Consistency, consistency, consistency: we can’t stress it enough. As a brand, it’s tempting to constantly chase the latest trends. 'But…' we hear you thinking, 'surely we need to stay relevant and keep up with the times?' Absolutely true! That's exactly what makes consistent communication all the more important! Stick to a solid foundation, with a clear visual and verbal identity. How? Read on!
What makes a brand consistent, and why does it matter so much?
Brand consistency is all about maintaining a cohesive ‘character’ across the board. That character stems from your brand values: the foundation for your brand identity. In other words: how do you look, act, and communicate? When your visual identity, tone of voice, behaviour, and actions truly align, you achieve (yes, you guessed it!) consistency. This not only builds recognition, but also trust. Consistency strengthens your brand experience, as customers know what to expect from you. They recognise you through that familiar colour, logo, or way of speaking. Think of it as a well-trodden path: the more you walk over fresh grass, the clearer the trail becomes. That’s how you, as a brand, leave a lasting impression.
Consistency in your branding: here's how you nail it!
As a brand, you can absolutely adapt to a changing market and evolving trends... as long as you stay authentic and true to your core. This means that everyone working with or for your brand must understand how to present it, both externally and internally (to your employees).
To ensure this, all brand expressions should be documented in a brand book a guide containing all the rules for communication. This includes guidelines for colour schemes, imagery, logos, fonts (your visual identity), as well as language and tone of voice (your verbal identity). This brand book becomes the go-to reference for every piece of communication you create. That's how every message becomes a thoughtful contribution to your overall brand presence!
A smart example: Heinz
Heinz, a brand that everyone in the world knows. And whether you're a ketchup fan or not, you can just picture the bottle in your mind, right? Their bottle is so recognisable that even if you were to remove the name 'Heinz' from the label, you would still know which brand it is. This is due to the shape, use of color and the specific elements Heinz uses. Brand recognition at the highest level, so to speak. But, when the brand discovered that their bottles were often being refilled by street vendors, they decided to take action. The taste experience (and therefore the brand experience) was in danger! So they took the exact shade of red from their ketchup, and temporarily changed the outer white of their iconic label with this color. Did the color in the bottle differ from the label? Then the consumer immediately knew that they had to do with a different type of ketchup! Heinz was able to make this adjustment to the label thanks to their consistency and recognisability. The label (and the brand) is so iconic that it still felt 100% Heinz. This idea not only led to 24% more sales*, but they also strengthened their brand and brand message, which always revolves around quality and transparency.
A consistent brand, what’s in it for you?
Does your company have a brand book, playbook, or brand manual, in which things are properly and clearly recorded? And are the guidelines implemented everywhere and always? Nice! Because you get a lot of benefit from that. Consistent branding not only ensures more trust and a sustainable brand. It also helps capture attention and gives you a more stable customer base in the long run. And did you know that companies with strong brand consistency can achieve up to 23% more turnover**? Who wouldn't want that?
Ready to work on your brand after reading this blog? Then our strategist Chantal is just a phonecall away! Or, you can send her an email, via chantal@gi.nl.