Your Brand Is Not What You Say It Is. It’s What They Say It Is.

Paul Crimi — Co-Founder, Product at Digital Natives

At Digital Natives, our approach for any branding exercise is a calculated one. Our responsibility is to create an emotional connection with your customer through great design while communicating your story. For us, we begin with four pillars: Concept, Personality, Experience, and Consistency. Once defined, these provide the guiding light for the visualization of your new brand and all of its touch points.

In his book, The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier states that a brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company. It’s a gut feeling because we’re all emotional, intuitive beings, despite our efforts to be rational. It’s a person’s gut feeling because in the end the brand is defined by individuals, not by companies, markets, or the so-called general public. Each person creates his or her own version of it. While companies can’t control this process, they can influence it by communicating the qualities that make this product different than that product.

The brands we create close the gap between emotion and logic — this is the sweet spot. It’s where great brands live and what brings you closer to your customers.

Concept or “Big Idea”

The best brands and campaigns are built upon a strong understanding of their audience and situation. Conducting research and learning about the people you are reaching will uncover insights that will help shape the personality of your brand and experiences your audience will have with your brand. A concept based on truths will connect with your audience on a different level.

At the core of every experience is a truth.

Personality

The most memorable brands have crafted a personality that connects with their audience on an emotional level. Audiences are more trusting of a brand that understands them, talks to them on their level, and aligns with their values. Giving your brand the right voice makes it more personable and relatable, and that’s what builds a lasting relationship.

Experience

Experience is built from emotional responses evoked by brand-related design, packaging, and communications. The interactions audiences have with your product, service, or organization will teach them how your brand will fit into their lifestyle. These experiences will leave lasting impressions your audiences will associate with your brand and impact their loyalty.

Consistency

A well-developed style guide is an essential tool for establishing a consistent brand identity. The creation of a well-developed style guide allows you to ensure that your branding is applied in a way that evokes the desired reactions and emotions from your audience. Consistently applying your brand will begin to evoke these emotions from your audience upon seeing your visual identity. This will build an unspoken level of familiarity and trust with your audience.