2009

Crafting a brand … it ain’t all logos

On April 9, Creative Director Kory Lax and Graphic Designer Renae Geimer had a chance to talk branding with a group of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay graphic communications students.

As former graphics students themselves, the point of the three-part presentation was simple: educate these future marketers, designers and business owners exactly what branding is and what it isn’t.

Branding is of course far more than graphic identity. But for beginners, it’s often seen as the most important part.

“As young designers, it’s natural for them to think of branding in terms of the talents they bring to the table and run for their computers,” Lax said. “I think it’s important they know right out of the gate design is one element of branding, but not branding itself. That’s much larger.”

Using the Imaginasium-designed UW-Green Bay athletics’ Phoenix logo as an example, Kory and Renae emphasized the need to think about the project in terms of the client’s brand assets before the first design is even considered.

“The brand is a clients’ greatest business property,” Lax told the students, “and we have to make sure we’re protecting it. For the Phoenix logo, that meant going through a lot of steps before design.

The pair explained how the Phoenix process started with a client interview and development of the internal Creative Brief, outlining goals and parameters. This was followed up by background research, brainstorming sessions, sketches and more.

Once preliminary designs had been hand-sketched and selected by UW-Green Bay, focus group testing weighed in and from the results, computer design of the final logo proceeded.
Perhaps the greatest lesson the students learned was that, for all the sexiness of a cool new logo or great visuals, a brand isn’t a look; it’s an understanding, both internally and externally.

Using Imaginasium’s work with The Manitowoc Company in the development of their employment brand, Kory and Renae made sure the kids understood that the strongest brands serve as unspoken contracts between the marketer and its audiences. To thrive, every touchpoint between these stakeholder groups must be aligned, every defining trait understood, every promise kept.

So between discussions of typography, imagery and color palettes, there was plenty of time to talk about brand positioning, promise and language, StoryLine™ development and the value of knowing what makes a brand different.

After Q&A, the pair wrapped up with some practical advice for the kids: before you enter the working world, definitely know your trade. And just as importantly, know your Authentic Brand Story.