What is brand consulting?

Strategic brand consulting describes support in the systematic development of a brand in line with the business model and corporate objectives. According to this interpretation, the aim of brand consulting is to (further) develop a brand in such a way that its desirability and value increase.

Why is brand consulting important?

The success and therefore the value of a company depends on many factors. Brands are an essential driver of success and therefore a central component of a company’s value. In order for business decisions to have a positive impact on the brand, they must be strategically sound.

Visual and communicative brand messages should always originate from a defined brand strategy – this is the only way to build a consistent brand that resonates with the target group. A brand consultant therefore supports companies in defining and developing their brand identity, brand strategy and brand management.

Brand consulting is therefore an important part of brand management. As a company, it makes sense to make use of the expertise of a brand consultancy in the following three areas:

• Identity: A strong brand identity is essential for the success of a company. A brand consultancy helps to define the values, competence, mission and ambition of a company and to develop the brand identity on this basis.
• Positioning: A brand must stand out from its competition and have a unique positioning in the market. A brand consultancy helps to identify the individual characteristics of the brand and to develop a positioning that emphasizes the brand’s strengths.
• Communication: Clear and consistent communication is crucial to building a successful brand. A brand consultancy helps to develop a strategy for brand communication that presents the company consistently.
• Implementation: Brand strategy and brand identity contribute to the success of the company if they are actively applied. A brand consultancy supports implementation both within the team and at touchpoints.

Overall, a brand consultancy can help a company to develop a strong brand identity, differentiate itself from the competition and establish clear communication. This often difficult internal process can be significantly accelerated by working with an external brand consultancy.

Who needs brand consulting

Brand consulting is useful for any organization – regardless of size and industry – that wants to make its brand(s) credible, attractive and differentiated from other market players.

The successful development and management of brands requires specific experience and skills that are not always available within a company. In addition, an unbiased view from the outside often brings new perspectives and approaches that can be expressed independently of internal structures and hierarchies. Under these conditions, it is advisable to involve external specialists – as with other company-relevant projects.

The following classic scenarios require an intensive examination of the brand strategy and the corresponding transformation processes:

• Creation of a new brand and brand launch
• Rebranding due to an outdated brand image
• Change of personnel at management level
• Merger and acquisition processes
• Expansion of the portfolio
• Expansion into new markets
• Changes in social, political or economic conditions

What Does a Brand Consulting Agency Do?

A brand consulting agency specializes in brand development and management. A diverse team brings the strategic and creative skills necessary for this process. The brand, or brands, are viewed from many different perspectives to create a holistic overall structure that aligns with the business model. A comprehensive brand strategy encompasses various aspects that are reviewed and jointly developed by the brand consulting agency.

Brand Analysis: Gaining Clarity About the Brand

A brand analysis, also known as a brand audit, examines the visual-communicative brand presence concerning the overarching brand strategy. The goal is to evaluate the brand’s current status and identify risks and opportunities to consider in the decision-making process moving forward.

Brand Identity: Capturing the Brand’s Personality

Organizational, communicative, and visual concepts and decisions should always be developed from a common basis to ensure a consistent brand presence. For this purpose, the brand consulting agency defines a brand identity. A joint brand workshop is a helpful method to gain an unobstructed view of brand values, brand purpose, mission statement, vision statement, and target groups. The results lead to a defined brand personality. The brand agency uses various methods and models such as Buyer Persona, Brand Purpose Board, Personality Sliders, Brand Value Wheel, Golden Circle, to explain the strategy and convey it to employees and decision-makers.

Brand Architecture: Creating Order

Many companies today offer a diverse range of products and services. Developing and managing multiple brands requires a logical structure that is understandable for potential customers. A historically grown brand portfolio often needs an unbiased analysis to determine if all existing brands are still necessary and how they relate to each other. A brand consultant develops a strategy that enhances the value of each brand and recommends a brand architecture for the brand offering, such as a single brand strategy or multi-brand strategy.

Brand Positioning: Finding the Right Place in the Market

Through competitive and target group analysis, the brand consulting agency develops a promising brand positioning. Brand positioning is about occupying a defined position in the relevant market to achieve an attractive and unique place among the target groups. Using a positioning cross, the brand’s position relative to competitors is visualized. It is important to understand which brand attributes meet the needs of the desired target group. The right positioning is essential for a brand’s success to distinguish itself from competitors. The brand consultancy aims to create a distinctive profile that clearly highlights the brand’s unique characteristics.

Brand Communication: Finding the Right Tone

Many companies spend large sums on marketing activities. With the countless messages people consciously and unconsciously receive every day, it is essential to check whether the information is relevant to the desired target group. In the process of brand consulting, target groups are analyzed and their goals or problems evaluated. In the next step, brand consultants define communication goals and develop a communication concept that addresses the customers’ desire or problem and presents a promising solution. An overarching brand story serves as a guide for developing any brand communication, from the website to social media posts to analog brand experiences.

Brand Name: Arousing Curiosity

The name of a brand is often the first point of contact with potential customers, which is why a good, concise brand name is invaluable in a saturated market. The brand agency faces the challenge of creating a name that is not too generic, not too cryptic, not too trendy, and evokes the right associations and is still available.

Brand Design: Expressing Brand Personality

A brand design is a holistic reflection of the brand personality. It encompasses all visual elements that convey what the brand stands for. A brand agency translates previously defined services, competencies, values, and unique selling points into a brand design. What does a brand that stands for planned renovations look like? How do you convey digital expertise? How does a luxury brand appear luxurious? A brand agency specializes in developing brand design and creates a clear, distinctive brand image using logo design, color scheme, image style, typography, icons, and infographics. Every creative decision has a strategic rationale. To ensure companies can independently and consistently implement the brand design, a brand consultancy creates brand guidelines that summarize the rules of the design system.

Who Needs Brand Consulting?

Brand consulting is beneficial for any organization, regardless of size or industry, that aims to position its brand(s) credibly, attractively, and distinctively from other market participants. Successful brand development and management require specific experience and skills that may not always be available within a company. Additionally, an unbiased external perspective often brings new ideas and approaches. Under these circumstances, involving external consultants is helpful. The following scenarios necessitate an intensive engagement with brand strategy and comprehensive transformation processes:

• Establishment of a new brand and brand launch
• Expansion of the brand portfolio
• Expansion into new geographic markets
• Merger and acquisition processes
• Changes in leadership
• Rebranding due to an outdated brand presence
• Societal, political, or economic changes or challenges

How Much Does Brand Consulting Cost?

Brand consulting encompasses very diverse approaches and scopes, making it difficult to define general prices. There is also a distinction between long-term consulting contracts or project-based involvement. Costs are based on the size and expertise of the brand consulting agency and the complexity of the project. Lengthy coordination processes across multiple hierarchy levels lead to higher efforts, which are factored in accordingly. Some services can be estimated, varying by assignment:

• BRAND AUDIT from 2.000 €
• BRAND FRAME from 25.000 €
• BRAND STORY from 15.000 €
• NAMING from 15.000 €
• BRAND DESIGN from 22.500 €

What Is the Difference Between Brand Consulting and Business Consulting?

Business consulting involves an independent analysis and evaluation of the organization’s goals and problems, developing individual solutions to promote necessary changes. It can cover all aspects of a business, such as human resources, production, logistics, or digitalization. In contrast, brand consulting focuses on the brand. It acts as an interface between corporate management and marketing. The goal of brand consultants is to increase the brand’s value and position it attractively for the target group. To this end, a brand strategy is developed and specific changes are recommended.

Conclusion

Managing one or more brands requires a range of different competencies. In a global, digital, and rapidly changing world, companies continuously face necessary changes. A brand strategy sets the foundation for current and future business success. With the help of experienced brand consultants, a company develops approaches to increase customer loyalty, gain competitive advantages, and ultimately enhance its value.