Keeper of the Brand

‘Keeper of the Brand’ is a mantra we learned while working with Allen Broach of Broach and Company on a project with one of his clients. To this day, my partner and I consider ourselves the ‘Keeper of the Brand’ for our clients.

Okay – so you’re asking . . . what exactly does ‘Keeper of the Brand’ mean?

Let me give you an example. . .

Client XYZ has an event that is, in part, hosted by Acme Company.  Acme Company offers to pay for the printing and in house design of handouts of the event. “Great” Client XYZ exclaims! Thinking that this will save printing costs. . . but when the event rolls around and the flyers are ready to be handed out . . . Client XYZ‘s logo and website are no where to be found. In fact, there is nothing on the flyer to say exactly who is hosting the event.

Enter ‘Keeper of the Brand’ . . . We ask the questions that often offend folks like Acme Company but they have to be asked to protect Client XYZ’s brand equity.

It would go something like this : “Yes, you received free printing – but does the material have your logo? Does it reflect your print ads, web design and social media presence?”

The answer? “No, but it was free.”

Too often, business owners loose sight that each interaction that a customer has with their product/service should be remarkable. The customer should know that they are engaging with your brand and have a consistent experience across all media. This means the look and feel of your presence any where your Brand is, whether in print or on the web, should be easily recognizable.

Your brand is more than just your logo. It’s the experience people have with your company/product.

*Remember that any printed material you have produced for your business will get shared with other people – at the office, with family . . . be sure that each piece is representative of the whole of your brand and that your logo and/or website is prominent.

If you don’t already – think about creating branding guidelines for your company.

Here are a few great examples from the Big Boys of Business :

Android.com | Brand Guidelines

Netflix API – Branding Requirements

The Honeywell Brand Guidelines

Ubuntu Brand Guidelines « Canonical Design

Tags: Brand Guidelines, Keeper of the Brand