The attribution problem
Work can be funny, beautiful or moving and still fail the brand if people remember the execution but not who it came from. Small businesses are especially vulnerable because they cannot buy endless chances to correct the link.
Brand elements, message and story should work together early enough and clearly enough for the memory to have an owner.
Brand the idea, do not interrupt it
This does not mean making the logo enormous. It means designing the idea from recognisable brand ingredients rather than adding a badge at the end like a forgotten name label.
The prescription
Do this next.
- Show a recent piece with the logo covered and ask who it feels like.
- Bring one distinctive brand cue into the organising idea.
- Check whether the brand is identifiable before the final frame.
Under the microscope
Useful source material.
The thinking behind this article has been checked against these sources. No borrowed lab coat required.