Recognize yourself

At the beginning of every strategic branding process is the question of the essence of the brand. Becoming aware of “who” and what the brand is, what it stands for, what it can promise and hold, and who its promises matter to is essential for top positioning. Admittedly, it is tempting to spread yourself. But who likes to eat a Chinese restaurant, that also makes pizza? If you try to please everyone, you will not create a clear picture, both figuratively and literally. Positioning is a key factor in brand design.

When it comes to perception, brands are comparable to humans: the way we see ourselves is often very different from the way people see us. However, reconciling the two perceptions is fundamental to branding in order to engage customers in a convincing way.

Effective and efficient – the brand workshop

An effective method for self-reflection is a brand workshop. For good reason, this format is a classic part of a branding process. A well-structured and professionally executed brand workshop has many advantages:

• Efficiency and goal orientation – the compressed, intensive examination of content without distraction by daily business leads to tangible results in a short time.
• Change of perspective – sparring partners from the outside, such as a branding agency, as well as the integration of suitable methods challenge one’s own perception.
• Identification potential – Involving employees in the process creates a sense of participation.
• Real Pitch Alternative – A brand workshop conducted with the agency partner is a veritable test for cooperation – in terms of content, processes, and culture. It creates a common understanding of tasks and goals – and thus an optimal basis for the brand design.
• Surprise – there is a lot to discover! More than you sometimes think yourself. Not infrequently you discover unrecognised pages of the brand and come together again in the discussion.

When is a brand workshop useful

Regardless of size, age, industry or type of company: There are several scenarios for which the format is suitable, for example:

• Development of a brand design as part of starting a business or developing a new brand
• Further development or updating of a brand design
• Review or development of a brand architecture
• Structural changes within the company that require brand identification
• Relaunch of the website

Who should participate in the brand workshop

A brand workshop opens up the space to step back and look at the brand from a distance – from the perspective of the people you want to address.
Therefore, diversity – both professional and hierarchical – is helpful in understanding the widest possible range of perspectives and generating many ideas. It can also create a different dynamic in the process, as it is more likely that people will work together as part of the workshop, which usually does not do that in everyday work. If possible, the circle of participants should not be too narrow and the group size should not be too small. In order for the results of the workshop to be subsequently put into practice, the decision-makers must in any case participate.

Methods and contents of our brand workshops

Together with our clients we create the basics for a brand profile in a day with values, vision, mission, positioning, target group analysis and mood board. We work in plenary as well as in (small) groups.
In advance, we get an overview of the documents provided by the customer: sketchy descriptions of target groups / personas, information on product portfolio, strategy and competitors and others – the more input, the better. We supplement these with our own research: on the brand and the market as well as interviews with stakeholders.
In the workshop we use a toolbox of different moderation methods or design thinking exercises, such as the following examples:

The result: a clearly defined brand profile

The goal of each of our workshops: gaining insights – and tangible results.
We document the contents of the workshop in words and pictures and translate them into a brand profile and define the next steps in the branding process. The brand profile includes:

• Evaluation and definition of core brand values
• Formulation of a user promise
• Guiding star for brand management: mission and vision of the brand
• Brand Story: What story do I tell about the brand that customers identify with?
• Definition of the Tonality: How does the brand speak to its customers?

At the end of the day, the brand profile will provide you with the strategic basis for your corporate identity with which you can continue to work on brand strategy and branding. It will provide us an in depth briefing for the development of a tailor-made brand design that will meet your brand.