Worldwide trends suddenly shifted at the beginning of the 20th century when technology faced considerable development and devices like mobile phones and computers became accessible to the public. This event led to new ways of advertising various products and services since people were bombarded with multiple companies and different products. Hence, the exacerbated competition changed traditional marketing.
The four Ps in marketing is the base of today’s strategies since they encapsulate the essential aspect of a company’s marketing of products, prices, places and ways of promotion. Still, using only this method is no longer productive, so modern marketing is a complex mix of customer experience, brand image and creativity, which is the most prominent element of a successful business.
Here’s why creativity shapes a company’s brand in today’s digital world.
Is Creativity Simply Thinking out of the Box?
Creativity is a complex characteristic, and people are creative differently depending on their hobbies or personalities. What’s for sure is this feature can be shape-shifted depending on what’s fueling it: content, people or calling. Therefore, it’s safe to say that some people are indeed inclined to be more creative than others, but if they don’t take advantage of it, it goes to waste.
For example, entertaining companies that need to develop their brand image will have a more laid-back approach with funny content, like memes. However, branding in financial services has to speak out for its customers, so the tone of voice changes. Still, emotion should be present, so there’s a mix of formal and informal strategies proven to leverage great results. But for this to work, a talented team is required.
Keeping up with the Competition is Vital
We know where creativity comes from, but it has to be polished in accordance with the real world. This is why looking at what your competitors do is essential for a better understanding of where you’re located on the market and how much you must work to reach a reasonable level on the standard scale.
Still, it isn’t easy to have access to other company’s data, and organizing it for further reports is time-consuming, so a branding and design agency should help you find guidance for creating a unique brand image.
Having a Clear Visual Image of your Business Figures Prominently
A creative team will do what’s best for the company if it approaches visuals. This is the most accessible form of attracting people but also the most complex because customers are seeing only visuals on social media, and they’re not impressed by many anymore. Not even bright colors are catchy since big brands are mostly known for trademarking some.
Regardless, you have to change your brand image frequently to appeal to new trends and customer needs. For now, what’s sure is that people prefer cleaner and more minimalistic visual elements when searching for a good brand since it’s like a fresh breath of air in the middle of constant visual busyness.
At the same time, a simple brand image must be catchy and encapsulate important things about the company, being a thorough representation of an enterprise. For example, Apple has a simple and timeless logo with a brand identity represented by sleekness and creativity. Nike also has a straightforward design that symbolizes dynamics, with certain aspects reflecting the company’s brand, like innovation and performance.
Social Media is the base of putting your Brand Image in Place
Luckily, besides complex marketing strategies and analyses of the competition, the easiest route to the best brand image is through social media. With so many apps like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok where various ages of audiences are present for a few hours a day, it’s safe to say that you can grow even organically if you adopt the right type of approach.
Here’s how social media improves brand image:
- It personifies the brand and allows customers to relate to the organization’s posts through a simple process of humanization;
- It helps PR get a new dimension for improving the brand message in accordance with new prospectors;
- It helps users interact actively with the enterprise without the regular barriers that businesses create unintentionally;
Creative Branding also means being responsible
Brands no longer serve a purpose to customers only. Corporations and multinationals now hold a particular responsibility for their social and economic impact since they’re making serious money off of their products and services.
An enterprise becomes responsible regarding social aspects when communities are affected, in a good or a wrong way, by its activities. At the same time, when the environment is put at risk due to that business, it has to reconsider its approaches.
Being responsible can be proved in numerous ways. First, it’s essential to do it genuinely and avoid greenwashing, for example, since it can be quickly revealed. Organizations can, therefore, be true to their audiences. Still, to show they’re involved in bettering the world, they can make frequent donations to charities, community foundations or NGOs that resonate with their company culture.
Another way of being responsible is caring for nature, meaning learning how to recycle material properly, making posts about climate change and being an activist for environmental destruction. At the same time, it would be a good idea to be transparent on how you manufacture your products, what are the emissions recorded within the delivery process, etc.
More businesses try to care about the environment when their true goal is profit and conversions, but this trick doesn’t work for long. On the other hand, trustworthy companies that care about the community’s social, economic and environmental future are truly appreciated by customers and, therefore, attract clients who remain loyal to the enterprise.
Conclusion
Creative branding is the base of any company’s success in the modern days when trends rule the market demand. Each business should develop a team of talented and creative people who are able to adapt to changes as well as be aware of the competition, and create unique and attractive strategies.
