The Branding Werewolf Approaches!

Look out! Oh--that's right. There is no 'branding werewolf.' What a silly idea, right? Well if there's no such thing, then why are businesses and nonprofits always looking for a silver bullet to slay it?

The silver bullet, in this case, is that perfect logo, name, or other element that makes you say "Wow! That's it!" when you see it. Many people expect this to happen during a brand's development and often use it as a litmus test for their final decisions. While a 'wow' factor is a great phenomenon to come across, it is unfortunately an unrealistic expectation and often inhibiting to the process.

What constitutes the 'wow' factor is different for every person because it is based on personal opinion. Your goal in brand development is not to create something that knocks your or your boss' socks off, but rather to create something that is competent and sends the correct message to your target audience. Also, keep in mind that it is rare for a single brand element to stand on its own. Logos, names, colors, messages - everything - are almost always within some sort of context, existing within a cohesive brand system where each component supports another. There is no need for each portion to be immaculate on its own.

The reality is that we all have to learn to accept something that competantly gets the job done. For many, it is difficult to sign off on something that doesn't feel like the surefire, 100% solution, but those people must remind themselves that any weakness in one area will be compensated by the strength of another. It is the beauty of a cohesive system.