Embark on a journey with Kevin and Amy as they discover that makes the Explorer brand so powerful. You explore the world (Jeep, Cannondale) or you can explore and idea and a experience because you deserve it (Starbucks, Brand Archetypes.) The next few episodes dive into each archetypes. Kevin and Amy started with the Explorer archetype because that is the archetype they chose for the BrandArchetype.com company. Discover the the high-level ideas behind the Explorer Archetype and what it means to be a true explorer brand. If you’ve been to their website, you have seen the video on the homepage…
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In this episode, Kevin and Amy talk about what style guides are, why they are important, and what exactly goes into a style guide. A style guide can be the next most important document for a business after the business plan. If you have a great style guide then all creative people who work for or with your business will know exactly how to (and how not to) represent your brand. All style guides, not surprisingly, should start by defining the company’s brand archetype and emotional messaging. Need Help With YOUR Style Guide? If you need help creating a style…
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For several years now I’ve been intrigued by specific social movements in business. Particularly those that focus their efforts on ideas that will change the world for the better. Probably the best example is the found in the work of Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his idea of forming the Grameen Bank, as outlined in his book “Building Social Business.” This micro-finance company, started 40 years ago, provides micro loans (as little as just a few dollars) to budding entrepreneurs in third world countries – primarily Bangladesh. Last year, Grameen reports that loans were provided to more than 9…
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Fair warning: Put on your thick skin. This just might hurt a bit. This process is going to be long. It is rare that naming your company happens quickly or easily. Kevin and Amy dive even deeper into the process of creating an amazing and powerful name that is on brand. They discuss the importance of NOT rushing through this process. Here is what is included: Play around with “nyms”: synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms. Create new words out of other words. All good ideas are two things combined together. You can do this with words. If you take two words…
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Naming a company can be a painful and laborious process. There is a lot of pressure to secure a good one — and you have to love it because you are going to be saying and writing it many thousands of times for years to come. It’s kind of like naming a child or, to a lesser degree, a pet. Naming a Company Can Be Super Hard This is why this podcast has 2 parts! There’s simply a lot to consider. Often, entrepreneurs don’t spend enough time or put enough thought into naming their business. Your brand and chosen archetype…
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Have you ever heard a person tell a joke so poorly they felt the need to explain it, after it fell flat? Did you notice the explanation did NOT make the joke funnier? The same holds true for your company. Don’t explain your brand! If you need to do that, it’s an indication that you’re not being clear enough to begin with. If your aim is to be a Jester brand, you need to find ways to be TRULY humorous — not kinda-sorta humorous. While watching a commercial for Liberty Mutual recently, I was disappointed to see they felt the…
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People often confuse or interchange the terms tagline and slogan. We discuss the differences and the elements that make up great taglines. In this episode we cover these topics related to taglines: Lingo Flows off the tongue Subtle changes Implied meaning One word versions The annual changes to the Coca Cola brand The process of creating one for Brand Archetypes Resources: Taglines PDF Next Episode: The Name GameWhether it’s your company name, a product, a service, a package, a program or your pet. Everything you need to come up with a great name. Need help with your naming process? Contact…
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What makes a great logo design? What are some examples of bad logos? What are some of the world’s best logos? Kevin and Amy discuss the fascinating (and often frustrating) world of logo design. We cover topics such as: The three basic types of logos (see the “Logos 101” file in the resources section below) Icon always attached to the logotype Icon allowed to be detached from the logotype No icon – logotype only Elegantly simple Scalable Fundamental shapes Colors Font faces that support the brand strategy Implied meaning Variations Resources: “Logo 101” pdf Adobe Color Picker – We will…
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Have you heard the term Brand Archetype before? We’ve been kicking it around for awhile. We even created a whole website and podcast dedicated to the term. Why? Because it is really important to the success of any business’s brand strategy. What does your brand strategy look like? Have you defined your logo, color palette, tagline, and fonts? Is that where it ends? Don’t worry, that is where most companies stop in defining their brand. The one very important (and often overlooked) element of a brand is the emotional connection element. What do emotions have to do with brand? Everything!…
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Few micro, small and medium-sized businesses have gone through a formal process of creating a brand strategy. Let alone one that will consistently drive their company down a path where they build consistency and power. Brand awareness is critical to a company that wants to move forward … and not slide backward to their old ways. Until the company’s brand evangelists build a knee-jerk process of thinking about the brand focus AT EVERY TURN, it is almost inevitable that they will frequently miss out on opportunities to strengthen their brand instead of diluting it. If a brand evangelist is conditioned…
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