It has been said recently that a strong brand identity is the most potent weapon in the marketeer’s arsenal - out-hitting advertising, direct mail, packaging, web-presence, you name it.

It’s an interesting point, even if it’s pointlessly academic, since the brand cannot exist in a vacuum. It can only be of any value if it is seen. And how and where it is seen, what it looks and feels like depends entirely on the product.

The task is to create a brand which is distinctive, timeless and therefore powerful.

First step - a marketing audit

We examine all current brand communications, from stationery and literature, website to advertising, to build on what’s working and discard what’s not.

This will include a visual critique of key pieces and a full tone of voice audit to ensure that the style of copywriting supports the essence of your brand.

We don’t indulge in wheel-reinvention for the sake of it. But we would be very surprised if this exercise doesn’t lead to cost savings in your procurement processes.

Understanding competitor activity

Who are your competitors for ‘share of mind’? Which of them do you most admire in terms of approach? Is anyone doing things particularly well? Does anyone occupy the position in the nation’s or world’s consciousness to which you aspire?

By looking at examples of organisations that are doing similar things well, and those that are doing them badly, we can quickly gain an understanding of the environment in which you operate.

Only when we understand the answers to these questions and a brief is formulated do we proceed with creative work, which may include both name generation and brand identity design.

See examples of The Tangent brand identity projects.