Creating Greater Work
Tools — Design Evaluation
Design is a very subjective area. But that, of course, is both its beauty and its challenge. If we rely purely on aesthetics and instinct to guide our design creation and the way we judge design, then projects can become problematic. We are in danger of wrestling with the whim of our client and not satisfying them, or more importantly, their final audiences and their needs. If we can explain the reasoning behind the design and the role we want it to play and the response we want it to achieve, then we have a better chance of creating greater work. We should also save ourselves time and money in the process.
Design helps us navigate the world. It helps us to make choices, from what we wear, to what we drive, to how we like to be served. Design can be used to meet a simple functional need in terms of navigation, where it relies on clarity and legibility. But design can also be used in much more emotional terms when it relates to ourselves and the things we want to be associated with. Here design is used to enhance the definition of ourselves and how we like to be seen by others.
So, based on our experience and the analysis of good practice, this will be our judgment framework for how we look at brand design. Also this is a good way to pull apart a client’s brief and get clarity on key factors.
01 Brand Equity
BRAND HERITAGE AND EQUITY HELD IN THE BRANDS EXPRESSION AND CURRENT PERCEPTION BY AUDIENCE
Brands have equity that hold the meaning for audiences. Equity travels with audience and builds up associations. When that equity is taken away, the audience loses some of that very important meaning and also recognition.
As an Example: Tropicana lost 30% of sales over 6 weeks. The brand has never recovered back to original levels. Consumers were annoyed they couldn’t find their favorite breakfast drink and when they did, it had lost the authentic signals and equity the consumers had grown to love. Read more
So, the right equity has to be taken forward and evolved carefully.
01 Brand Equity
BRAND HERITAGE AND EQUITY HELD IN THE BRANDS EXPRESSION AND CURRENT PERCEPTION BY AUDIENCE
Brands have equity that hold the meaning for audiences. Equity travels with audience and builds up associations. When that equity is taken away, the audience loses some of that very important meaning and also recognition.
As an Example: Tropicana lost 30% of sales over 6 weeks. The brand has never recovered back to original levels. Consumers were annoyed they couldn’t find their favorite breakfast drink and when they did, it had lost the authentic signals and equity the consumers had grown to love.
So, the right equity has to be taken forward and evolved carefully.
02 Market Cues
Category cues of brand expression.
Market trends in sector and out of sector.
What is the category language? What are the category trends? Is the category moving in a certain way/direction? What are the design cues? (Colour, Image, Form, Type). For example black is the dominant colour in male toiletries. In the financial sector, blue seems to be very important. The key is to be able to fit into the sector so you are not rejected. You have to be “in the game” but not the same. Sometimes we see trends in sectors that are specific to some key elements. Before Apple, most computer manufacturer were word based identities. Trends can also be about shapes. have a look how the form has changed in automotive. We have moved from an angular aproach to softened edges to curves and hard angels combined. Interestingly the nature of a brand’s core symbol or mark can tell stories about the organisation. Spheres suggest global and technology. Organic 3d technical shapes suggest science and innovation. Badges suggest heritage, solidity etc. Also, with the rise of more and more sophisticated technology interfaces and software, the modernity of a brand can be suggested through dimensionalisation and transparency. This has rippled out from the technology and communication sector to many sectors. All this is in our subconscious, stored away. When we see something we are considering, we will use all the information we hold in our heads to make our judgement. Does it look modern/old fashioned etc. So there are lots of interesting ways to look at the category: from understanding trends and movements in other sectors and how that affects the sector we are looking at, to thinking about lifestyles and what audiences are looking for how their desires are changing. All these factors impact upon the way brands change their visual and verbal expression. Recognize market trends like minimalization, brag materialsm, endless eco, gender shift, co-creation, local love, natural, meaning.
03 Audience Insights
Expectations and needs
Audience needs have moved on. They were looking for convenient food, but it had to be quality, convenient food. Our lifestyle habits have changed.
For example: the Mini target audience was looking for a style statement not a small cheap car! The Intercontinental customer was not interested in the features of the hotel. But they were interested in unlocking the richness and culture of the destination.
Spend some minutes and describe your target audience and bring their attitude to life. What’s their particular style, what are they looking for? To make this simpler we have narrowed this down to tree areas:
- What are the brands they like, what do they have in their world, what would they like to be associated with?
- What are the key things they motivate them, status, success, money, luxury, speed, thrill?
- What is their lifestyle like, fashionable, modern, traditional?
Now try and write down what you think your brand is trying to say to its audience. Remember the definition of a proposition is what is the most inspiring and compelling thing we can convey about our brand to its audience.
Then once you have done that, look through your stimulus material again and see how the brand’s expression is capturing that proposition in its key visual and verbal assets. Is one of the assets playing a more important role? What assets trigger recognition? Is the way the assets are used helping to make the proposition visible etc?
03 Audience Insights
Expectations and needs
Audience needs have moved on. They were looking for convenient food, but it had to be quality, convenient food. Our lifestyle habits have changed.
For example: the Mini target audience was looking for a style statement not a small cheap car! The Intercontinental customer was not interested in the features of the hotel. But they were interested in unlocking the richness and culture of the destination.
Spend some minutes and describe your target audience and bring their attitude to life. What’s their particular style, what are they looking for? To make this simpler we have narrowed this down to tree areas:
- What are the brands they like, what do they have in their world, what would they like to be associated with?
- What are the key things they motivate them, status, success, money, luxury, speed, thrill?
- What is their lifestyle like, fashionable, modern, traditional?
Now try and write down what you think your brand is trying to say to its audience. Remember the definition of a proposition is what is the most inspiring and compelling thing we can convey about our brand to its audience.
Then once you have done that, look through your stimulus material again and see how the brand’s expression is capturing that proposition in its key visual and verbal assets. Is one of the assets playing a more important role? What assets trigger recognition? Is the way the assets are used helping to make the proposition visible etc?
04 Proposition Translation
Visual positioning — relevant and compelling to audience.
Differentiation — distinguishing against competitors.
How have we captured the proposition? Tone of Voice/Attitude, Key visual elements (Form, Texture, Material, Colour, Sound, Smell, Space etc.)
First positioning: Where are you playing int the market? A premium or value for money position?
Second competitors: What do they own? What do you own? Can you differentiate?
An example from the hotel industry: All competitors presented a cocooned internal view of their world. All hotels in the premium space were concentrating on showing you their world of service. Cocooning you from the outside world!
05 Touchpoint Expression
Context touchpoint & journey
How have we used the key touch points of the brand to capture the idea? Remember: Good brand design is when someone experiences a brand and can explain, un-prompted through feelings and description, what the brand stands for.
05 Touchpoint Expression
CONTEXT TOUCHPOINT & JOURNEY
How have we used the key touch points of the brand to capture the idea? Remember: Good brand design is when someone experiences a brand and can explain, un-prompted through feelings and description, what the brand stands for.
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by Ronald Bartikowski
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