In our increasingly competitive and saturated market, having a brand that stands out against the pack is on e of the keys to success. How do you accomplish this? @memberdirectory: tell us about your branding strategies.
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I go against the grain quite often. Most people are going for slick and simple, like a square or something too simple IMO. The push out of all cartoon looking aka kid packaging will create a want for that type of a look. I love my logo, and get fantastic feed back from it. My Instagram following has to have a thousand people purely because I post bulldog stuff.
Then you can add in real life props like bringing my bulldog to trade shows. My logo is actually a picture we took of our dog, and turned into a cartoon with added rosin drool.
Anybody using platforms like Instagram and Facebook? I started a Facebook page, after never having a page in my life. The first posting for my business I got Zucked!
Great subject, would love to gain a grip on this.
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Hi all… let me start off by saying sorry… for maybe getting a little too deep here… this topic can often be very academic and theoretical… please indulge me… 
What does “branding” really mean? To us, it is capturing feeling and meaning in visual form. Being able to evoke an emotional response with visual cues is the key to exceptional branding!
We have helped many companies with their branding strategies. The process we often follow depends upon where the company resides in their market. However, whether you are a startup or a seasoned brand with millions of customers, one the first steps is to define (or redefine) your company’s Gestalt… this literally means “the perceived whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.
Start with your company’s Vision or Mission Statement. What do you want to accomplish in the world and how do you want your customers to perceive you? This perception can often be captured by emulating the look and feel of other companies that you admire. We typically have our client’s think of companies that evoke an emotional response with their branding. You know the ones… the Apple’s and Audi’s of the world… the ones that make you go, “oooh” and “ahhh” when you see their products!
Now that you know your Gestalt, it’s good to focus on the visual identity and style that will evoke similar feelings. Search the myriad of images the internet has to offer to find the ones that evoke the emotional responses that reflect your Gestalt. From these images we like to create a style guide.
The Style Guide and your Gestalt will be the basis for starting your Branding Campaign. If you’re a startup, the branding campaign may begin with determining what the company name should be… then working through all of the logos, graphics and web presence. Or maybe you’re a larger company trying to define the branding of a new product line. In either case, knowing your Gestalt and having a Style Guide is key.
The details of Branding Campaigns get even deeper… let us know if you’re interested in learning more… and thanks for letting me ramble!!
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Great and detailed response! Thanks so much for sharing your precise marketing strategy, @UpDave!
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Nick, do you think cannabis will look like floricultue in its market model in 10 years?
From the voices in my head Ethan 
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I think branding a product is important. I try to keep the logos and marketing stuff to a minimum. I like the less is more model. Trying to keep all irrelevalnt stuff to a min. Less is more. To me anyways. I let my product speak on its own accord. Sorry im right out of surgery not sure if im even making sense.
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We agree with keeping it simple, however sometimes that can be the biggest challenge!
Often, products require a good bit of information in addition to the branding. Yes, simplification is key.
Thank you for your input, we look forward to more!
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