Nov 16

The Process for Creating a Branded Identity for Cities

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Mayfield Creative and Swinkfly are in sync with process, methodology and philosophy. Our collaborative processes for developing and managing successful projects has culminated over 30 years. Our process is based on the proven models for brand development and strategic market planning.

Our brands are formulated to serve five primary functions:

1. Promote the city in an intelligent, strategic and creative way for maximum ROI.

2. Establish a brand identity that effectively establishes a unique ?you have arrived? experience.

3. Create a brand identity that is timeless, represents the character of the city and provides for versatile yet consistent graphic application.

4. Develop an effective plan that will market the city to the right audience, with the right message for the right results.

5. Maximize exposure efficiently and within city marketing budgets.

Working with Committees and Organizations

The first step we take in building consensus among groups vested in the development of a community brand is to listen. We zero in on the common goals of everyone. We prioritize them by value. We identify logical steps required to achieving those goals.

Once we identify common goals and formulate a logical approach to achieving them, most groups are willing to make small compromises that unite each other in agreement. For groups that have a fixed agenda and refuse to go beyond their own issues, we work to discover ways in which to accommodate them via gains resulting from achieving the common goals.

Developing a Brand Identity

Branding is the practice of creating a strategic identity to promote a desired message to a targeted audience. It includes, but is not limited to, logo marks, slogans, printed collateral, marketing campaigns, copy writing and brand guidelines. Effective branding is not unlike a symphony. All of it?s instruments must sound in harmony under the direction of a competent conductor.

The identities we create for municipalities are fashioned with intimate understanding of the local cultures, amenities, attractions and development plans. We define a strong identity as a nucleus from which a complete brand experience is centered around.

The most crucial first step in creating a successful identity is listening to the common objectives and understanding the desired results and goals of key stakeholders. Our goal is to do more than help make a city attractive to more visitors, our efforts generate local pride and unify a community under a proud banner that says ?This is who we are and we are proud of it!?

After we have a clear understanding of where a brand wants to go, we generate a series of visual concepts as well as tag lines and a few conceptual applications.

Once a concept direction is approved, we move into a development phase where revisions and refinements reflect stakeholder input.

The deliverables are production ready art and a style guide that serves as a ?user?s manual?. It includes clearspace, color palette, support font and general rules of use in print and web media.


Todd is the President and Cofounder of Swinkfly and Mayfield Creative, Inc. He has over 25 years of brand development, wayfinding, advertising and print graphics experience. Currently, his company has a loyal client base from Seattle to the Caribbean. Todd?s accomplished career has earned him numerous awards for design excellence and profound respect among his constituents.

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Nov 04

Creating Your Brand Identity

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Collaterals are very common when marketing any business. Producing marketing campaigns such as custom greeting cards or brochures have become a mainstream practice for all businesses that it is crucial than ever to present one that can capture your audience.

Not only that, but your collaterals such as your greeting card printing, is significant in transforming your target clients into actual, buying customers.

When marketing your business through your custom greeting cards for example, you need to have a firm and strong identity for you to be successful. In fact, your brand identity is the key to having an effective marketing campaign (e.g. greeting card printing) work for you.

An ?identity? therefore is important. An ?identity? is a collection of your characteristics and qualities that make you different from the other companies in your industry. Your identity is what makes you unique because it reflects your particular talents and abilities. Your identity then provides your target clients the ?why? and ?how? they will benefit by choosing you as the company to solve their problems.

Sadly though, many businesses rely on the standard and generic qualities that have been used by many of the companies in their field. Often, they follow an established method of marketing that many target clients have a hard time distinguishing one group from the next. Even the use of superlatives have become very popular that almost all the companies are “aggressive”, “the best in the field”, offering “excellent quality” products and services. Moreover, many “go the extra mile” just so they can be the “only company” that can provide a particular service.

How then can a target client choose you for their needs if your marketing campaign can hardly provide your target clients with a compelling reason to seek you? Establishing an identity therefore is essential so they can separate you from the rest of your competition. Your identity emphasizes your quality brand that can match the needs of your particular audience.

To establish a solid and valuable identity, you need to know first what you can be known for. Do you have something unique to offer? Can you relay your firm?s record of success? Do you have a particular business philosophy that worked very well with your clients? Being known for something distinct can go a long way in establishing your identity to your target clients. The key is to set your company apart by giving your target clients reasons to seek you for their issues and concerns.

Second, be sure to provide your target clients with who you are and what you can do. What is important for your target clients to know about you? Think about concerns and issues that your target market might have and how you are qualified to solve these problems. Then in your marketing collaterals such as your custom greeting cards, find a creative way to illustrate these qualities that your prospects can relate to. The key is to support your identity with important qualities to convince your readers that you can deliver the solution they need.

The point: by establishing your brand identity, you will have a better chance of distinguishing your company from the rest of your competition. Do not be part of a bandwagon. Be yourself and promote the brand that is YOU. In the end, you will be the one that your clients will choose because they know you are the right man for the job.

Conclusion

By establishing an identity, you will be well on your way to distinguishing your firm on the Internet and implementing a successful marketing plan. For help in shaping a unique, appealing identity for your firm, contact FindLaw to learn more.

Learn more about custom greeting cards or greeting card printing.

Kaye Z. Marks is an avid follower and writer of the developments in the color printing and online printing industries.

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Oct 21

Creating a Brand Identity With Professional Design

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The design process is crucial to any business, whether it is creating a simple company logo, or the design of an entire corporate campaign.

Once your business is up and running, any form of corporate identity will act to represent the company visually creating a brand. If you look at big corporate companies you will notice company branding stands the test of time for many years before it is appropriate to re-develop.

Many companies never change their logo design dramatically but only make the smallest of changes to keep the design looking fresh.

It is worth taking time and not rushing a company logo or corporate identity design as your design will represent your company and be around for a very long time.

Logo design is creating a unique symbol / graphic to reflect your companies image and vision. A successful logo becomes a symbol of your companies identity, shows your professional and should be used on your on business cards, letterheads, compliment slips, vehicle signage or website.

When you choose to have a logo designed ask for a few different designs to choose from, each logo should have its own character and style. Giving you the best options to suit your needs.

Your logo design should be professional and prove to be a statement of your business to new / existing clients, suppliers and staff, your logo design needs to easily identify its purpose and values of your company and bring instant credibility.

If you own a small company, with a well-designed logo your business will look big. It will look more professional inspiring confidence to your customers.

A striking logo is paramount for the image of any business, small or large. The design creates a starting block for a companies corporate identity, the right colours, fonts and is of great importance when starting to design business cards, compliment slips, letterheads and a website, keeping all styles consistent throughout creating your brand identity.

Logo design types

High / Low resolution

If you are looking at starting a new business, you will need a logo. All logo designs should be unique to your business, no templates, no free graphics or clipart, just bespoke designs for your company.

Below is a break down of the different types available:

Logo designs for onscreen

Low resolution RGB 72dpi

Ideal for websites, emails, PowerPoint presentations and general onscreen viewing only. Because of the small size they can be downloaded very quickly but are not suitable for print.

Logo designs for print

High resolution CYMK 300dpi

High Resolution Logo Design

Must be use for printing high quality material e.g. letterheads, business cards, compliment slips, banners, posters etc. This means your logo will be clear and crisp when printed, if a low resolution logo is used it is likely that the end result will be blurred, blocky and illegible.

Logo design – redraw and enhancement

Alternatively, if you do not require full logo design service, you could re-design, redraw or enhance your existing logo for print or website use.

By Ben Smith
Graphic Design Somerset

I specialise in Website design, graphic design, search engine optimisation (SEO), affordable print and website hosting. Experience in logo design, letterhead design, business card design, compliment slip design, leaflet design, poster design. Based in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset.
“>http://www.ben-smith.net”> website design weston-super-mare

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