Why Branding is So Important, and How Video Plays a Huge Role
Whether you run a business, are starting an organization or a movement, or are a team of one - this blog post is for you.
Because branding is incredibly important.
When most people think of the word ‘branding’, they think of advertisements and conglomerates. However, that’s not branding. That’s not even marketing really.
Branding is identity.
When you think of Nike, you immediately know what their identity is - sports, running, never giving up, working hard. Notice how the last two are ideologies? That’s because Nike has powerful brand messaging. Their identity is clear. When people look at Nike, they see a tribe that they belong to.
And that’s why branding is so important - because it creates an identity for your audience to feel accepted in.
I’ve worked with a few businesses whose goal is to get everyone, and that doesn’t work. When you’re talking to everyone, you’re actually talking to no one. But when you treat your brand as an entity, with its own identity, beliefs and preferences, you begin speaking to people.
One of my favourite brands is Oliver Peoples. They’re a glasses company out of California, but their products and their marketing are very identifiable. They don’t try to make trendy glasses or cater to various audiences - they have one audience that they are deeply embedded with. They have an identity and they’re screaming it from the rooftops. And that’s exactly why I bought two pairs of their glasses and refuse to get rid of them (even though I’ve broken both pairs).
Oliver Peoples Spring 2020 Campaign - Photo taken by Blair Getz Mezibov
When you have powerful branding, your audience feels connected with you. You may get a smaller audience, but they are fiercer. They believe in your brand and are willing to share it with others. They don’t just buy your products or services because its cheap or because its convenient, they buy it because they believe in you.
So if there’s anything you take away from this, it’s that you need to focus on your branding. You need to make yourself identifiable to your core audience and make them feel like they belong with you.
Because all the best brands are doing this - Apple, Supreme, Under Armour, and even Starbucks.
Where does Video and Film fit into Branding?
Video, like every other piece of your marketing, is the voice of your brand. It allows you to share who your brand is, what they believe in and why they matter. It gets all that out there. It works in tandem with your logo, your designs and your products.
Video is my favourite way because it allows you to share your brand voice in an engaging and exciting manner. Because you’re using audio, movement, music and people, it allows you to share so much information in one piece.
In conclusion, if you take anything away from this post, work on your branding. What is your brand trying to say? Who is your brand’s audience? If your brand was a person, who would they look like? These are key questions you need to be asking yourself.