Brand Design Journal

Are you ready for Facebook Timeline?

Mon, 21 May 2012 05:17:00 GMT

Facebook has recently introduced a major revamp of Business Pages that will give you more control over the look and feel of your company's page. Referred to as 'Timeline,' these changes will take effect permanently as of the 30th March 2012.

So what is Timeline?

In short, Timeline is a new layout for your Business Page that will replace the previous 1 column Profile layout. Your new page will have a large space at the top for an image - called a 'Timeline Cover' - and your posts, comments, images, etc. will appear beneath in a 2 column format listed in order of the most recent post.

To get started with the new Timeline layout, upload an interesting cover photo to showcase your brand. A cover photo is the best way to welcome and introduce people to your page and a unique, imaginative concept will also help your page to spread virally - here some innovative examples. You may also like to download our handy checklist that outlines how to maximise your company's presence through the new Facebook-wide rollout.

For more of a detailed overview of the new Facebook Timeline please visit https://www.facebook.com/about/pages, or contact our studio for more information.

Top 5 Branding Lessons from Richard Branson

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:50:00 GMT

Last year I attended the Business Chicks Breakfast Series in Melbourne where Sir Richard Branson was the guest of honour. Having read his autobiography, I was anticipating keen insights into how he created one of the world's most iconic brands. Here are the top five branding lessons I learned from Richard Branson.

Turn your employees into people who are proud of the company they work for.
According to Mr. Branson, "A company is nothing more than it's people. If you staff are engaged in the organisation they work for, they will naturally promote it with the right spirit."

Take risks.
"True entrepreneurs market their businesses in innovative ways" says Richard. Be bold with your marketing ideas and stand out in your market. Ensure you have a plan to mitigate any risks so you can proceed confidently.

If you don't have money to spend on marketing, become your own brand.
Build an image for yourself and obtain PR with free seminars, stunts related to your business, or business open days. These events will give people many reasons to find out more about you.

Ensure your business' values run through your marketing communications.
Consumers choose products and services by aligning themselves with values of an organisation. Your marketing initiatives should clearly communicate your values, whether it be value for money, quality, timeliness, or environmental consciousness so that your potential customers can confidently engage with your company.

Trust your instincts.
You know your business better than anyone. Don't be a slave to trends. What works for one business may not work for the other. Build your confidence to base your marketing decisions on what you know to be true in your previous business experience and trust your intuition.

Branding Basics for Start Up Businesses

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 02:06:00 GMT

Effective branding is fundamental to any leading business, whether it be large or small. But many ‘start-up’ businesses overlook the importance of developing a brand, as it can seem costly and time consuming. Covering the following branding basics will ensure you are able to start marketing and promoting your business from the word go with confidence and professionalism - and without breaking the bank.

MySkin Laser Clinics engaged AJD Design to create simple yet striking promotions for their start up business.

Before you begin branding your business:

It is vital that you have defined your vision statement, key messages, point of difference and target market. Your brand should be a visual representation of these ideas to ensure you target the right customers.

1 - A logo

Your logo forms the base of your brand, to which you will add other elements to market your business. A logo has the power to create instant credibility and give your business a sense of professionalism. When developing your logo, it may help to think about your business as a person. If your business were a person, how would it to be perceived? Corporate? Relaxed? Stylish? Your answers will help define the ‘visual face’ for your business.

2 - Business card

It’s amazing how many people in business that I have come across that don’t have a professionally designed business card. In my opinion, a business card is the single most important marketing tool you will ever use. It instantly tells me all I need to know about your business and how to get in touch with you. Business cards can be simple and clear or extravagant and costly, but remember to match it visually to your logo and how you want people to perceive the personality of the business.

3 - A simple website

Your website is typically the first place your potential customers will go to learn more about your business. Prospects will visit your website with a goal in mind, whether it be to buy or to research a future purchase. Remember to keep it simple and make it easy to navigate for your potential customers - if they can’t find the information they are looking for, they will go elsewhere.

When you develop your website, make sure you also set up an email address with the same domain name as your website. Nothing will diminish your newly established professionalism and credibility as quickly as having an email address such as joeblogs86@hotmail.com!

4 – A simple brochure or flyer

A simple brochure is useful for mailing out to your database or to mail to potential customers with a sales letter. Keep it eye-catching, simple and focused on the benefit for the customer.

When I started my business over 6 years ago, I had a simple DL card printed that featured some images of work, information about my services and contact details that I could easily hand out to people with my business card at networking events. It was colourful and engaging – and because it was bigger than a business card it always stood out amongst a stack of other boring cards!

Your brochure doesn’t have to be costly, but people may for judgments about the quality of your business on the quality of this brochure so factor this as a cost into your start-up budget.

Top 10 Tips for Working with your Website Designer or Developer

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 05:13:00 GMT

I recently wrote an article on the Top 10 Tips for Working with your Website Designer or Developer which was featured on Barefoot Basics - a new website for women in business to connect, learn, share and support one another. You can read Part One of the article by clicking here and Part Two of the article is featured here. I would love to learn about the experiences you have had working with a website designer or developer - was it an easy and enjoyable process, or did you encounter difficulties? Please leave your comments below!

Is your business a stranger, an acquaintance or an invited guest?

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:17:00 GMT

We recently attended an event hosted by the City of Banyule at which Peter Alexander spoke about the success of his business, and the major role direct mail marketing played in turning the pyjama brand into a household name.

Peter's internationally renowned business began years ago from his Mother's dining room table, with very little capital. To attract more sales, he experimented with placing advertisements in fashion magazines and posting out mail order catalogues to the database he collated from responses to the advertisements.

As many businesses will know, utilising a database is fast becoming an integral part of all marketing strategies, whether it be through online or offline marketing. Peter got me thinking about how businesses should best approach their strategy to utilise their database for a direct mail marketing campaign by asking the question - "Is your business a stranger, an acquaintance or an invited guest into the home of your ideal customer?"

There are many ways to build a database, you may have a list of existing clients, you could have purchased a mailing list from a broker or you may have offered an incentive for people to sign up to your e-newsletter. After your investment of time to build your database, you can best tailor your direct mail promotions and maximise their effectiveness in the mail box through better understanding what type of relationship your business and potential customer currently have.

Is your business a stranger? Has the recipient of your direct mail marketing material met your business before? Like meeting a new friend for the first time, your marketing communications should introduce your business simply, mention key points, be engaging and put no pressure on your new friend to commit to you. If possible, give the recipient an opportunity to enter into the conversation with you to create a stronger relationship. Do you have a blog you could direct them to where they can discuss the issues that matter to them? By encouraging further conversation with them, they may formally invite you into their home in the future if they believe you are someone worth knowing more about.

Is your business an acquaintance? Has the recipient of your marketing material met your business before? Perhaps you met through another business? Like meeting someone for the second time, gently remind them of who you are, why you matter, and what you have in common with them. You could do this with phrases such as, "We recently met at..., My customer Wendy suggested I get in contact with you because..., We noticed you are in our area...," etc. Once again, finish your communication by suggesting a way for them to enter into further conversation with you and work towards a formal invitation into their home.

Has your business been invited as a guest? Perhaps your ideal customer / client has heard about you, visited your website and signed up to your mailing list? You are old friends and can communicate confidently and freely with them, knowing they have requested your presence in their home. Like visiting a friends house, be respectful of what's important to them and never overstep the boundaries by contacting them in an necessary frequency, or risk losing your new friend.

Treat your database as a valuable asset in your business and communicate appropriately to your list members, and you can noticeably improve the effectiveness of your communications.

Toast Coasters

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:54:00 GMT

Linda Lundgren Food Styling for Hemköp

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 03:17:00 GMT

Pantone's Colour for 2011 - Honeysuckle

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:18:00 GMT

http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=20821&ca=4

Guide to Brand Naming

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:58:00 GMT

There are hundreds of different strategies you could use to create your brand name. Our preferred brainstorming techniques are to:

List the unique values your business has
Brainstorm the simple terms associated with your industry
Research the names of similar businesses internationally
Expand the list with a thesaurus
Create a hybrid name by combining two or more words

Our brainstorming and development sessions for clients can result in hundreds of potential brand names, so to identify the most successful idea we measure them with the following criteria.

We believe brand names should be:

Short and easy
Memorable
Likeable
Unique and own-able, eg. able to be protected through Trademarking
Protectable and defendable
Adaptable
Expresses something (product or emotion)
Able to emphasise a benefit
Pronounceable and spell-able, to enable easy URL recognition and recall

When coming up with your own ideas, use this set of criteria to help you identify the best brand name for your business.

Why Brand?

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Branding has many benefits, but we are often asked the question "Why Brand?"

Here are just a few of our thoughts:

People don't buy products or services, they search for and stories and lifestyle traits that match their personality
Brands greatly assist a product or service to become the preferred / desired choice for customers
Brands encourage customers to remember products or services and less money can be spent on acquiring new customers
Brands help customers to become part of something with common objectives and shared views, giving them a sense of belonging, community and place
Brands can shape people’s perception, taste and value
Brands can help businesses to attract a premium, ie. customers will pay more

It is possible for any business to build a powerful brand with value, no matter how big or small!

Handwritten Typography

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:43:00 GMT

Lovely Typography...

So Frenchy So Font

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:45:00 GMT

A lovely Paris inspired font! Divine...

The September Issue

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:26:00 GMT

From a designer's point of view, this film is absolutely fascinating. An amazing look into the production of the biggest ever Vogue issue, you get a completely different perspective on the creation of fashion trends.

The highlight is the dialogue between Anna Wintour and her visionary Creative Director, Grace Coddington. It's a must see if you enjoy Vogue, or loved the book / movie 'The Devil Wears Prada' - you won't help but feel that this documentary is trying to communicate with the Merryl Streep character...

Taste Melbourne

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:31:00 GMT

Went to the Taste Melbourne show today - it's such a great experience - if you haven't been before you must go. Top Melbourne restaurants get together and cook a selection of their signature dishes, translated into more of a quick service / take away format.

This is it's second year in Melbourne - looks like the concept is here to stay. Sadly it closed today - so you will have to wait until next year...!

Dali @ The NGV

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:43:00 GMT

Another amazing exhibition, there are too many to see in Melbourne at the moment! This exhibition was an amazing insight into the life and inspiration of the unique Salvador Dali.

The exhibition sheds light on the amazing surrealist artworks he created - which are sometimes otherwise quite difficult to interpret. Go on a weekday though! Otherwise prepare to battle with the rest of Melbourne! Click here for more info.