Creativity is liquid. It's about adaptation and creating "something new" out of "the same" or "the old." In the creative marketing department, we constantly find new ways to convince an audience to repeatedly buy a particular product or service instead of seeing it somewhere else.
Knowing your brand’s story —who you are and why you exist— is only part of the battle; the other challenge is knowing how to effectively tell that story to your audience to make you stand out from your competitors.
Here are some Dos and Don’ts of creativity that are essential to keep in mind in an ever-evolving world of marketing:
Knowing your brand's story —who you are and why you exist, is only part of the battle. The other challenge is knowing how to effectively tell that story to your audience in a way that makes you stand out from your competitors.
Here are some Do's and Don'ts in creativity that are essential to keep in mind in an ever-evolving world of marketing:
Do
Identify your audience. Your target audience is a pillar of your business, and researching who your audience is can help you better spend your money on ads, appeal to your audience and even make your next steps. Your campaigns will also flourish with the right audiences!
Do
Stay relevant. The world moves very fast! Trends and tech are constantly changing. Therefore, the most successful companies tend to be the most relevant and the ones who learn to adapt to new customer needs.
Do
Maintain consistency. When the brand endeavors with new approaches, there must always be "a constant" —your brand message and purpose. In other words, this constant is the soul of your brand. It can be dressed in many different ways, but it should always have the same essence on the inside.
Do
Improve your design on each iteration. Find a way to improve your visuals and brand expression by trying new approaches or tools to produce your brand image. If you are used to working in 2d, try 3d. If you're used to working with flat colors, try gradients. If you're used to being clean, try textures. If you're used to being thin, try bold.
Do
Look outside your bubble for inspiration. Implementing visual and audio elements to tell your brand story in a well-crafted narrative can evoke emotion in your audience and is sure to keep those people connected to what it is your company stands for.
Do
Look at the competition. You should always perform a competitive analysis to see what your major competitors are doing, how their sales, products, and marketing tactics are going/working, how your brand can stay ahead of the competition, and how you can outperform them. Looking at your competitors can help you meet and exceed your industry standards.
Do
Keep it simple but unique. Brands are made by people. Show them off. Your audience will connect deeper with your message and purpose when they can see themselves in your people. Allow your audience to get to know the people who make your brand personality through imagery and storytelling.
Do
Focus on your core values. Brands exist in the real world, not in imaginary dimensions. Your brand should care about something and trigger interest in your audience. Whether you are educating, inspiring, or entertaining through your content, the message should be relatable and compel people to care about what it is you’re offering. How your brand reacts to what it cares about reflects your values and is the foundation that everything you do should stand for.
Do
Eat, sleep & breathe the brand. Focus all your time and energy on your brand and how to make it better consistently!
Don't
Follow trends. Avoid following design trends. It's great to know what's trending in your industry, but apply trends only when they make sense with your message at a given time. Be in tune with the trends surrounding you, but diverge from them and create your remix.
Don't
Think too small. Don’t look only within your bubble for inspiration. Often, inspiration can come from a completely different business category than your own. Curiosity spawns new ideas, recognizing what’s already been done and having the courage to seek even better ways of doing it.
Don't
Change on a whim. Like brands, creativity is always evolving, as are our stories. The important thing to remember is to remain honest, humble, and transparent in the process and allow yourself to make mistakes. The more human you are, the more real you become in the eyes of your audience.
Don't
Delay rebranding. It can be terrifying to rebrand and resign your whole brand during uncertain times. People are always plugged into their phones and looking to brands for inspiration and even give them business.
Don't
Be afraid of change. Also, keep in mind that your brand story can change. Every piece of content you create is a small part of your greater story, and like everything around us, it is changing and morphing with the times —at least, it should be. Ensuring your brand remains alive means treating it like a living, breathing organism and assuring it evolves on the right side of history.
Like brands, creativity is constantly evolving, as are our stories. The critical thing to remember is to remain honest, humble, and transparent in the process and allow yourself to make mistakes. The more human you are, the more real you become in the eyes of your audience.
At dpBrands, we build national brands. Under our marketing-focused approach, we can design brands that are appealing to the eye and brands that deliver on your business purpose and speak to the right audiences. Do you need help with your brand strategy, evolution, or management, contact us to learn what our trust advisors can do for you.
*This blog post was written by Pedro Medina, Managing Partner & Lead Creative Advisor at DuartePino. Need help creating a unique brand that stands out? Contact us.
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