We have high health care costs in this country because we have unhealthy people. We could reduce over 70%-80% of our health care costs if 30% of the people who drink, smoke, eat unhealthy would change their ways.Taken from an article at the Seattle Post:“70 percent of cancer, 71 percent of cardiovascular disease and 92 percent of adult-onset diabetes can be avoided if people change their behavior, said ClearPoint managing partner Kevin Overbey, citing journals of occupational medicine. A popular hypothesis states that if 30 percent of people improved their diets, simply moved about more and dealt better with stress, health care costs could be reduced 24 percent per year nationwide, he said.”Why is no one in Washington D.C. addressing prevention in the health care debate?Currently we are working with a client to bring prevention to large insurance companies here in the U.S. and in the U.K. so that they may offer it to their large employer groups as a way to reduce insurance costs. The premise is healthy employees are more productive and will cost the employer less in corporate insurance costs.Benefits of Workplace Health PromotionCompanies across the country have been instituting fitness and wellness programs since the 1970s and utilizing these programs as the vehicle to documents claims such as:

• The average stress-related worker¹s compensation claim costs employers $13,339.
• The average smoker costs a company $960 a year in insurance and time lost.
• The average overweight person costs a company $401 a year.
• Healthy employees have shown increases in productivity as high as 25%.

Study after study has shown that for every dollar a company spends on employee health, it reaps in excess of $6.00 through:

• Decreased absenteeism
• Reduced health care costs
• Increased productivity
• Improved employee health and morale

Research shows a high return on investment (ROI) for companies that implement self-care programs and preventive health screenings to help their employees make better decisions about their health.Source: http://www.healthyachievers.com/wellness-prevention/As a country, as a society, we have finally waken up to the fact that we must change our ways if we are going to make it. We’ve identified a viable solution to the problem. It has been tracked, measured and has quantifiable results. So, why is Congress not putting one line of legislation about prevention in its health bill?If health care reform passes in its current state, it is going to force insurance companies out of business and force the American people to get healthy or wait months in line to see the doctor. If you don’t believe me, just ask someone from England or Canada were this model has failed. Either way, corporations must begin looking at ways to add prevention into their corporate insurance programs to reduce costs and absenteeism and boost productivity.What does this have to do with brand development or design? As brand managers and marketers, we must be keen on industry and economic fluctuations to best serve our clients. Seeing first hand the dissonance and confusion of big insurance companies and wellness groups seeking to understand their next moves has been frustrating at best. The white space in this new emerging category is ripe for a well positioned company to capture.Regardless of your position on the health care debate, I believe preventive health care is going to be a major part of our lives moving forward. We’re going to see an increased interest of health and wellness in this country - and that might be a good thing.

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A month or so ago, we were prospecting a new client. Like most entrepreneurs he was extremely passionate and highly persuasive after investing an hour to hear about his product. We left the meeting with a good repoire and plans to follow up in a week or two with a proposal of marketing their product that we felt had potential.

What was planned to be a normal discover-proposal-execution process turned out to be a series of emails, phone discussions and follow up meetings. You’re probably saying to yourself, you guys must be doing something wrong in qualifying this client. Perhaps, but maybe not… please read on.

We scheduled another meeting to present our approach on how we would take his company’s product from concept to retail and what programs we would utilize for a successful go-to-market strategy. As it turned out the client fibbed about their relationship with potential “guaranteed” retail buyers and did not disclose when asked if he was the real decision maker.

Our planned proposal meeting was planned and as the meeting got started, the man who had ultimate authority to say “yeah” or “nay” on the project ended up being 30 minutes to the presentation.

Anyone who sells for a living knows that this is the ultimate “deal-breaker” scenario. He (main decision maker) joined us and as expected we had to start over again from the beginning and rush through the main points of understanding (we only had an hour) on how building a brand first and then conducting marketing tactics like advertising and infomercials was the best-practices approach versus just storming to market without a through brand foundation - this approach was being pitched by a major infomercial company out of Iowa.

Years of experience has convinced me that without understanding what the brand is, any business risks hanging their investments on the precipice of failure or mediocrity. This argument is what prompted the decision maker to ask the question: How much does it cost to build a brand? - the topic of this blog entry.

Here’s a little background.

Taken from Interbrand Top 100 Global Brands - published in Business Week July 2005.

When 64% of the market value of the world’s most valuable brand (Coca-Cola) is intangible - shown on the balance sheet as $67 billion* in “Brand Value” - there’s something very important here. Think about it - $67 billion in real dollar value - not for bricks and mortar, inventory or equipment - but rather for the economic power of the Coca-Cola name and what it stands for - the power to influence selection of one sugary liquid over others.

The total intangible Brand Value on the balance sheets of the companies that own the world’s top 100 brands is more than $1 trillion!* Another WOW! But this is not just about megacompanies. This is about building intangible Brand Value in any-size company or organization - building the power to differentiate your brand with such clarity of competitive value that selecting your brand over others is an easy choice.

How long does it take to build a brand? I think the answer lies in the importance, need and positioning of the product. Brands like McDonalds, Disney, IBM, Sony and Kodak took many years to build - were brands like Google, iPod, and Facebook took only 1-3 years. No one knows exactly how many millions of dollars where spent on advertising and other business activities, but the fact is if you have a product or service that is truly unique, and that essentially creates a new category - chances are you could build a multi-million or billion dollar brand very fast.

For the rest of us - iPods, Googles and Facebooks don’t happen every day. That is why we continue to advocate brand understanding as the first step in building any kind of business.

We presented our price, shook hands and left knowing this deal wasn’t going to happen. I don’t know where this company or product is now, their website is still not updated and have yet to see a infomercial on television.

How a brand benefits your business:

* Preempt your competition
* Increase profitability for long-term sustainability
* Consistent brand delivery spurs employee motivation
* Increase the value of your company over time
* Brand definition brings clarity to your business goals and direction
* A well developed brand works for you 24/7

Recession is defined as: Economics. a period of an economic contraction, sometimes limited in scope or duration. Typically what happens in a recession is companies cut their marketing budgets. Meaning for designers less work on large marketing initiatives that include advertising and large packaging runs. 

It’s now almost May, and I am happy to report we are having one of the best years on record since our founding. This is my first recession - at first, I was freaked out not knowing what the future held, but for the most part it hasn’t been a factor business wise. Last November, it was rough when the stock market bombed and all the bailouts were announced, most of our clients paid late.

Now however, most of our clients  and several new ones are investing in website redesigns, SEO/SEM and brand development and are paying on time. We are also working with a few startups that range from products like dog collars to financial services to ultra-luxury real estate. In every scenario, we remain steadfast in our pricing and are receiving no push back despite the economy.

Probably like most Denver design and ad firms, if their client list consisted mostly of large corporations and/or real estate clients, they’re probably hurting. We’ve had a number of clients in construction and real estate fall off or downsize considerably.  I heard that McClain Finlon went under due to loosing Qwest. I also heard other firms have laid people off. This could happen to anyone of us, and is another age-old rule  for agencies not to put all their eggs in one basket.

FACT: Currently, the Colorado unemployment rate is at 7.5% compared to the National unemployment rate of 8.5%. We saw these same kind of numbers in Denver after 9/11.

We’ll see what the next quarter holds, but as far as this little company is concerned we remain busier that ever and if it wasn’t for the news, we wouldn’t know there was a recession.  I think the key to survival may be the following factors: 1. Having a diverse client portfolio, 2. Offering a range of services (web design, package design, email marketing and brand development etc.)  and, 3. Awareness in the market as well as strong search engine rankings.

But watch out for the Obama tax plan!!! If he gets his way - as small business owners and those making over $250K, your taxes could possibly increase 19%… this is going to limit your ability to buy hardware, software, bring on a new programmer or designer, upgrade the office or spend on link campaigns all for a “failed-everywhere else” national health care plan. We could see even more design and ad agencies shutting down soon.

Four years ago I was contacted by one of my affiliates in the direct marketing industry to design, package and market a new fitness product based on interval training. The premise behind this product was that you could burn 30% more calories in 30 mins than you could doing steady-state exercise by simply increasing the intensity of your activity for 1 minute (4 times per 30 min exercise session).

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Jonathan Roche, a certified personal trainer, award-winning fitness video instructor, a 13-time Boston Marathon Finisher and 11-time Ironman Triathlon Finisher was having great success training his clients using the interval training method.

Interval training is typically utilized by elite athletes to increase their fitness in endurance-based sports such as running, triathlons, and marathons. Jonathan was using interval training to train busy moms and executives who were time-deprived and who had past failures with other weight loss programs. He also used heart rate monitors to ensure that the peaks of increased intensity were pushing his client’s heart rate above AT (aerobic threshold). AT is defined as the point at which you can no longer talk because your out of breath. By pushing your AT up - you increase fitness (fitness is defined as ability to prolong fatigue), which in turn creates health and well-being.

Jonathan was having so much success with this method of training (which also included a nutrition program) that he decided to push forward with developing his system into an exercise product. With a modest investment - Jonathan moved forward with setting up Roche Training Systems.

Jonathan contacted us like most entrepreneurs for creative help. Upon reviewing the complexity of the product with its 7 moving parts - we all agreed that further research and brand development was necessary to understand who our target customer was and how to best capture and develop the internal training category - more importantly, to define the brand and coin the perfect name.

Through the brand development process and numerous creative brainstorm meetings, late night phone calls, emails and research we uncovered the brands attributes, value propositions and positioning statement which lead us to naming the product Momentum and the company Breakthrough. We chose Momentum because of its meaning that once you begin making progress on your weight loss journey, you gain, maintain and increase “momentum” which in this case is weight loss and long-term behavorial change. Breakthrough was chosen for your ability to break through whatever is holding you back from being healthy.

From start to finish it took a total of four months to design the brand strategy, name the company, name the product, design the logo(s), trademark the names and logos, design, print and produce the packaging which included a box, heart rate monitor, nutrition guide, workout log, quick start card, how-to guide, online personal trainer application, corporate website and an ecommerce website. We also assisted in the development of a long-form infomercial.

That was over four years ago. Since then the Momentum brand has built a strong awareness considering a small marketing budget and was built primarily by using Web 2.0 techniques, SEO and community groups.

This summer - to our surprise - Breakthrough was contacted by Weight Watchers™ for the purchase of the Momentum name and trademark. It was an offer to good too pass up. Breakthrough was given time to transfer out and alert their membership of over 8,000 users of the name change. We have since renamed Momentum the No Excuses Workout System, or what our customers like to call “NEWO.” Another promising name…

The lesson learned by all this, is that “best-practices” really are “best-practices”. I commend Breakthrough for “doing it right” out of the gate. So many start-ups and entrepreneurs come to us for tactical creative - logo, website or package design without having a strong strategic brand foundation to base their creative and messaging on. In almost every case they end up wasting thousands of dollars and end up having to redo all their communication.

I continue to advocate that we are what we buy. We are the brands we live in. Audi vs. Jeep, Northface vs. HellyHansen, Tide vs. Cheer. What brands describe you? What brands best reflect your personal identity? This approach, I believe, allows marketers to make their brands more valuable over time.

In this case, a well-thought out name, strategic brand foundation, availability, trademark and time grew the Momentum brand and name into a strong business asset. This experience has validated our belief in the brand development process and has added a certain element of credibility to what we believe in at Garrison Everest.

I got wind of a protest taking place in Burlinton, New Hampshire, headquarters for Burton Snowboards this week. As a snowboarder it naturally piqued my curiosity. I read the news article (Fox News) to find Vail Ski Resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Heavenly and Keystone), among others were banning Burton’s latest designs that entailed 3 Playboy models and another line of self-mutilation illustrations.

Out of disgust I also sent my protest to the company. I wasn’t expecting to receive any kind of response, but to my surprise I received this:

ME:
Burton- I was going to buy a new board this season, but think I’ll pass due to your standards on suggestive content. Think I’ll check other sources for gear.

RESPONSE:
Thank you for your feedback and sharing your opinion. The Burton Playboy limited edition snowboards were created at the request of two of Burton’s professional snowboarders. Both Burton and Playboy were founded on principles of individual freedom, and the collaboration has resulted in boards that reflect this attitude. The imagery on the boards is tastefully done, and we believe that they will be collector’s items. The snowboards will be fully wrapped with an 18+ age disclaimer to purchase.

Regards,

The Info@Burton Team
(800)-881-3138

My RESPONSE BACK:

Wow - Doesn’t matter, people still have to be subjected to this imagery in the lift line. I also don’t want my kids seeing some chicks butt. The “love” design line and the “self mutilation” line will de value the Burton brand.

___

I couldn’t believe the response back to me - a customer. Yeah, I can see some of the “cool kids” thinking that these designs are “way awesome” and visioned the designer’s delight when they all high-fived each other when they saw the first comps of the playmates boobs on-screen; I can see them saying ” we’re going with it dude.”

These designs are both irresponsible and disrespectful from a design integrity and brand standards standpoint. At a resort it’s not like a 711 where the girly mags covered up. Now we’ll have no choice but to deal with it as we wait in line for the chairlift. And who cares if some professional requested it? All this says to me is YOU the customer don’t care to us. Personal freedom filtered through the mind of the idiot is just an excuse to do things that are bad for the rest of us. Its a great shame when companies and individuals hide behind the 1st Amendment while neglecting personal responsibility.

From a design standpoint, companies must have a moral and ethical responsibility to its customers and society. Burton has crossed the line and has brought its brand lower in the minds of its aging and most loyal customers, especially the first (1989 is when I first started boarding) who now have children.

As an avid Burton fan I have decided to leave as a customer because Burton has now moved its brand to once, was in my mind, the “best boards” around based on their promise - to now falling into the dung heap of the shadey side of the snowboarding culture.

Sorry Burton, I’ll take a look somewhere else and try to keep my kids eyes covered when we venture out for a day on the mountain. Thanks to Vail Ski Resorts for taking a stand. Shame on Burton for letting us down.

One weekend when I was back in High School, myself and 2 of my buddies headed up to a place called Crazy Woman Canyon above Buffalo, Wyoming - a sleepy little town at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. We were heading up to meet some friends for a weekend of camping and hiking. On day 1 of our trip we decided to climb to the top of the rim of the canyon instead of going for a hike with the others. The rim of the canyon towered some 2000 feet up with about a 45% grade. As we made our way to the top switch-back after switch-back, I suddenly heard this deep grinding sound. As I looked back, one of my friends just pushed a relative large boulder down the canyon wall. We watched as it crashed, sparked and thundered down the side.

It didn’t take long for the three of us to snap into a boulder rolling frenzy. Rock after rock was let go - boosted from its place of permanence. The higher we climbed the bigger the rocks got. After a while of letting them go - we began to come down from our rock-rolling hysteria. We stopped to rest and revel in the power we had of unleashing these huge boulders down the canyon.

We decided to head back down but only after we all agreed to let one last one go. The chosen boulder was bigger than all the others. It took the strength of all three of us to get it to budge. As we pushed and scrapped - slipping on the loose gravel, the boulder began to lurch forward as it crossed the point of no return.

As we watched it thunder, spark and roar down the hill in the hot afternoon we marveled at its force as it accelerated down the hill and flew off the cliff below us and disappeared over the side.

It only took about 10 seconds for it to reach the canyon floor which was the back of Drew’s truck.

Drew’s truck was by far the coolest truck in high school with a 10 inch lift, 36 inch tires and Alpine stereo system. Every kid was envious since the rest of the class drove old jalopies, including myself who was confined to a 1980 Mercury Bobcat, a spin-off of the Ford Pinto - or in other words a luxury Pinto - since it was made by Mercury. Drew was known by his truck. The letters on his tailgate spelt “YO”. Girls and guys alike were drawn to Drew in most cases because of his truck.

The truck was given to him by his banker Dad. Needless to say Drew’s entire reputation, popularity and Father’s approval was wrapped up in that object of silver and big black wheel bliss.

Crash! The boulder landed dead center in the bed, crushing the metal like a pop can. It bent the axle, broke out the back window and smashed the frame to the ground. Drew didn’t hear the crash until Adam screamed; “Dude, Drew your truck!” Drew bee-lined straight down the canyon. Adam and I managed to gingerly switch-back our way back down.

When we saw Drew next, his eyes were red and his hair was wet. I later found out that night he tried to drown himself in the river because of the incident.

So what’s the point to this? I always wondered why Drew reacted the way he did over a truck. Big deal right? Maybe not. It wasn’t until lately I recalled this story and began to think about why certain objects become so important to us. Think of Cameron Father’s Ferrari in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

The point of this blog entry is this - objects or in this case, brands - like Toyota 4×4’s or Ferrari’s have the potential to influence and become an intrinsic part of who we are - we bind ourselves to them or in some cases our lives. For some of us they become the idols that define our existence and tell others who we are. We choose and incorporate brands into out personal identities on the basis of survival, benefit and definition.

In today’s economic environment with the gas prices on the rise - how will the people who drive these behemoth trucks with the 10 inch lift kit, 35 inch tires that get 2 miles per gallon going to do? The target demographic of such trucks are male who make a median income of $35 - $60K a year, have a tattoo and have a manageable house payment. How will these guys adjust and what decisions will they make? Drive the truck or pay the mortgage? Drive the truck or trade it in on a Harley? I’ve noticed quite a few of these trucks with FOR SALE signs on them lately. Its just one example of how rising prices force us to change and consider other brands that are intrinsic to our personal identity. What about cell phones, shoes, political parties or even friends we associate it? Could our relationships change? How will rising prices change who we are and how does this affect the country as a whole?

Only time will tell how people determine what to sacrifice and how companies respond to this change in time of transition. I suspect that people will not give up brands that define who they are - no matter how high gas prices go. We could see alot of jet black scooters with flame decals motoring around until technology improves for Hybrid-powered monster trucks.

What is graphic design and how does it affect our world? Below are some thoughts on how design benefits and powers commerce.

Graphic design is the process of visual communication that combines ideas, imagery and text to convey information to an audience to invoke an action.

Graphic design is part of your daily life. From the food you eat to the t-shirt on your back - design plays a major role in helping you decide what best fulfills your needs, wants and lifestyle choices.

From a business standpoint, graphic design is a necessity because it serves as one of the most important communication vehicles to deliver your brand, product or service to your customers - the other being verbal. Graphic design allows you to persuade, announce, sell, invite, demonstrate and inform visually via a website, packaging, logo, posters, business cards or brochures. Graphic design legitimizes your offering as a professional organization and aids in the building of your brand for long-term profitability and success.

From an online standpoint, design provides the credibility and trust factor for the all to important call to action. Examples include: buy now, on sale, call today, register, learn more, available here, vote for me, visit www… or add to cart. These phrases are the basis for eCommerce and profitability online, which is why without the proper design standards, conventions and methods implemented by an experienced designer or agency, you hang your online objectives on the precipice of mediocrity or failure.

So, who do you choose for this important task? Today, anyone with a computer can type out a business card, design an advertisement or build a website. You - yourself, may have probably used some fluorescent paper and a blue marker to draw out a garage sale sign. But it takes the talent, experience and knowledge of a professional designer to truly achieve what design is intended to do—add value that initiates an action. I believe essentially, design adds value in the form of credibility and trust. These two factors, combined with the creativity and resources of a professional designer or agency along with an integrated marketing plan (PR, advertising, promotions, etc.) are the foundations of causing any buyer initially in the sales cycle to consider your product or service seriously for purchase.

Creativity is measured in the capacity and talent of a designer to take shape, color, form, style, imagery and type and transcend those design elements into original, progressive ideas that give the viewer or audience something they have never seen before. Creativity also can influence the purchase decision by causing the viewer to feel enjoyment or satisfaction when encountering a piece of communication. In design, creativity is often times restrained to ensure accuracy in communicating with the desired target audience. It can also be repressed by the product or service owner’s idea of how best to present itself. These dynamics determine the level of “punch” of any creative execution.

Graphic design is a very important tool in today’s business world. From an early age we have learned and growed through seeing pictures and reading words. Graphic design is the way organizations teach their customers about their products and services which makes business grow. The discipline of graphic design will continue to grow commerce well into the future as our world draws closer to a completed global economy.

This blog entry is for an Art Institute student here in Colorado. We typically get a lot of inquires from students and designers looking for work or wanting some kind of information on us, so we thought this would be a good way to let you know what we do and how we do it. Here are our answers to some of the student’s questions:

1) What are the most important steps that you took to reach your position?
1. Talent and Education: every designer must first be talented and then have an education; 2. A good understanding of Marketing and Sales: graphic design is the tactical means of communication - if we aren’t selling verbally, we’re selling visually; 3. Learning HTML/CSS and Flash: broadening your skill set and design arsenal makes you more valuable to any design firm. Just because you’re a good designer, that doesn’t always guarantee you can implement your ideas effectively. Having a client hire you for a print piece then asking you back to do an online advertising program will always bring more work and credibility to your portfolio; 4. Presentation: You must be able to sell and present yourself professionally (SEE NUM CHUK SKILLS BELOW).

2) How many other designers work with or below you in your department?
Two to five. We work with a production artist and a web designer, then contract out our flash and high-level programming.

3) What is the most important characteristic of a young designer looking to move up?
Talent, presentation and a strong balance between Web and Print. I believe every designer should know how to construct a simple brochure-ware website and also be able to set up a multi-page print piece. Experience and motivation, as well as the desire to grow is also important. Find a non-profit or someone who will give you experience, even if it means working for free. It will surely bring dividends when applying for an agency position.

4) Is there a source from which you or your company prefers to enlist new designers?
Not really. All of the talent agencies I’ve ever worked with discount designers’ work and expect you to take less than industry standards. It’s better to apply directly.

5) What do you look for when hiring new designers?
Experience with clients, strong understanding of how to take ideas and make them real using industry applications and once again - a well-balanced web/print portfolio.

6) What are some common mistakes that new hires make?
I’ve interviewed several designers and most will come in with an unorganized portfolio and the inability to describe to me what the objective and goal was of a given project. If you can’t tell me why you did the things you did on a particular piece, how will the client understand what his/her return on investment is? Designers must be savvy on color theory, font, layout, form and function and especially on how to sell themselves. And in working on any piece, always have someone review your work for spelling. One spelling error can turn a great project into mush. Be patient, in time you will eventually grow into much larger projects and more exciting work!

7) Have you ever done or do you now do any freelance work?
Not really, we are too busy working on agency-related projects.

Is there a scale you use when pricing the work you do?
No. We typically price a project based upon the amount of time it will take from an hourly rate; that then translates into a fixed price. Printing, photography, etc. is extra. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Fortune 500 or a start-up. We believe and know first-hand that our work brings value and profit to our clients’ businesses.

9) How do you decide what to charge your clients?
See above. We always work on a fixed budget. It gives the client a set price that will not change. We find it works out better at the end of a project. There is nothing worse to a client than going over budget and getting billed at the end of a project for more than the price agreed upon. If it does happen, we make sure they are fully aware. If, however, there are any problems alog the way, we’ll always eat it. Better to save the relationship and take a hit then to lose the client all together.

10) How do you choose your clients?
We choose them typically on what kind of business they are in, budget and what interests us. We have more experience in some industries than others. We try to find out what kind of people they are through the client survey and pre-qualification process in order to get some insight as to whether or not they will be a good client to work with. Inappropriate language, unprofessionalism, being disrespectful and late payments are all undesirable qualities in a client. We never take any project that compromise our integrity or the Garrison Everest brand.

11) What sets your company apart from other graphic design firms?
Talent and firms are a dime a dozen. We have to ask ourselves this question all the time due to Denver’s highly competitive market. It really comes down to who you are, who you work with and what’s your specialty and approach. Without saying too much here…our specialty is delivering exceptional creative work that brings TRUE VALUE that directly affects our clients’ brand position. Our approach is to find the white space in which our clients can best communicate and provide solutions that resonate with their target audience.

12) What advice do you have for someone in college?
Seek experience to gain a balanced portfolio in print and web, don’t let your ego get in the way and present yourself professionally and know how to sell your ideas and yourself. Most of all, be teachable - glean every experience.

In addition, I also want to say I’ve sought to surround myself with like-minded people who are amazing business men/women, marketing minds and creatives. They have contributed immensely to my success and the success of this firm now celebrating 5 years. When people see that you are eager, willing to learn and have the talent, the right people in life will see themselves in you and help you by offering referrals, advice, teaching or by mentoring. I have a strong mentor who contributes to my career growth on a monumental scale. Your work-ethic and reputation will carry you far or stop you short. When I first started I was eager and willing to work hard and do whatever it took to succeed and through perseverance, it has paid off! I can only say that if this is what God made you to be, you will always succeed.

I hope this helps! I invite you to add your comments to this entry.
Regards- Joshua Claflin, President/Creative Director

“Brands generally are established, grow, and prosper because they offer some type of reciprocal value between the two or more parties involved in the brand. The brand buyer gets value. The brand seller gets income and profits. This is a reciprocal equation with both sides profiting from the experience – a reciprocal relationship.” (Brand Babbel, Schultz, 2004)

BRAND DEVELOPMENT WILL HELP YOU:

1. Set goals, identify problems, define the target market’s unique characteristics and brand reciprocity
2. Uncover the compelling evidence that makes your (product or service) claim credible
3. Create and build trust into your brand offering
4. Define the customers’ personal charateristics and how they incorporate your brand into their identity
5. Influence selection and choice over your competitors
6. Add perceived brand value - which makes the price feel appropriate when the decision to purchase is made
7. Create confidence in the customers purchase decisions (which is the foundation for long-term success)
8. Cut through marketplace clutter
9. Make your brand an experience not just another product
10. Foster internal team commitment not compliance

Garrison Everest’s in-depth 17 step process takes your team through a full-day session of brand exploration and development. We help you take your business strategy/business model and translate that into a brand strategy. We will discover what makes your brand distinct, credible and the areas of white space to help your brand resonate with its target market.

Contact Garrison Everest today to learn more! >

As it’s often said, you can’t put the cart before the horse. We are approached many times a month by new businesses who need a website, logo, brochures etc. After we get through the basic introductions and information on the project we ask, do you have a marketing plan or a brand strategy in place? “Umm, after a short pause, no we don’t see the… why do we need that?” Great question. Think about yourself. What do you stand for as a person? Why do you dress the way you do or drive that car? Why are you starting this business - to make money? Everyone likes to make money, but outside of making money what drives you? What kind of coffee do you drink? Favorite restaurant? Why?

See the understanding here is that for too long we often get sucked into doing tactical work without finding the meaning behind it. It’s what I call “Marketing-Lite.” Clients want the stellar tactical components but pass on the strategy (or meaning). Just as we live our lives day to day, paying little attention to what defines us, we often take this same kind of thinking into our businesses.

A brand is the gut feeling one gets about a product, service or company. The brand process takes the business strategy and creates the brand. I recently read a book entitled “ZAG”, by Marty Neumeier. (I highly recommend this book). It has challenged our approach to design and opened our eyes to the power of the brand development process.

In the cluttered marketplace, what makes remarkable products is the meaning behind it. Our new approach is to talk about products and services and how they define our customers. A brand defines you and me. This is our new way of thinking outlined below.

Below are five reasons why every business should consider going through the brand process.

1. People naturally want to be apart of something bigger than themselves. (refer to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).

If you can build meaning in the form of a life story or the reason why you may be starting a health company, coding new technology or a high-end real estate development, you can add value and in most cases relate to your customers on a deeper level rather than just trying to get them to open their pocketbook. This enforces credibility and trust in the marketplace of fibbers and me-too products.

2. The brand process forces you to think.

By taking a time-out and really getting into the definition, meaning, and purpose you will find gold in the form of attributes that otherwise would have been overlooked. These come in the form of new targets, messaging or propositions not thought of. This adds overall value to your offering.

3. It gives your design team more direction and freedom to do great work.

Part of the equation in any marketing program is the people who make it happen. The brand process allows everyone to get involved. As a result we find better messaging, richer layouts and higher team morale because we all feel apart of something bigger than ourselves.

4. Your customers desire definition - a strong brand fulfills that need.

In a post-consumer society, we have everything we need at our fingertips 24/7. There are 10+ different kinds of everything. We respond to these choices by what appeals to us in a way that defines us. We as a culture have arrived at the self-actualization stage (refer back to Maslow’s pyramid). We want to have meaning in our life, and we can somehow express that in the products we spend our money on. So important is this, we damage our credit, go into debt, save, sacrifice and for some steal, just to get that one thing that we desire to help define ourselves. Without it we are just a black outline. A strong brand adds color.

5. A strong brand influences confidence in purchase decisions.

Some of our high-end clients spend alot of money on pricey materials that are appropriate to the markets they do business in. We believe that upon conclusion of purchase life-cycle - from brand introduction to purchase decision - everything learned and experienced up to the point of sale can be orchestrated to influence whether customers swipe their card or sign on the dotted line. A strong brand actually gives the extra “kick” to get over the hump. Done correctly the brand serves as the customers guide along the purchase life-cycle.

In conclusion, we will continue to research, define and aid our clients in this new area of thinking. We truly believe that a well built cart acting as the brand strategy will give more power to the horse (tactics) that will power business in the cluttered marketplace and age of self-actualization and definition. Brands define who we are. This approach must be considered to be successful in any industry.