“Brand in a Box” (aka why you might need a brand refresh)

But First, The Brand

Whenever businesses look to engage and grow their customer base, many go right to the advertising — digital marketing, paid ads, video content, print media, etc. Unfortunately, the act of first creating or refreshing the brand is often overlooked and can be a major misstep. Without first having a cohesive and purposeful brand, any marketing or advertising spend is at risk to be wasted.

Skipping the brand refresh seems to occur most with smaller to mid-sized brands. Perhaps the thought is that only larger companies have the time and budget to spend on branding? Maybe it’s only larger agencies that offer really great brand ideas? Or perhaps the thought of going through the whole branding or rebranding process makes small to midsize businesses feel overwhelmed? But I challenge those reading this that a brand refresh is absolutely worth considering!

A Brand…In A Box?

At LO:LA, we offer the concept of a “Brand in a Box”. The process is quite simple, efficient, cost-effective, and is always done in collaboration with the client.

We start with the goal of shaping what the brand wants to be while conveying its noble purpose (also known as your brand’s “Why”). It then consists of all the components needed to successfully inspire and engage your product or service with target customers: from establishing the brand’s position and developing a brand house to creating a fresh logo and key messaging, a compelling yet friction-free website, and captivating imagery and videos that can be leveraged across various mediums. The end result becomes the basis for all of the brand’s marketing efforts going forward…concise, cohesive and AUTHENTIC!

“80% of people crave good stories but wish brands were better at telling them. People crave authenticity, they want to be emotionally engaged.”

Source: Scott Magids, Alan Zorfas, and Daniel Leemon.”The New Science of Customer Emotions”

Fine-tuning your brand to communicate and act at its most eloquent should always be the basis for subsequent marketing and advertising. It is an effective way to not only stand out and show the world who you really are but to drive authentic engagement and loyalty with your customers and audience. A brand refresh should be viewed as the catalyst to more impactful marketing, especially when you don’t want or are unable to spend heavily on advertising.

So maybe it’s time to ask yourself…how might a brand refresh help my business?

Nick Platt is Founder and CEO/Chief Creative Officer of @LO:LA, a boutique creative & marketing agency HQ in Los Angeles, CA. With a career spanning two continents and three decades, Nick has worked at a range of prominent agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Proximity, and TBWAGGT and has won numerous industry awards including the Grand Prix at the New York Festivals, Gold at the ECHOs, D&AD, John Caples, DMAs & London International Advertising Awards.

Nick’s goal is to create magic in the moments that matter and is determined to prove, together with his experienced team of advertising professionals, that independent creative shops can be nimble, fast and cost-efficient without sacrificing quality.