Lucy - BQ Magazine Editor“Rusty water,” that is water that has been exposed to rust, is generally considered to be non-harmful to health. It doesn’t smell or look great, however, and can easily put someone off until their pipes or water storage fixtures are repaired or replaced. This demonstrates that often, it’s not just substance, but also the aesthetic of a brand’s output that can have a corrosive effect on how such a company is perceived.
If your branding feels a little rusty, a little off-kilter and stale, then it may be that your entire firm, despite its value and capability, is tarnished. This may last for some time, as customers tend to rely on their first impression and will only investigate further if you give them a reason to. While “rusty branding” might not be harmful to the health of your firm, it could give the impression that something rotten lays underneath.
So, how can you avoid “rusty branding,” and develop a cleaner output more relevant to your brand? In this post, we’ll dig into this topic, and explore it alongside you. Let’s begin:
Brand Consistency
Rust often looks unsightly because the oxidation of the metal’s surface leads to rough bumps that are inconsistent and of various unappealing colour shades. This metaphor tracks quite directly against the horrors of inconsistent visual branding, but also your message, too.
If your website is highly professional and uses a formal tone of voice, running a TikTok account where you only post the most outrageous memes may denigrate trust, or at least lead to incompatible strategies (although many companies do try to be as relatable as possible, to varying results).
The best approach you can take is consistency. Not only does this give your marketing team (however modest) a steadfast path to follow, but it also means customers know how to connect with your brand, how to identify you out of a crowd, and why to celebrate your presence in the market.
For example, popular UK street optician “Specsavers” has successfully used the term “should have gone to Specsavers” for years, and this saying has all but merged with British vernacular. That’s the power of consistency.
Customer Perception
There’s nothing quite like seeing a relative burst free (with perhaps a few too many drinks motivating him/her) and grooving their heart out on the dance floor at a family wedding. They’re lost in a world of their own, but from the outside, it may look a little concerning.
Your brand mustn’t seem entirely self-flattering and lost in its brilliance while remaining amusing, comical or even inaccessible to those you’re trying to reach. For example, you may be from a regional area, but using only regional terms in your marketing campaign may alienate those ordering from other locations.
It’s important to make sure our tone of voice, language, and messaging could be understood correctly. If you do decide to go insular, the approach must be purposeful, and with very real goals set up for success. If you can achieve that, then you’ll be more likely to find a competent outcome.
Visual Identity
A visual identity may seem different from what you say, how you operate, and the impressions you leave, but really, it will be the first and foremost tool people use to think of and remember your brand. When you think of McDonald’s, you likely think of those golden arches or the box of a Happy Meal.
This goes to show just how important a strong, cohesive, well-curated and unique visual identity is. But if you’re not an artist or have experience in the visual arts, you might find it difficult to curate a well-considered package. The best design agencies will tell you it’s not about how much you put into your visual identity, but how clean, relevant, accessible, and understandable it is what matters.
Brand Refresh Vs. Rebranding
It’s important to note that a brand refresh isn’t impervious to brand rusting either. It’s easy for a new brand to become irrelevant more quickly than an older one, and if you’re switching visual identities, it’s important to remember that.
That’s why rebrands are rarely just rebrands, but full-scale marketing campaigns with every avenue considered ahead of time. A brand refresh can inspire creativity, offer developmental opportunities, and grant your company the kind of positivity it’s looking for. It can also help you remove older controversies if needed.
But it’s important to offer new value, to convert old customers to the new pipeline with attractive package deals and discounts, and make certain you work on new strategies for your SEO. Just like a brand new set of garden furniture, it can rust and become damaged just as easily as your old set without careful and consistent maintenance going forward.
Digital Hygiene
Watching rust removal and restoration videos can be a comforting way to kill time, especially if the practitioner is restoring an old but still capable item, like a chef knife or a cast iron pan. The same can be said for our online presence. Removing dead links on our web pages intended for old promotions, removing old social media posts that no longer have any relevance, and updating our “meet the team” page now half of the staff no longer works there, all of this is an important step towards recovering our digital space.
This way, customers won’t stumble open unkempt areas and feel that this lack of detail-oriented attention translates to how you’d treat them as customers, too. Digital hygiene is more than just maintenance but is about how you hold yourself. For that reason, it’s important to be mindful and conduct regular reviews of your output, if only to catch issues that could have flown over your head otherwise.
With this advice, we believe you’ll overcome the “rusty branding” issue and potentially move forward to greater things. That way, your firm always resembles a shiny, new, novel, and interesting enterprise that will never be dragged down by past harm.