really help to create a strong emotional connection to your brand.

So, what is our key message?

Our message is this. Once your branding is finalised, showcase it wherever possible. Be proud of the brand you have built and the brand your customers choose to come back to. Whether you are running a mass participation sporting event, a music festival or a race, showcasing your branding at every available opportunity will reinforce your messages and what it is that you stand for, helping to give customers a better understanding of your brand and encouraging them to ultimately make a purchase from you.