Branding needs a strong vision

What challenges do you face in branding and rebranding?

Before I start the design process, it is important to know the core values, the mission and the vision of a brand. An effective branding strategy goes beyond visual appearance and touches every aspect of brand communication. In practice, there is often a lack of a strong vision at the company, which makes it more difficult to develop a brand identity.

Bei einem Rebranding kann es interne Widerstände im Team oder im Management geben. Hier ist dann Überzeugungsarbeit gefragt und dies setzt eine transparente Kommunikation voraus, um die Vorteile  zu erläutern und Vertrauen aufzubauen.

There may be internal resistance within the team or management against the rebranding. Persuasion is required here and a transparent communication explaining the advantages and building trust.

How do you ensure, that your design reflects the identity and values of the client?

I need to get know the company, the products, the competitors and the clients vision. A personal meeting is the first step where we put together a briefing and see how we get to a congruent view. A good design is scalable and can be adapted to different media and sizes without losing its impact. It adapts seemlessly to different channels.

Once the design is created, the brand guidelines have to be recorded in a manual, where all visual elements are listed. In regularly updating these guidelines you continue to reflect the brand's identity and values over time.

Cultural differences – especially when it comes to international designs, are a particularly important factor. And this needs to be constantly checked and guaranteed.

Can you give us an example of a successful project where you did the branding?

I created the new brand QuantumBasel including the web design. The aim was to create a brand that has a high charisma and attraction in Switzerland and globally.

How do you stay up-to-date with the ever-evolving design world and with new trends?

I follow design blogs and design collaborations on social media, and I am a member of various design forums. Furthermore I exchange ideas with colleagues. Here are some examples of good sources of inspiration: behance.net, morethandigital.info, designspiration.com and savee.it

Also I constantly educate myself. I like to experiment. Furthermore I observe design and marketing trends.

How do you consider sustainability in your design projects?

When designing packaging and advertising materials, I take environmental aspects into account. Sustainable design can not only be environmentally friendly, but it has a positive impact on the image. The choice of paper is always a central issue. Luckily, I have a large network and know which paper is ideal and how eco-friendly it is, if you think about merchandising. In addition, the production should be located in Switzerland. The commissioned work should stay in the country.

How do you get to understand the clients target group and how does it influence your design?

Empathy for their target group is very important to me. I have to be able to empathize. My goal is to design in a way that resonates with the audiences and creates an emotional connection. It is also important to take cultural differences into account and avoid stereotypes.

Continuous feedback from the audiance is important for us. Customer surveys or tests also ensure desired reactions.

What advice do you have for customers thinking about rebranding?

Analyze the brand: capture the core values, mission and vision of the brand. Involve stakeholders and target groups. We would be happy to support you or, if you wish, to lead this process for you. This is important because drastic changes could cause confusion and undermine trust in the brand. Furthermore, the communication plays an important role here.

We also advise to set the budget for the rebranding and set up a planning that everyone knows. It is also important to support proactively through the various phases of the process.