Brewing Up a Brand, Coffee Style
International Coffee Day falls on the 1st of October every year, and it’s a great day to celebrate that precious, life-giving elixir which serves as the fuel for us rat racers.
Having drunk countless coffees through the years, we’ve come to the conclusion that building a brand is like brewing a good coffee. It takes time, effort, some technical know-how, and lots of beans where it counts. And by beans, we mean balls. If you’re not a connoisseur, it’s a lot easier to get what you want from the people who have made creative branding or coffee-brewing their chosen craft.
With that said, whom should you approach to brew a great brand? Here are your choices.
Network Agency — Coffee Chain
Network agencies are your big names in the game. They have access to lots of different countries and markets, so if you’re looking to expand your regional or global presence and you have the money to back it up, this is a good option for you. They offer the entire gamut of services, but be prepared to end up paying for extras that might not be quite necessary for your company. With stakeholders to answer to and so many different teams, your experience may vary.
These huge organisations are like your established coffee chains. They can put out some pretty mind-blowing stuff, but don’t expect to get that without shelling out the big bucks. If you’re not a household name yourself, they’ll forget you as soon as they’re done calling out the name on your takeaway coffee cup.
Boutique Agency — Artisanal Café
Boutique agencies vary a great deal in what they specialise in, as well as the quality of their work. The good ones deliver comparable — or even better quality than a network agency — at a lower price, and in less time to boot. You’ll still have access to the full stack of services if you need it, but they’ll be more willing and able to tailor their offerings to your specific needs.
Like an artisanal café, most of them are independently-owned businesses, so there’s a lot more pride and tender loving care that goes into their work. Getting to choose your beans is akin to being closer to the creative process, and there’s a wealth of knowledge to soak up while finding your brand’s unique voice.
In-house Team — Home Brewing Equipment
Having your very own in-house team is great. A convenient team of professionals to work on whatever you choose, and with unlimited changes too? What’s there not to like?
However, hiring the perfect team is like researching your options among the countless types of coffee-brewing equipment; you have to figure out what each person brings to the table, and whether they’re a good fit. Do you want a simple French press, or a Chemex drip coffee maker? Each one is really good at what it does, but you might be lacking in variety.
One of the great things about hiring an external agency is obtaining fresh insights or perspectives. In-house teams might also be bogged down by baggage e.g. office politics, while independent players are free to make decisions that are right for your brand. Lastly, you’ll need to make the necessary upgrade from time to time; ensure that your team stays at the top of their game, so they keep coming up with fresh, novel ideas to keep your brand differentiated from the competition.
Random Freelancer — Instant Coffee
Want a new logo or just need someone to edit your website copy? How about a freelancer? They’re like the instant coffee of the professional services world. If a quick caffeine hit is all you need, instant coffee is cheap, easy, and does the job well enough. Some are actually pretty good (we’re personally fans of OldTown White Coffee, but we had to go through many other inferior brands before that discovery).
This isn’t a snipe at freelancers, but we know very well that not all of them are created equal. Check their portfolios and choose wisely; there are no guarantees of quality, and you’ll probably have to pay if you want changes. There’s also less accountability with freelancers; in the worst-case scenarios, you’ll have them ghosting you and skipping out on the work. Yikes.
There’s one other main issue with hiring a freelancer that no one talks about: they generally don’t have a long-term vision of your brand, so the work they produce might not do much towards building it.
Brewing The Perfect Brand
Whatever your tastes, it pays to play an active role in the creative brand process. We collaborate closely with our clients to create creative content that drives their brand, while developing a culture that supports it from within. Our goal is to transform mere customers into loyal followers, and we always work hand in hand with our clients to create the perfect cuppa brand.
If you’re interested in brewing up something beautiful, hit us up for a chat sometime at www.theuniversefantastic.co, and let’s discuss your brand goals over a well-brewed cup of joe.
