Branding - a single word could make or break your business

I was at a breakfast meeting the other day and I picked up the venue’s menu. The desserts section was labelled ‘puddings’. Even though you’ve no idea where I was, that single word can immediately give a huge clue as to the type of venue I was in. Before reading on have a think as to what it could mean …

… The word ‘pudding’ suggests family friendly, perhaps a large portion, lower prices and basic food, and that sums up the venue perfectly, I was at a Table Table pub. Here you’d expect a warm chocolate brownie for under a fiver, rather than a Seville orange soufflé with milk chocolate and Szechuan pepper ice cream.

That one word instantly portrays an image about the venue; it’s all part of their brand. Quoting their home page “…great pub food in a place you’ll love. Table Table is the perfect place to get together with family and friends”.

A brand isn’t just a logo and colour scheme, it’s the way you talk, the way you portray yourself, the way you work, the way you treat your clients, and of course the product or service that you deliver.

Look at airlines; Ryanair have a budget brand, and aren’t ashamed of it, and why should they be? It brings them around a billion pounds in annual profit. They are proud to be budget, and everything about them demonstrates this. Then consider Emirates, voted the World’s best airline^*. Their website contains a video showing an on board lounge with a bar and food fit for a top restaurant, but of course with flights running in to the thousands you certainly pay for the service.

Interestingly Ryanair and Emirates are both airlines, but are not really competitors as they have their specific demographic in the market, and have matched their branding to suit, which includes everything from their website and logo, down to the way the staff dress and the food you eat during the flight.

No matter what part of the market you are trying to reach it’s important that your message is clear and consistent, it’s important that you have the right brand that suits your niche and your target market, and that this brand encompasses everything about your business.

Does this strike a chord with you? If so, and you’d like a chat, then get in touch.

We are Webbed Feet, we can help you with your branding