Creating a really rocking brand language: theory

What are the particular demands to brand language if we talk of a taxi company? What should be the characteristics of your brand visual language? Here they are, listed.

What should be the characteristics of your brand visual language

A good brand language has to:

• Let your company stand out from its competitors;
• Meet the needs of the customers;
• Rhyme well with the brand values;
• Be fail-safe for use in all possible formats: from online banners to outdoor advertising.

Basically, you do not have to outperform Uber trying to imitate their brand language. Successful branding is more about distinguishing your own target group, and finding a way to talk to them in a language they’d understand and love.

To create a brand language meeting these requirements you can develop it on your own, or hire an agency. For most, hiring an agency is the simplest way. An agency will arrange a research to find out what’s fitting your brand best.

However, in both cases, it’s important that you figure out what your requirements for the brand identity are.

We’ve thought of giving you some inspiration. Let us introduce you to Marc Gobe, pioneer of innovative brand design. In his groundbreaking book “Emotional Branding: The new paradigm for connecting brands to people”, he named 9 moves a company has to make if willing to succeed in XXI century. According to Gobe, a company has to move:

• From Consumers to People. Bottom line of creating an enduring relationship with people is mutual respect. If you concentrate on your customers being human, they are more likely to have a positive attitude towards your services.
• From Service to Experience. If you sell services (however good), people buy it because of its price and comfort. If you sell experiences, people come to you for an added value money can’t buy.
• From Honesty to Trust. If you want people to buy from you again and again, you need to build up trust. When people trust a brand, they come back to it over and over, whatever the competitors do.
• From Quality to Preference. The quality of the services is something that helps you to stay on the market. However, being preferred in all cases is something showing your business has got a real connection with people.
• From Reputation to Aspiration. Being known is not enough anymore. Being desirable is the aim.
• From Identity to Personality. Creating a brand identity is the first step. With a bit of luck, it helps to develop a strong brand personality, provoking an emotional response.
• From Everywhereness to Presence. In order to succeed, any business has to be social. At least, it has to be present in a community, ensuring a real connection with its members.
• From Communication to Dialogue. Your target audience is not only there so you can tell them things. A dialogue (maintained via sharing experiences) is crucial for your brand.
• From Service to Relationship. If you move from simply selling services to creating a trustworthy relationship with people, an engaged customer community will grow quickly. Look at Apple: a loyal community is their key to being giant in the branch.

Once you’ve got a brand language, it will be extremely important to maintain it. In this case, Uber is a bad example. Consider that Uber was marketing their services using a very people-friendly, lovely and humane brand language. About a year ago, we’ve learned about aggressively sexist culture in the company, and many cases of sexual harassment within it. Uber forgot about being consistent — that’s one thing. They also forgot to maintain the brand loyalty they’ve once created — and this is maybe even more important.

Your brand language has to be relevant, to meet the people’s demand. It has to keep doing this all, over and over again, in order for your business to succeed.

While you’re thinking of how to make all these steps and how to visualize it, we have some very practical advice for your visual language. See you in the next lesson!