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| The answer lies in the power of the brand. Apple, Nike and Starbucks have all built empires out of a brand identity-one that consumers buy into as providing the coolest, most superior or highest quality product. Yet, are their products really better than that of their competitors? Maybe or maybe not, but these household names have successfully branded their companies by creating a perception in the minds of their customers that there is no other product or service on the market that is quite like theirs. |
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 Today, a brand's quality and reputation matter more than ever, especially in the age of high connectivity. "In earlier times, consumers experienced how good or bad your product was after they bought it," said Simon Squibb, Managing Director of Fluid Design + Marketing. "Now, they learn before any purchase has even been made through personal messages that travel easier and faster than ever before thanks to the Internet. In fact, consumers often don't hear your company's intended message until after their friends and colleagues have already told them all about you." |
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| "If a brand is successful in connecting with people and communicating its distinct advantage, people will naturally want to tell others about it and its image and strength will grow through word-of-mouth advertising. But, if your brand isn't great, then it doesn't matter very much what your intended message may be," continued Simon. | |
 Why is brand image so critical?A strong brand identity enables a company to position itself above its competition. More often that not, your company's brand identity is the reason your customer chooses you instead of your competition. But having a brand that is strong takes time, money and effort to develop. It is not as simple as just redesigning a logo or rewriting a tagline. |
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| Ask any ad exec why Mac users are so loyal and they all give the same answer: Apple's brand. Apple’s brand is the key to their survival and it does not necessarily have anything to do with their innovative products. Steve Jobs spent US$100 million marketing the iMac which was a complete run-away hit. Advertisers the world over contend that the power of Apple’s branding is what keeps them alive. | |
 During the mid-90s, the company looked in danger of going out of business, its products were unappealing, and its branding a mess. They underwent a massive rebranding exercise by abandoning the old rainbow-hued Apple logo in favour of a minimalist monochrome one and giving their computers a funky, colourful makeover. It did wonders.Many brands are quickly catching on about the power of brand identity and there is a trend of re-branding taking place. Everybody knows the Mercedes' emblem, Nike's swoosh, Adidas' three stripes, and McDonalds' golden arches. These symbols help to provide an immediate association with the company's product and brand personality. |
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| What is important about these symbols and logos is not so much that they help identify the brand but that the brand identifies them. When companies change logos, it usually means that either they feel the need for transformation because they no longer identify with their past style. | |
 But successful re-branding involves 'evolution' and not 'revolution'. "You need to convey to your existing customers that your new brand is just a new and improved version of the same you," said Simon. "It's important not to depart too drastically when re-branding because you could end up destroying already established emotional ties and customer loyalty." |
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 Take Volvo for example, one of the oldest car brands. What immediately comes to mind when you think of Volvo? For most people, it would be 'safety'. But safety is considered to be a given element in all cars these days. To meet this challenge, the Volvo brand has evolved and safety at Volvo now has a new image. 'Preventative' safety helps avoid accidents in the first place. 'Personal safety' initiatives addresses increasing concerns about crime by building features into the car that help make you safe as you enter and exit your car. It is a clear evolution from their early brand positioning, which was focused on keeping safe from accidents, and has enabled the Volvo brand to stay distinctive and motivating."We have seen some remarkable differences in customer perception after a company decides to re-brand an outdated image" said Helen Griffiths, Creative Director of Fluid Design + Marketing. "What we have found is that an increasing number of companies in Asia are catching wind of the critical role that their company's brand image plays in affecting the bottom line and they are more and more willing to give a facelift to a lackluster brand." |
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 With growth as a top priority for most companies today, the rebranding trend will only continue to catch on. Many CEOs are turning to their brands to jumpstart growth and profit because they are recognising that strong brands can have a direct impact on accelerating growth. And increasingly, more new start-up companies also now see tremendous value in creating a strong brand image from the outset. Maybe branding might be top on the agenda of your next company meeting?View some of the logos that Fluid has re-branded
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