 A solid brand permeates throughout an organization and rules everything - sales, marketing, company culture, business decisions, employee relations, recruitment and retention, and more. But how does that work? How do you figure out what your brand truly is? We asked two professionals with ample experience—Corey Brewis and Cynthia Walker, partners and co-founders of Unfussy. Both worked for larger agencies in the past but wanted to work with brave and open-minded business owners and community leaders willing to wear their heart on their sleeve in order to stand apart from the crowd. It’s a powerhouse studio with additional skilled team members brought on as needed. Here`s how they explained branding, “Where brand is the heart of an organization, visual identity, graphic design and imagery form the face; messaging and communications the voice; and lastly, how this communication is delivered–to whom, where and when– is marketing action. Each element must work in unison to tell part of the same brand story - thereby providing a holistic, consistent, authentic and accurate representation of the entity as a whole. The brand is both a perception and a driving force, and in the absence of its clear definition, any marketing action is at best a shot in the dark, and at worst a potentially damaging waste of time, effort and money.” “Our actions should be defined by what happens in our hearts,” claims Corey, with a background in journalism, freelance writing, brand development and marketing. It’s apparent he’s a creative soul and a writer to his core. A writer that stirs up imagination, inspires thought and gets conversations going. Cynthia holds a background in art and is naturally imbued with a range of technical skill sets like design and production, website development and more. Collectively they deliver on the projects they take on. As a team though, they connect people to the intangible offerings that a community or an organization can present to make lives better. They thrive on coaching and working with organizations to find the driving pulse in their heartbeat and make authentic connections with their audiences. Unfussy are brand-first marketers who ensure all clients have a solid brand foundation and strategy first before any marketing components are done, such as website design and development, digital marketing, traditional print advertising, ad campaigns and social media, etc. A brand helps build loyalty, equity, consumer value and longevity, so a company needs to connect first before they can direct. Only after a meaningful connection is made, can you then present a call to action with true conviction and effectiveness such as visit the website, speak to someone or make a purchase. Identify what intangible wealth you’re offering beyond simple product or service that no one else can. There are challenges however. For Unfussy, there’s a misunderstanding out there about branding and the true value of letting a brand direct your marketing. To address this challenge, Cynthia states that, “We incorporate a branding 101 educational component into our brand strategy. We do this specifically for key decision makers and stakeholders so they know what we’re doing, what to expect from the process and why it’s critically important to go through all the steps.” Every decision, recommendation and word used has intention and is based on promoting someone’s brand. Perhaps consider getting the beating heart of your brand checked by Unfussy. Author: C. Tracy Williams |