Branding During a Recession

When times are tough, marketing and communications usually experience the first cuts. Why? I really don't know. If anything, an organization should market more, but this is something you'd hear from practically any marketing professional and this is not my point. Sometimes branding exercises must still move forward, despite cutbacks and market conditions. How can an organization spend a little but get a lot?

There are some basic elements to a brand that, if leveraged properly, will get you far without undertaking a full-blown development project:

• Logo: At the very least, a logo that is a simple word treatment--graphics are not necessary, but something to use as your "stamp" is.
• Color palette/strategy: A basic color strategy is sometimes all a brand needs to help it stay consistent throughout its use.
• Message: Without a message crafted towards the target audience, a brand lacks direction and power.
• Image strategy: At some point, imagery (photos, illustrations, etc.) will come into play, so having a strategy, however basic, will help to maintain consistency.

A good way to save money is to hire someone to help you develop these and work with them and contribute as much as you are able. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to save money by paying someone, but often a professional branding expert can help you move through this exercise much quicker than on your own. Having the same person/agency work on everything is another good way to cut costs--packaging development almost always saves time and money.

Everything on top of these basic items can either be developed in-house or on an as-needed basis when funds become available. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish with this small toolbox of brand elements. Much like the 8-pack of Crayola crayons, it's all about how you use them that determines your result.