The Benefits of Strategic Branding
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We hear the word “branding” a lot these days, and we know it is critical for any organisation to build a strong brand. But what really is branding and how has it evolved? Where is it going and why is it crucial to the public sector?
Since its inception ten years ago, Local Peoples has gathered a wealth of research into human-centred brand design. As the world changes and matures, consumers are increasingly aligning with brands that strongly reflect their own values. Qualities like innovation, empathy, connectivity and customer happiness must be at the core of a brand’s strategy in order to best position it for a future of informed and purpose-driven consumers.
Local Peoples envisions a world in which brands are purposeful, sustainable and representative of the people who believe in them. This handbook is a practical guide to understanding the importance of strategic branding to the public sector and building meaningful brands that enable government to effectively serve its populace. Our expertise in strategic branding and human-centred design is here to help you properly position your brand and help shape a positive future.
A Brief History of Branding & Storytelling
The term “branding” itself is derived from the Old Norse word brandr, referring to the practice of branding livestock, which dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation in 2250 BCE. The custom of branding was carried through to the Archaic period of Greeks and Romans who used visual symbols as a way of promoting wares like wines, pots, metals and ointments. However, this widely understood history is outdated by an even more ancient art that forms the foundation of modern strategic branding – storytelling.
At the heart of any brand strategy is a good story. It’s an artform almost as old as human history – some of the first examples of cave art and storytelling date back over 60,000 years. Of course, storytelling has since evolved from its original use as a form of territory-marking and of passing on lineage, history and knowledge of the land. But it retains its vital function as a vehicle for conveying information in the most memorable and engaging way. We tell stories in both branding and marketing to provide people with an idea of what that brand represents, its core values and unique selling proposition.
From its foundation in storytelling, branding has matured. We now take a more human-centred and strategic approach to branding, building a two-way dialogue between organisation and audience, which shapes a brand that is relatable, meaningful and responds to human need. Today, we recognise that a strong brand has clear values and stands for something. It earns trust, fondness and loyalty not only through words and icons, but through stories and consistent action.
Strategic BrandingToday
The Strategic Difference
At Local Peoples, we believe in the power of branding to help create purposeful, human-centered organisations that bring communities together over shared values.
A memorable brand is like an enduring friendship: it has a point of view you respect, and it is constantly learning, growing and sharing the distillation of a distinctive way of looking at the world. Successful branding is about creating a
two-way dialogue with your audience, communicating with simplicity and elegance.
So, what is your point of view? And how might you communicate that with the greatest impact possible? That’s what strategic branding seeks
to solve.
Working in the public sector means that your brand is always in the spotlight – but this doesn’t mean you can’t innovate and evolve.
It’s important to work with design partners who understand the nuances of the government landscape, who can help you to navigate your brand through complexity.
The role of Customer Experience in branding
The Rise of Experience Economy
Successful strategic branding is more than a well-presented brand – it’s an emotional connection between
the brand and the customers who experience it.
An ever-shifting landscape of digital products and increasing reliance on devices has thrust consumers’ mental wellbeing into the spotlight. In the words of a former Facebook executive, “the short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works.” We are more connected but more isolated than ever before, constantly bombarded with information.
So how does this apply to good branding? In an increasingly digitised and artificial world, consumers are hungry for authentic and fulfilling experiences. An increasing function of strategic branding is to design engaging experiences that draw in an audience and leave them feeling fulfilled. These are not just limited to tangible events – digital experiences are just as vital.
For brands, the purpose of experiences such as these is not simply to attract consumers – it’s to create touchpoints that feel authentic and exciting to the user, encouraging the user to build an emotional rapport with the brand. When a brand doesn’t pay attention to positive customer experience, consumers tend to make decisions based on convenience, and so don’t develop brand loyalty. A brand strategy that give customer experience attention to detail, the result is surprised and delighted customers who associate that feeling with the brand.
We’ve recently witnessed the decline of traditional forms
of advertising, as consumers wise up to the current array
of targeted digital advertising, the focus for brands will shift to creating memorable experiences, both in the physical and digital realms, that build trust and a strong emotional connection.
So how might you position your business in the experience economy of tomorrow? What experiences can you offer your customers or clients to build that authentic connection?
Benefits of our Strategic Branding process
Genuine Empathy
For a brand to be successful, it needs to be meaningful. A great brand resonates with the thoughts, feelings, desires and aspirations of its audience. How do we know what audiences finds meaningful? Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, we seek to understand their behaviour: what they make, what they buy, what they talk about and share. And we go out and ask them.
True client partnership through co-design
Our clients are our greatest resource and we like working in a highly collaborative manner. We seek to understand your organisation, its aspirations, and its challenges. Together, we create solutions that are fit for purpose.
Giving People the Right Message, Right Place, Right Time
It’s not enough just to say the right things. We need to ensure that your brand is talking at times and in places where your audience is listening. Our brand and channel strategies mean that the brand is being heard where audiences are most receptive: in their physical and digital environments.
Executional Excellence
Great design is about so much more than executional polish – but execution polish is essential to a successful outcome. Our award winning design team have a track record of outstanding brand execution across digital, print, content and spatial design.
The Rise of Purpose-Driven Brands
We’re at a turning point in our time on this planet.A groundswell of commitment by people and organisations to help course-correct our impact has led to a demand for purpose-driven brands.
Brands that take a stance on social and environmental issues are becoming increasingly sought-after as consumers increasingly vote with their dollars. From early-stage businesses to long-established corporations, the tide is changing quickly. Unless a brand makes an authentic commitment to positive impact, customers can lose faith and interest.
But what does this mean for the public sector? How does the rise of purpose-driven brands impact how the government communicates with its citizens?
Building trust in government
Trust in government is dropping. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer paints a concerning picture of eroding trust in government, exacerbated by the lingering impacts of the global pandemic. Trust in government has not yet rebounded, leaving citizens skeptical of its intentions and capabilities. As businesses accelerate their efforts to demonstrate authentic and effective commitment to positive social impact, consumers expectations of what reliable institutions look like are increasingly shaped by the standards set by the private sector. The public sector faces ever increasing demands to demonstrate transparency, credibility and accountability in the forms now familiar to consumers.
Branding emerges as the crucial bridge connecting the government with the public. The essence of strategic branding lies in building trust, instilling confidence, and fostering a sense of partnership. A well crafted brand identity is the conduit through which the government can connect with its citizens and demonstrate its dedication to serving their best interests.
Creating consistency and clarity
In a context of advanced communications technology, the public sector is often required to respond rapidly to emerging issues, public inquiries, and Ministerial directives. This operational need for rapid response can lead to disjointed and inconsistent messaging which may erode public trust. A well established brand identity provides the public sector with a framework to guide communication decisions in these circumstances.
A strong brand reputation also acts as a shield, enabling the public sector to rely on the trust it has built with the public to navigate challenges with greater resilience. This matters – as the COVID-10 Roadmap to Recovery detailed, clear communication is the key to navigating crises with community buy-in.
Communicating complex ideas effectivelyThe information that government needs to communicate with the public can often be highly technical. Policy documentation can be too dry, complex, and daunting for the general public, leading to audience disengagement. Harnessing a user-centred approach to strategic branding enables us to create communications t
hat are engaging and accessible to all types of audiences – improving the effectiveness and reach of messaging.
Bringing people together
The Barometer also reports that 68% say brands that celebrate what brings us together and emphasise our common interests would strengthen the social fabric. This represents an enormous opportunity for the Australian Public Sector – as a vast portion of its remit is to do just that!
Purpose-driven brands for real people
Local Peoples’ human-centred design approach to strategic branding is a proven way to minimise risk, clarify communication and create better outcomes for the community. We engage your target audience throughout the project, ensuring the end product is not only fit-for-purpose, but embraced by the people who use it. Over time this authenticity builds trust in your public sector brand and amplifies your vision for the future.