The Ultimate Guide to Branding in 2021

Products are never just products, right?

Coca-Cola is more than a soda. Starbucks is more than a coffee. Ray-Ban is more than a pair of sunglasses. Glossier is more than a tube of concealer.

Interacting with these products provide experiences, and we buy them with that experience in mind. Better yet, the companies that create and market them know exactly the experience they want you to have when you make (or consider) a purchase. That’s why they create a brand.

From the language in their Instagram caption to the color palette on their latest billboard to the material used in their packaging, companies who create strong brands know that their brand needs to live everywhere. They know their names extend far beyond the label.

The result? These brands are known, loved, and chosen out of a long lineup of options.

Who doesn’t want that? I know I do. That’s why we built this guide — to equip you to create and manage a strong brand that’ll help your business be admired, remembered, and preferred.

Use the links below to jump ahead to sections of interest, and don’t forget to bookmark this guide for later.

What’s a brand?

Before I dive into the importance of branding and how to build a brand, let’s go back to basics: What is a brand?

A brand is a feature or set of features that distinguish one organization from another. A brand is typically comprised of a name, tagline, logo or symbol, design, brand voice, and more. It also refers to the overall experience a customer undergoes when interacting with a business — as a shopper, customer, social media follower, or mere passerby.

What is branding?

Branding is the process of researching, developing, and applying a distinctive feature or set of features to your organization so that consumers can begin to associate your brand with your products or services.

Branding is an iterative process and requires getting in touch with the heart of your customers and your business. It’s important for a variety of reasons — I dive into these next.

Branding can be the deciding factor for consumers when they make a purchase decision. In a 2015 global Nielsen survey, almost 60% of shoppers said they actively buy from brands they know, and 21% said they bought a product because they liked the brand.

Branding gives your business an identity beyond its product or service. It gives consumers something to relate to and connect with.

Branding makes your business memorable. It’s the face of your company and helps consumers distinguish your business across every medium (which I discuss later).

Branding supports your marketing and advertising efforts. It helps your promotion pack that extra punch with added recognition and impact.

Branding brings your employees pride. When you brand your company, you’re not only giving your business identity, you’re also creating a reputable, highly-regarded workplace. Strong branding brings in strong employees.

Branding Terms to Know

Here are some other brand-related buzzwords you should know. They further demonstrate the importance and value of branding your business.

Brand awareness

Brand awareness refers to how familiar the general public and your target audience is with your brand. High brand awareness leads to brands being referred to as “trending,” “buzzworthy, or “popular.” Brand awareness is important because consumers can’t consider purchasing from your brand if they’re not aware of it.

👉🏼 Strong branding makes your business known.

Brand extension

Brand extensions are when companies “extend” their brand to develop new products in new industries and markets. Consider Honda lawn mowers or Martha Stewart bedding. Brand extensions allow companies (or individuals) to leverage brand awareness and equity to create more revenue streams and diversify product lines.

👉🏼 Strong branding brings in more money.

Brand identity

Brand identity is the personality of your business and the promise you make to your customers. It’s what you want your customers to walk away with after they interact with your brand. Your brand identity is typically comprised of your values, how you communicate your product or service, and what you want people to feel when they interact with it.

👉🏼 Strong branding gives your business more than a name.

Brand management

Brand management refers to the process of creating and maintaining your brand. It includes managing the tangible elements of your brand (style guide, packaging, color palette) and the intangible elements (how it’s perceived by your target audience and customer base). Your brand is a living, breathing asset, and it should be managed as such.

👉🏼 Strong branding requires consistent upkeep.

Brand recognition

Brand recognition is how well a consumer (ideally in your target audience) can recognize and identify your brand without seeing your business name — through your logo, tagline, jingle, packaging, or advertising. This concept goes hand-in-hand with brand recall, which is the ability to think of a brand without any visual or auditory identifiers.

👉🏼 Strong branding keeps your business top-of-mind.

Real-life brand example: Want to test your brand knowledge? Take this Logo Quiz by Business Insider to see how well you know your corporate brands. This is brand recognition at work.

Brand trust

Brand trust refers to how strongly customers and consumers believe in your brand. Do you deliver on your marketing promises? Do your salespeople and customer service go above and beyond? These things can create trust among your customers, which is important in a world where a mere 25% of people feel confident in large businesses.

👉🏼 Strong branding builds trust with your customers.

Brand valuation

Brand valuation is the commercial valuation of your brand derived from consumer perception, recognition, and trust. This concept goes hand-in-hand with brand equity. A powerful brand can make your business invaluable to investors, shareholders, and potential buyers.

👉🏼 Strong branding increases your business’s value.

Want to build an effective, measurable brand? Download our free guide on How to Build a Brand in 2019.

How to Create a Brand

1. Determine your target audience
2. Establish your mission statement
3. Define your values, features, and benefits
4. Create your visual assets
5. Find your brand voice
6. Put your branding to work

Here’s how you can create a brand — or begin the process of rebranding your current one.

There’s a lot that goes into a brand, and there’s a lot to consider when building a strong one. So, grab a notebook and jot down ideas as you move through this section. Recognize that branding is an iterative process, so you might be repeating some of these steps as you brainstorm and build your brand.

1. Determine your target audience

Branding leads to awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue. We’ve talked about that. But let’s take a step back and understand where those stem from: consumers. And not just any consumers — your target audience and customers.

If your brand doesn’t resonate with your audience, it won’t lead to that awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue. That’s where target market research comes in.

Before pressing pen to paper (or cursor to digital document), you must understand to whom your branding will be speaking. Who does your product serve? Who is your ideal customer? Why did you create your business in the first place?

What you learn about your target market and buyer personas will influence your branding decisions down the line, so make this step your first priority.

Download our free Persona Templates to easily organize your target audience research and strengthen your marketing.

2. Establish your mission statement

Let’s return to a question I asked in the previous step: Why did you create your business? Answering this will help you build your mission statement, which defines your purpose and passion as an organization.

Before you can craft a brand that your audience recognizes, values, and trusts, you must be able to communicate the purpose that your business provides. Then, every part of your brand (logo, tagline, imagery, voice, and personality) can reflect that mission and vision.

Your mission statement is a building block of your brand manifesto, which encompasses why your organization exists and why people should care about your brand.

Download our free guide to Defining Inspiring Mission and Vision Statements and learn the ins-and-outs of two of the most valuable strategic planning elements for businesses.

3. Define your unique values, qualities, and benefits

There are probably lots of businesses in your industry and niche. It’s easy to focus on your competition (and there’s a time and place for competitive analysis), but, for now, let’s focus on you.

What’s one thing that your business has that no one else can mimic (er, legally)? Your brand.

Because of that, you must ensure that your brand is comprised of and inspired by elements that are solely yours: the values, benefits, and qualities that make your company unique.

Take a moment to jot down a list of what sets your business apart from others. I’m not talking about product features (like appearance, components, or capabilities); I’m referring to how your products or services improve lives and contribute to success.

Real-life brand example: Alani Nutrition

You’ve probably never heard of Alani Nu; they’re a nutrition company based in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. I order their vitamins because 1) they’re proven to work, and 2) I trust and respect the brand (and it’s gorgeous!). On their website, they’ve clearly and simply outlined their unique values and benefits as part of their overall brand. Highlighting these makes it easy for customers like me to trust their products and choose them over competitors.

4. Create your visual assets

At this point, you should understand your target audience, your mission statement, and the unique qualities that make up your business.

If you can say with confidence that you’ve mastered these steps, it’s time to move onto one of the more exciting parts of branding — the visual design. We’re talking about your logo, color palette, typography (fonts), iconography, and other visual components.

As you create these elements, build a set of brand guidelines (or a brand style guide) to govern the composition and use of your visual assets. This will ensure that whoever uses your new branding does so accurately and consistently. Check out HubSpot’s brand guidelines for reference.

Note: Design can be just as intimidating as it is exciting. Consider hiring a professional with logo and identity design experience or starting with a few helpful design templates.

Take your brand to the next level with this free e-book on creating a brand style guide. Download templates, too!

5. Find your brand voice

Next, consider the auditory component of your brand. What would your brand sound like if you had a conversation with it, or if it texted you?

How you communicate with your target market is also considered part of your branding. You want to define a brand voice that connects and resonates with your audience — otherwise, they probably won’t pay attention. Because of that, don’t hesitate to return to step one to get familiar with to whom you’re speaking.

From your advertising campaigns and social media captions to your blog posts and brand story, ensure your tone is consistent throughout all of your written content. Give your audience a chance to get familiar with your brand and learn to recognize the sound of your voice. Better yet, master a fun, entertaining voice, and your customers will look forward to your social media and email updates.

Real-life brand example: MailChimp

MailChimp is a great example of a brand that speaks with a clear, consistent tone. When I used their free plan for my small business, I always chuckled when receiving their emails and working in their interface. From its web copy to its email blasts and social media captions, MailChimp has established a brand voice and personality that is personable, fun, and accessible — it can be hard to explain the technical parts of a software product (like A/B testing), but MailChimp has mastered that, too.

Source

6. Put your branding to work

Your brand only works if you do. Once you finish designing and creating your new brand (or rebrand) integrate it throughout every inch of your business. Pay extra attention to ensure it’s displayed anywhere your business touches customers. Here are a handful of tips for applying your brand across your organization.

Website

Splash your logo, color palette, and typography across your website. Don’t use anything but your predefined assets in your brand guidelines. Your website is a major part of your company identity — if it doesn’t reflect your brand, it will only provide a jarring customer experience. Also, be sure that all web copy, calls-to-action, and product descriptions reflect your brand voice.

Social media

All profile photos, cover art, and branded imagery should reflect your brand. Consider putting your logo as your profile photo — this will make it easier for customers to recognize your business. As with your website, be sure all profile information, posts, and captions reflect your brand voice.

Packaging

If you have a physical products business, your product is probably the most tangible way that customers interact with your brand. For that reason, your packaging should reflect your new branding — in its design, colors, size, and feel.

Real-life brand example: Chobani

I love Chobani yogurt (confession: I’m eating it right now). Their new branding immediately tells me that they produce authentic, healthy Greek yogurt. That’s one of the main reasons I buy Chobani. Recently, I realized that their yogurt packages are made with a very earthy, textured material — an intentional decision that supports the overall experience they’ve paired with purchasing and eating the Chobani brand.

Advertising

Because advertisements (digital and print) are often used to establish brand awareness and introduce consumers to your brand, it’s critical that they reflect your branding. In fact, your branding should make the ad creation process easier — with your brand style guide, you already know how your ads should appear and what type of copy to write.

Sales and customer service

A brand is only as powerful as the people behind it, and if your people aren’t putting your brand to work, it won’t work for you. Moreover, your brand applies to more than your marketing. Inform your sales and customer service folks of your brand guidelines and tell them to use it, especially when they engage directly with customers. Whether they are sharing a branded product demo or answering customer support inquiries, encourage them to use your logo, tagline, imagery, and brand voice.

Download our Essential Guide to Branding Your Company to learn everything you need to go from same-old business to must-have brand.

Branding Tips for Small Business

• Treat your brand as a person
• Prioritize consistency
• Follow a brand strategy
• Don’t let inspiration turn into imitation
• Use branding to hire

Treat your brand as a person

To best wrap your head around the branding process, think of your brand as a person. Your brand should have an identity (who it is), personality (how it behaves), and experience (how it’s remembered).

Ask yourself these questions about your brand:

• How would your brand introduce itself? If it had to describe its appearance, how would it do so?
• How would your brand talk about your products or services? Would it be serious and professional, or would it be humorous and edgy?
• What would someone say about your brand after “meeting” it for the first time? What are a few sentences they’d use to describe it?

The purpose of branding is to create relationships with your customers. The easiest way to do this is to treat your brand as a person and understand that you want your customers to do the same.

Real-life brand example: Whiskey Riff

Whiskey Riff is another brand you’re probably not familiar with. It’s a two-man media company based here in Chicago that’s dubbed themselves “the most entertaining country music site ever”. I’m a fan because I love country music, enjoy their written and podcast content, and proudly wear some of their awesome apparel.

If Whiskey Riff was a person, here’s how I’d think it would answer the questions above:

• “Hey, I’m Whiskey Riff. I love country music and, you guessed it, Whiskey. My logo was inspired by the Y in the circle on the Chicago Theater marquee, and I’m adorned with horizontal red stripes and stars — which represent the American and Chicago flags.”
• “I publish in-your-face content about what’s going on in country music today. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. My podcast featured my founders interviewing country music artists and telling hilarious stories. Check out my apparel line; my t-shirts, tanks, hats, and accessories can be seen at country music festivals (and on stages) nationwide.”
• “Whiskey Riff is like that first shot of Jack Daniels — that much-needed, refreshing drink after a long day. Its a break from that cookie-cutter way of life, and you immediately appreciate — and trust — its candidness. There’s absolutely nothing like it in the industry.”

Prioritize consistency

Inconsistency is the number one branding mistake that companies make. Inconsistency undermines your brand and confuses your customers. Recognizable, valuable brands prioritize consistency — and they reap the benefits. When your brand is a unified presence across mediums and platforms, customers can easily get familiar with, recognize, and come to prefer your brand over time. Brand guidelines can help with this initiative.

Build and follow a brand strategy

A brand strategy is more than your brand guidelines; it’s a plan with specific, long-term goals that can be achieved as your brand evolves. These goals typically revolve around your brand’s purpose, emotion, flexibility, competitive awareness, and employee involvement.

Remember how I said that branding is a continuous process? There’s a lot that goes into it. A brand strategy can help you turn that process into a well-oiled practice that keeps your brand moving toward success and recognition.

Don’t let inspiration turn into imitation

Competitive analysis is important. Not only does it educate you on where your competition stands and how they are excelling, but it can also give you ideas on how you can improve or further set apart your brand.

However, be conscious to not fall into an imitation trap. Keep your competitive research limited and focus on what your organization brings to the table. Just because a competitor (or two) has branded their company in a certain way doesn’t mean that you have to follow suit. New, unique, provocative brands are memorable brands.

Use branding to hire

Strong branding makes your employees proud. I know I’m proud to be associated with HubSpot, much less work there. Leverage your branding to attract talented people. If hiring is a strong initiative for your organization, dedicate some of your resources to employer branding. Employer branding is how you market your company to job seekers and current employees. If you’re publically proud of your organization, others will be, too.

Ready, Set, Brand

Branding is your organization’s name, logo, color palette, voice, and imagery. It’s also more. It’s that intangible feeling your customers have when they interact with your brand. You know … that experience we talked about in the beginning.

That’s how powerhouse brands deviate from all the others. The tangible components contribute to this — a gorgeous logo, a clever tagline, an authentic manifesto, and a clear brand voice — but truly strong brands thrive when they focus on the big picture of their brand. Get to the heart and soul of your target audience and your organization, and a successful brand will follow. 

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The Ultimate Guide to Branding in 2021 was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

Ducks’ penalty-killing units fail them as they lose another to Blues

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  The Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, center, attempts to get past the defense of the Blues’ Mackenzie MacEachern, left, and Niko Mikkola during Wednesday’s game at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Sonny Milano (12) of the Anaheim Ducks takes a dive with Mike Hoffman (68) of the St. Louis Blues right behind him in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Goalie John Gibson (36) of the Anaheim Ducks pushes out the puck to teammate Kevin Shattenkirk (22) after blocking a shot from Ryan O’Reilly (90) of the St. Louis Blues in the third period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  The Ducks’ Max Comtois, left, can’t get the puck past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington during a pileup in Wednesday’s game at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Max Comtois (53), right, of the Anaheim Ducks gets a shot past goalie Jordan Binnington (50) and Ryan O’Reilly (90) of the St. Louis Blues to score a goal in the second period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Max Comtois (53) of the Anaheim Ducks reacts after scoring a goal in the second period against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Troy Terry (61), John Gibson (36) and Ryan Getzlaf (15) of the Anaheim Ducks work to get control of the puck in the first period in a game against St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Kevin Shattenkirk (22) of the Anaheim Ducks and Kyle Clifford (13) of the St. Louis Blues battle for the puck during a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Goalie John Gibson (36) of the Anaheim Ducks reaches out to get control of the puck during a game against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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ANAHEIM — The Ducks sure didn’t play like a team that hadn’t won a game since Feb. 11. They didn’t seem fragile or timid or unsure of themselves when they faced the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday at Honda Center, seeking their first victory in eight games.

In fact, the Ducks skated confidently, purposefully, and they did it for almost 60 minutes.

But since it’s always something with these guys, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Blues because their penalty-killing units, the strength of their play so far during this lost season, failed them. St. Louis scored three times on the power play, once in each period.

“It seems like a moving target right now,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said after the skid was extended to 0-6-2. “You plug one hole and something else starts leaking. I can’t question our team’s effort. The effort was there. Guys played extremely hard for 60 minutes.

“Our penalty-kill going into the game was top (seven) in the league and we weren’t able to get it done, and that’s what ended up hurting us. Five-on-five we were very, very good. Our power play still needs to be better, but we at least had a couple of looks there.”

Zach Sanford gave the Blues a 3-1 lead at 13:08 of the third period with their third man-advantage goal, after the Ducks’ Jani Hakanpaa was penalized for tripping at 11:29. The Ducks were the better team at even strength, but that did them little good by game’s end.

St. Louis built a 2-0 lead with power play goals by Oskar Sundqvist in the first period and by Brayden Schenn in the second. The Ducks went into the game with the NHL’s seventh-best penalty kill (85 percent), but they were 0 for 3 while shorthanded Wednesday.

“Of course it’s frustrating,” Hakanpaa said. “You lose a lot of games in a row, you feel like you’re in the games, you’re having a lot of good stretches out there and somehow you can’t come out on the winning side of things. It is tough, I’m not gong to lie. We’ve got to stick with what works and stick together. We’ve got to just trust the process and keep grinding.”

Trevor Zegras recorded his first NHL point in his fifth game since being recalled from the AHL, assisting on Rickard Rakell’s goal that cut it to 3-2 at 19:52 of the final period. Max Comtois scored his team-leading ninth goal at 14:13 of the second period, assisted by Troy Terry and Ryan Getzlaf.

For Getzlaf, he’s two assists shy of 700 for his career.

St. Louis swept all four games this season at Honda Center by a combined score of 18-8.

The Ducks probably deserved a better fate in this one, however. They carried the play for extended stretches and had several chances to erase the Blues’ two-goal lead, none better than Jakob Silfverberg’s shot that clanged off the crossbar in the closing moments of the second period.

The Ducks outshot the Blues by 29-21, a sign they were doing many things right.

Any deviation from the game plan now would be counterproductive, according to Eakins.

“The chances we’re seeing, the posts and the crossbars, if there were no chances, I would think it would be a much harder thing to stomach,” he said. “But when you’re getting those looks in a game, like we had tonight, to go try to do something differently is usually a very, very bad plan.”

Eakins shuffled his lineup after a 5-4 loss Monday to St. Louis, giving it a younger and more skillful look for Wednesday’s rematch with the Blues. Nicolas Deslauriers and Derek Grant, two veteran grinders, were scratched, replaced by the more creative Terry and Danton Heinen.

Terry started the game on right wing, forming a line with left wing Comtois and center Getzlaf. Heinen, the subject of trade rumors last week, skated on left wing in Deslauriers’ spot, joining center Sam Steel and right wing David Backes, who also returned to the lineup.

Eakins kept his defense pairs intact again, mainly because he hasn’t had a choice lately because of injuries to Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson, his top tandem last season. Lindholm has been sidelined for five of the past six games. Manson has played only three games so far.

The changes to the lines paid dividends in the second period, when Getzlaf fed a pass through the slot for Terry, who was left uncovered near the right goal post. Terry’s close-range shot was saved, but Blues goalie Jordan Binnington failed to secure the rebound.

Comtois skated into the crease and smacked the puck behind the goalie to cut the Ducks’ deficit to 2-1 at 14:13 of the second period. Silfverberg nearly tied it before the end of the period, but Sanford’s power play goal proved to be the back-breaker in the third.

“I think the biggest frustrating thing for everybody is the one-goal games and finding a way to get on the other side of it,” Eakins said. “You’re right there. You’re knocking on the door. We’ve got to find a way to keep one or two out of our net or score one or two (more).”

 

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Ducks’ penalty-killing units fail them as they lose another to Blues was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

The Ultimate Guide to Branding in 2021

Products are never just products, right?

Coca-Cola is more than a soda. Starbucks is more than a coffee. Ray-Ban is more than a pair of sunglasses. Glossier is more than a tube of concealer.

Interacting with these products provide experiences, and we buy them with that experience in mind. Better yet, the companies that create and market them know exactly the experience they want you to have when you make (or consider) a purchase. That’s why they create a brand.

From the language in their Instagram caption to the color palette on their latest billboard to the material used in their packaging, companies who create strong brands know that their brand needs to live everywhere. They know their names extend far beyond the label.

The result? These brands are known, loved, and chosen out of a long lineup of options.

Who doesn’t want that? I know I do. That’s why we built this guide — to equip you to create and manage a strong brand that’ll help your business be admired, remembered, and preferred.

Use the links below to jump ahead to sections of interest, and don’t forget to bookmark this guide for later.

What’s a brand?

Before I dive into the importance of branding and how to build a brand, let’s go back to basics: What is a brand?

A brand is a feature or set of features that distinguish one organization from another. A brand is typically comprised of a name, tagline, logo or symbol, design, brand voice, and more. It also refers to the overall experience a customer undergoes when interacting with a business — as a shopper, customer, social media follower, or mere passerby.

What is branding?

Branding is the process of researching, developing, and applying a distinctive feature or set of features to your organization so that consumers can begin to associate your brand with your products or services.

Branding is an iterative process and requires getting in touch with the heart of your customers and your business. It’s important for a variety of reasons — I dive into these next.

Branding can be the deciding factor for consumers when they make a purchase decision. In a 2015 global Nielsen survey, almost 60% of shoppers said they actively buy from brands they know, and 21% said they bought a product because they liked the brand.

Branding gives your business an identity beyond its product or service. It gives consumers something to relate to and connect with.

Branding makes your business memorable. It’s the face of your company and helps consumers distinguish your business across every medium (which I discuss later).

Branding supports your marketing and advertising efforts. It helps your promotion pack that extra punch with added recognition and impact.

Branding brings your employees pride. When you brand your company, you’re not only giving your business identity, you’re also creating a reputable, highly-regarded workplace. Strong branding brings in strong employees.

Branding Terms to Know

Here are some other brand-related buzzwords you should know. They further demonstrate the importance and value of branding your business.

Brand awareness

Brand awareness refers to how familiar the general public and your target audience is with your brand. High brand awareness leads to brands being referred to as “trending,” “buzzworthy, or “popular.” Brand awareness is important because consumers can’t consider purchasing from your brand if they’re not aware of it.

👉🏼 Strong branding makes your business known.

Brand extension

Brand extensions are when companies “extend” their brand to develop new products in new industries and markets. Consider Honda lawn mowers or Martha Stewart bedding. Brand extensions allow companies (or individuals) to leverage brand awareness and equity to create more revenue streams and diversify product lines.

👉🏼 Strong branding brings in more money.

Brand identity

Brand identity is the personality of your business and the promise you make to your customers. It’s what you want your customers to walk away with after they interact with your brand. Your brand identity is typically comprised of your values, how you communicate your product or service, and what you want people to feel when they interact with it.

👉🏼 Strong branding gives your business more than a name.

Brand management

Brand management refers to the process of creating and maintaining your brand. It includes managing the tangible elements of your brand (style guide, packaging, color palette) and the intangible elements (how it’s perceived by your target audience and customer base). Your brand is a living, breathing asset, and it should be managed as such.

👉🏼 Strong branding requires consistent upkeep.

Brand recognition

Brand recognition is how well a consumer (ideally in your target audience) can recognize and identify your brand without seeing your business name — through your logo, tagline, jingle, packaging, or advertising. This concept goes hand-in-hand with brand recall, which is the ability to think of a brand without any visual or auditory identifiers.

👉🏼 Strong branding keeps your business top-of-mind.

Real-life brand example: Want to test your brand knowledge? Take this Logo Quiz by Business Insider to see how well you know your corporate brands. This is brand recognition at work.

Brand trust

Brand trust refers to how strongly customers and consumers believe in your brand. Do you deliver on your marketing promises? Do your salespeople and customer service go above and beyond? These things can create trust among your customers, which is important in a world where a mere 25% of people feel confident in large businesses.

👉🏼 Strong branding builds trust with your customers.

Brand valuation

Brand valuation is the commercial valuation of your brand derived from consumer perception, recognition, and trust. This concept goes hand-in-hand with brand equity. A powerful brand can make your business invaluable to investors, shareholders, and potential buyers.

👉🏼 Strong branding increases your business’s value.

Want to build an effective, measurable brand? Download our free guide on How to Build a Brand in 2019.

How to Create a Brand

1. Determine your target audience
2. Establish your mission statement
3. Define your values, features, and benefits
4. Create your visual assets
5. Find your brand voice
6. Put your branding to work

Here’s how you can create a brand — or begin the process of rebranding your current one.

There’s a lot that goes into a brand, and there’s a lot to consider when building a strong one. So, grab a notebook and jot down ideas as you move through this section. Recognize that branding is an iterative process, so you might be repeating some of these steps as you brainstorm and build your brand.

1. Determine your target audience

Branding leads to awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue. We’ve talked about that. But let’s take a step back and understand where those stem from: consumers. And not just any consumers — your target audience and customers.

If your brand doesn’t resonate with your audience, it won’t lead to that awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue. That’s where target market research comes in.

Before pressing pen to paper (or cursor to digital document), you must understand to whom your branding will be speaking. Who does your product serve? Who is your ideal customer? Why did you create your business in the first place?

What you learn about your target market and buyer personas will influence your branding decisions down the line, so make this step your first priority.

Download our free Persona Templates to easily organize your target audience research and strengthen your marketing.

2. Establish your mission statement

Let’s return to a question I asked in the previous step: Why did you create your business? Answering this will help you build your mission statement, which defines your purpose and passion as an organization.

Before you can craft a brand that your audience recognizes, values, and trusts, you must be able to communicate the purpose that your business provides. Then, every part of your brand (logo, tagline, imagery, voice, and personality) can reflect that mission and vision.

Your mission statement is a building block of your brand manifesto, which encompasses why your organization exists and why people should care about your brand.

Download our free guide to Defining Inspiring Mission and Vision Statements and learn the ins-and-outs of two of the most valuable strategic planning elements for businesses.

3. Define your unique values, qualities, and benefits

There are probably lots of businesses in your industry and niche. It’s easy to focus on your competition (and there’s a time and place for competitive analysis), but, for now, let’s focus on you.

What’s one thing that your business has that no one else can mimic (er, legally)? Your brand.

Because of that, you must ensure that your brand is comprised of and inspired by elements that are solely yours: the values, benefits, and qualities that make your company unique.

Take a moment to jot down a list of what sets your business apart from others. I’m not talking about product features (like appearance, components, or capabilities); I’m referring to how your products or services improve lives and contribute to success.

Real-life brand example: Alani Nutrition

You’ve probably never heard of Alani Nu; they’re a nutrition company based in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. I order their vitamins because 1) they’re proven to work, and 2) I trust and respect the brand (and it’s gorgeous!). On their website, they’ve clearly and simply outlined their unique values and benefits as part of their overall brand. Highlighting these makes it easy for customers like me to trust their products and choose them over competitors.

4. Create your visual assets

At this point, you should understand your target audience, your mission statement, and the unique qualities that make up your business.

If you can say with confidence that you’ve mastered these steps, it’s time to move onto one of the more exciting parts of branding — the visual design. We’re talking about your logo, color palette, typography (fonts), iconography, and other visual components.

As you create these elements, build a set of brand guidelines (or a brand style guide) to govern the composition and use of your visual assets. This will ensure that whoever uses your new branding does so accurately and consistently. Check out HubSpot’s brand guidelines for reference.

Note: Design can be just as intimidating as it is exciting. Consider hiring a professional with logo and identity design experience or starting with a few helpful design templates.

Take your brand to the next level with this free e-book on creating a brand style guide. Download templates, too!

5. Find your brand voice

Next, consider the auditory component of your brand. What would your brand sound like if you had a conversation with it, or if it texted you?

How you communicate with your target market is also considered part of your branding. You want to define a brand voice that connects and resonates with your audience — otherwise, they probably won’t pay attention. Because of that, don’t hesitate to return to step one to get familiar with to whom you’re speaking.

From your advertising campaigns and social media captions to your blog posts and brand story, ensure your tone is consistent throughout all of your written content. Give your audience a chance to get familiar with your brand and learn to recognize the sound of your voice. Better yet, master a fun, entertaining voice, and your customers will look forward to your social media and email updates.

Real-life brand example: MailChimp

MailChimp is a great example of a brand that speaks with a clear, consistent tone. When I used their free plan for my small business, I always chuckled when receiving their emails and working in their interface. From its web copy to its email blasts and social media captions, MailChimp has established a brand voice and personality that is personable, fun, and accessible — it can be hard to explain the technical parts of a software product (like A/B testing), but MailChimp has mastered that, too.

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6. Put your branding to work

Your brand only works if you do. Once you finish designing and creating your new brand (or rebrand) integrate it throughout every inch of your business. Pay extra attention to ensure it’s displayed anywhere your business touches customers. Here are a handful of tips for applying your brand across your organization.

Website

Splash your logo, color palette, and typography across your website. Don’t use anything but your predefined assets in your brand guidelines. Your website is a major part of your company identity — if it doesn’t reflect your brand, it will only provide a jarring customer experience. Also, be sure that all web copy, calls-to-action, and product descriptions reflect your brand voice.

Social media

All profile photos, cover art, and branded imagery should reflect your brand. Consider putting your logo as your profile photo — this will make it easier for customers to recognize your business. As with your website, be sure all profile information, posts, and captions reflect your brand voice.

Packaging

If you have a physical products business, your product is probably the most tangible way that customers interact with your brand. For that reason, your packaging should reflect your new branding — in its design, colors, size, and feel.

Real-life brand example: Chobani

I love Chobani yogurt (confession: I’m eating it right now). Their new branding immediately tells me that they produce authentic, healthy Greek yogurt. That’s one of the main reasons I buy Chobani. Recently, I realized that their yogurt packages are made with a very earthy, textured material — an intentional decision that supports the overall experience they’ve paired with purchasing and eating the Chobani brand.

Advertising

Because advertisements (digital and print) are often used to establish brand awareness and introduce consumers to your brand, it’s critical that they reflect your branding. In fact, your branding should make the ad creation process easier — with your brand style guide, you already know how your ads should appear and what type of copy to write.

Sales and customer service

A brand is only as powerful as the people behind it, and if your people aren’t putting your brand to work, it won’t work for you. Moreover, your brand applies to more than your marketing. Inform your sales and customer service folks of your brand guidelines and tell them to use it, especially when they engage directly with customers. Whether they are sharing a branded product demo or answering customer support inquiries, encourage them to use your logo, tagline, imagery, and brand voice.

Download our Essential Guide to Branding Your Company to learn everything you need to go from same-old business to must-have brand.

Branding Tips for Small Business

• Treat your brand as a person
• Prioritize consistency
• Follow a brand strategy
• Don’t let inspiration turn into imitation
• Use branding to hire

Treat your brand as a person

To best wrap your head around the branding process, think of your brand as a person. Your brand should have an identity (who it is), personality (how it behaves), and experience (how it’s remembered).

Ask yourself these questions about your brand:

• How would your brand introduce itself? If it had to describe its appearance, how would it do so?
• How would your brand talk about your products or services? Would it be serious and professional, or would it be humorous and edgy?
• What would someone say about your brand after “meeting” it for the first time? What are a few sentences they’d use to describe it?

The purpose of branding is to create relationships with your customers. The easiest way to do this is to treat your brand as a person and understand that you want your customers to do the same.

Real-life brand example: Whiskey Riff

Whiskey Riff is another brand you’re probably not familiar with. It’s a two-man media company based here in Chicago that’s dubbed themselves “the most entertaining country music site ever”. I’m a fan because I love country music, enjoy their written and podcast content, and proudly wear some of their awesome apparel.

If Whiskey Riff was a person, here’s how I’d think it would answer the questions above:

• “Hey, I’m Whiskey Riff. I love country music and, you guessed it, Whiskey. My logo was inspired by the Y in the circle on the Chicago Theater marquee, and I’m adorned with horizontal red stripes and stars — which represent the American and Chicago flags.”
• “I publish in-your-face content about what’s going on in country music today. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. My podcast featured my founders interviewing country music artists and telling hilarious stories. Check out my apparel line; my t-shirts, tanks, hats, and accessories can be seen at country music festivals (and on stages) nationwide.”
• “Whiskey Riff is like that first shot of Jack Daniels — that much-needed, refreshing drink after a long day. Its a break from that cookie-cutter way of life, and you immediately appreciate — and trust — its candidness. There’s absolutely nothing like it in the industry.”

Prioritize consistency

Inconsistency is the number one branding mistake that companies make. Inconsistency undermines your brand and confuses your customers. Recognizable, valuable brands prioritize consistency — and they reap the benefits. When your brand is a unified presence across mediums and platforms, customers can easily get familiar with, recognize, and come to prefer your brand over time. Brand guidelines can help with this initiative.

Build and follow a brand strategy

A brand strategy is more than your brand guidelines; it’s a plan with specific, long-term goals that can be achieved as your brand evolves. These goals typically revolve around your brand’s purpose, emotion, flexibility, competitive awareness, and employee involvement.

Remember how I said that branding is a continuous process? There’s a lot that goes into it. A brand strategy can help you turn that process into a well-oiled practice that keeps your brand moving toward success and recognition.

Don’t let inspiration turn into imitation

Competitive analysis is important. Not only does it educate you on where your competition stands and how they are excelling, but it can also give you ideas on how you can improve or further set apart your brand.

However, be conscious to not fall into an imitation trap. Keep your competitive research limited and focus on what your organization brings to the table. Just because a competitor (or two) has branded their company in a certain way doesn’t mean that you have to follow suit. New, unique, provocative brands are memorable brands.

Use branding to hire

Strong branding makes your employees proud. I know I’m proud to be associated with HubSpot, much less work there. Leverage your branding to attract talented people. If hiring is a strong initiative for your organization, dedicate some of your resources to employer branding. Employer branding is how you market your company to job seekers and current employees. If you’re publically proud of your organization, others will be, too.

Ready, Set, Brand

Branding is your organization’s name, logo, color palette, voice, and imagery. It’s also more. It’s that intangible feeling your customers have when they interact with your brand. You know … that experience we talked about in the beginning.

That’s how powerhouse brands deviate from all the others. The tangible components contribute to this — a gorgeous logo, a clever tagline, an authentic manifesto, and a clear brand voice — but truly strong brands thrive when they focus on the big picture of their brand. Get to the heart and soul of your target audience and your organization, and a successful brand will follow. 

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Ducks’ penalty-killing units fail them as they lose another to Blues

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  The Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, center, attempts to get past the defense of the Blues’ Mackenzie MacEachern, left, and Niko Mikkola during Wednesday’s game at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Sonny Milano (12) of the Anaheim Ducks takes a dive with Mike Hoffman (68) of the St. Louis Blues right behind him in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Goalie John Gibson (36) of the Anaheim Ducks pushes out the puck to teammate Kevin Shattenkirk (22) after blocking a shot from Ryan O’Reilly (90) of the St. Louis Blues in the third period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  The Ducks’ Max Comtois, left, can’t get the puck past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington during a pileup in Wednesday’s game at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Max Comtois (53), right, of the Anaheim Ducks gets a shot past goalie Jordan Binnington (50) and Ryan O’Reilly (90) of the St. Louis Blues to score a goal in the second period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Max Comtois (53) of the Anaheim Ducks reacts after scoring a goal in the second period against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Troy Terry (61), John Gibson (36) and Ryan Getzlaf (15) of the Anaheim Ducks work to get control of the puck in the first period in a game against St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Kevin Shattenkirk (22) of the Anaheim Ducks and Kyle Clifford (13) of the St. Louis Blues battle for the puck during a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Goalie John Gibson (36) of the Anaheim Ducks reaches out to get control of the puck during a game against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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ANAHEIM — The Ducks sure didn’t play like a team that hadn’t won a game since Feb. 11. They didn’t seem fragile or timid or unsure of themselves when they faced the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday at Honda Center, seeking their first victory in eight games.

In fact, the Ducks skated confidently, purposefully, and they did it for almost 60 minutes.

But since it’s always something with these guys, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Blues because their penalty-killing units, the strength of their play so far during this lost season, failed them. St. Louis scored three times on the power play, once in each period.

“It seems like a moving target right now,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said after the skid was extended to 0-6-2. “You plug one hole and something else starts leaking. I can’t question our team’s effort. The effort was there. Guys played extremely hard for 60 minutes.

“Our penalty-kill going into the game was top (seven) in the league and we weren’t able to get it done, and that’s what ended up hurting us. Five-on-five we were very, very good. Our power play still needs to be better, but we at least had a couple of looks there.”

Zach Sanford gave the Blues a 3-1 lead at 13:08 of the third period with their third man-advantage goal, after the Ducks’ Jani Hakanpaa was penalized for tripping at 11:29. The Ducks were the better team at even strength, but that did them little good by game’s end.

St. Louis built a 2-0 lead with power play goals by Oskar Sundqvist in the first period and by Brayden Schenn in the second. The Ducks went into the game with the NHL’s seventh-best penalty kill (85 percent), but they were 0 for 3 while shorthanded Wednesday.

“Of course it’s frustrating,” Hakanpaa said. “You lose a lot of games in a row, you feel like you’re in the games, you’re having a lot of good stretches out there and somehow you can’t come out on the winning side of things. It is tough, I’m not gong to lie. We’ve got to stick with what works and stick together. We’ve got to just trust the process and keep grinding.”

Trevor Zegras recorded his first NHL point in his fifth game since being recalled from the AHL, assisting on Rickard Rakell’s goal that cut it to 3-2 at 19:52 of the final period. Max Comtois scored his team-leading ninth goal at 14:13 of the second period, assisted by Troy Terry and Ryan Getzlaf.

For Getzlaf, he’s two assists shy of 700 for his career.

St. Louis swept all four games this season at Honda Center by a combined score of 18-8.

The Ducks probably deserved a better fate in this one, however. They carried the play for extended stretches and had several chances to erase the Blues’ two-goal lead, none better than Jakob Silfverberg’s shot that clanged off the crossbar in the closing moments of the second period.

The Ducks outshot the Blues by 29-21, a sign they were doing many things right.

Any deviation from the game plan now would be counterproductive, according to Eakins.

“The chances we’re seeing, the posts and the crossbars, if there were no chances, I would think it would be a much harder thing to stomach,” he said. “But when you’re getting those looks in a game, like we had tonight, to go try to do something differently is usually a very, very bad plan.”

Eakins shuffled his lineup after a 5-4 loss Monday to St. Louis, giving it a younger and more skillful look for Wednesday’s rematch with the Blues. Nicolas Deslauriers and Derek Grant, two veteran grinders, were scratched, replaced by the more creative Terry and Danton Heinen.

Terry started the game on right wing, forming a line with left wing Comtois and center Getzlaf. Heinen, the subject of trade rumors last week, skated on left wing in Deslauriers’ spot, joining center Sam Steel and right wing David Backes, who also returned to the lineup.

Eakins kept his defense pairs intact again, mainly because he hasn’t had a choice lately because of injuries to Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson, his top tandem last season. Lindholm has been sidelined for five of the past six games. Manson has played only three games so far.

The changes to the lines paid dividends in the second period, when Getzlaf fed a pass through the slot for Terry, who was left uncovered near the right goal post. Terry’s close-range shot was saved, but Blues goalie Jordan Binnington failed to secure the rebound.

Comtois skated into the crease and smacked the puck behind the goalie to cut the Ducks’ deficit to 2-1 at 14:13 of the second period. Silfverberg nearly tied it before the end of the period, but Sanford’s power play goal proved to be the back-breaker in the third.

“I think the biggest frustrating thing for everybody is the one-goal games and finding a way to get on the other side of it,” Eakins said. “You’re right there. You’re knocking on the door. We’ve got to find a way to keep one or two out of our net or score one or two (more).”

 

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7 Best Gaming Advertising Campaigns of All Time

The popularity of gaming – and with it the importance of gaming advertising campaigns – is soaring.

As a result of the global pandemic, an increasing number of people are turning to virtual worlds for entertainment, education and simple escapism. With popularity surging, gaming advertising and gaming display advertising will play an even bigger role in getting the right message in front of the right people – at speed and scale.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the best gaming advertising campaigns, what makes them stand out, and what we can learn from them. Plus, what the future of gaming holds and why creativity, scalability, control and speed will be key.

It will include:

• The current state of gaming advertising in 2021

1. “Sega does what Nintendon’t”
2. Double Life
3. Life is Short Play More
4. “It’s a very, very mad world.”
5. Believe
6. Kevin Butler
7. “To Michael”

• Stepping into the future of gaming advertising
• Essential strategy: production automation for gaming

The current state of gaming advertising in 2021

Before 2020, the gaming industry was already seeing, on average, a 9% year on year growth. COVID-19 accelerated this growth. So much so that the industry’s revenue is expected to grow by a third before 2023 and will be worth in excess of $200 billion.

From blockbuster ads and $million integrated campaigns through to in-game advertising and gaming display advertising, gaming advertising is big business. For every power-up and boss fight win there’s a slew of game overs that leave the audience reaching for the reset button.

Gamers are everywhere – even if they don’t realise it. Forget the days of gaming being the sole domain of people hiding away in a dark room for days frantically trying to level-up on World of Warcraft. Gaming is now part of the mainstream thanks to mobile tech and the popularity of games like Animal Crossing, Wordscapes and FarmVille.

Gamers are an engaged, diverse and growing audience. But what’s the best way to reach them through advertising? Let’s look through the stand-out gaming campaigns ever produced and what we can learn from them.

Here’s our take on the best gaming advertising campaigns of all time:

1. “Sega does what Nintendon’t”

Gaming’s first big acceleration into popular, mainstream culture happened in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. It was defined by the rivalry by the two titans of the industry; Sega and Nintendo. The original NES – complete with everyone’s favourite Italian plumber, Super Mario – wiped the floor, in terms of sales, with Sega’s Master System.

Sega knew they needed a character to compete with Mario and they knew they had to push boundaries. Enter Sonic the Hedgehog.

The whirling, jumping, running, blue blur and the 16-bit graphics of Sega’s Mega Drive (Genesis in the US) left the 8-bit NES and Mario for dust, leading to Sega’s classic line: “Sega does what Nintendon’t” and an ad campaign with cameos from cultural icons like Michael Jackson and Joe Montana.

2. Double Life

While the early ‘90s were dominated by the battle between Sega and Nintendo, the middle of the decade saw a new player enter the scene, one that would revolutionise the industry.

Sony were best known for their Walkmens and camcorders. They weren’t even considered rivals to the dominance of Sega and Nintendo. But the Playstation changed everything. And its launch came with one of the best ads ever produced – Double Life.

Even now the line: “I have commanded armies…and conquered worlds” still sends shivers down the spine of seasoned gamers. When it comes to building anticipation, crafting a diverse story and encapsulating a moment in time so perfectly, very few ads do it better.

3. Life is Short Play More

Despite the N64 from Nintendo, it was Sony who would dominate the latter part of the decade, cementing their status as the market leader in 2000 with the launch of the PS2.

It would take budget, innovation and a point of difference for anyone to compete with them. It was Microsoft that had all of these. Not only did the Xbox arrive with Halo and the Masterchief, it came complete with controversy (there’s no such thing as bad publicity remember?).

The ad, Life is Short Play More shows a baby being born, flying through the air, rapidly aging before crashing into a grave. It was one of the earliest iterations of a viral video. Before it was released, it was shared internally at Microsoft via email. The file size having to be less than 2mb for it to send!

The email was shared over a million times – small numbers by today’s figures but huge at the time. This response inspired the team behind it to put it on TV. The ad immediately attracted a host of complaints and was subsequently banned – cementing its legacy and infamy.

4. “It’s a very, very mad world.”

The trailer for Gears of War on the Xbox was one of the very first ad campaigns to tap into the inherent power of human emotion. Set to Gary Jules’ cover of the Tears For Fears song Mad World from Donnie Darko, the trailer is a beautiful juxtaposition of melancholy and action, brought to life by sublime lighting and jaw-dropping (at the time) graphics. It changed everything for video game trailers and advertising.

5. Believe

Sticking with Xbox, the ad campaign for Halo 3 in 2007 was a defining moment for gaming advertising. Not only did the ad feed the hype machine already buzzing around the release of the title, it built a whole world extending beyond the game.

The buzz it generated was so big that every media outlet wanted to cover it. As storytelling in an ad campaign goes, it’s one of the finest examples. The ‘shorts’ to accompany the official trailers were directed by Neill Blomkamp and were the first to depict the Halo universe in a live setting.

They were followed up by the Believe campaign. This campaign had live action elderly ‘war’ veterans and a huge diorama depicting the final battle that stretched over 1,200 feet. It set a new benchmark for game advertising.

6. Kevin Butler

Instead of trying to compete with Microsoft’s big budget productions and lavish thrills, Sony took a new tack in 2009. Kevin Butler became the face of their (downright hilarious) It Does Everything campaign. It worked a charm.

The ads were self-aware and self-deferential with huge crossover appeal. Not only were they well received by fans, they succeeded in boosting Sony’s sales of their new PS3 model. The campaign extended even further when Kevin Butler appeared in person at E3, one of the world’s biggest gaming events.

7. “To Michael!”

In 2011, Sony continued to push the boundaries with its Long Live Play campaign. The jewel in the crown was the character commercial that featured live action versions of iconic video game characters.

From Nathan Drake and Kratos through to the soldiers from Omaha Beach, together they raise a toast to Michael. And who is Micheal? The gamer who got them through their toughest times. The ad works so well because the hero isn’t the characters from the game, it’s the gamer and their story is the one that matters.

Stepping into the future of gaming advertising

Fast forward to the end of 2020 and the future of gaming is laid bare in The Edge, one of Sony’s ads for the Play Had No Limits campaign launching the PS5. With themes of exploration, innovation and (literally) stepping into the unknown, it paints a vivid picture of the future of gaming – one born from creativity and connection.

And this is where the success of gaming advertising lies.

All of the campaigns featured above have creativity at heart. They push boundaries. They do things differently. Yet – ultimately – they create a connection and elicit an emotional response in the viewer.

This response is born out of storytelling. As we enter a new age of gaming, where it’s increasingly integrated with our day to day lives and more connected than ever before, the best campaigns will need to use AI and automation to unleash creativity – and to make sure they are seen on the right channels, at the right time, by the right people.

Essential strategy: production automation for gaming

One of the biggest challenges in the gaming industry is cutting through the noise and being heard. It’s a huge space (especially with the explosion of mobile gaming) with fierce competition.

Very few businesses have the budgets of Sony and Microsoft so speed and scalability are of the essence. And when they are combined with creativity and control, well, then the magic can really happen.

This is where a Creative Management Platform (CMP) comes into its own. Creative production can now be automated and scaled! Go from a single master creative to an entire campaign across all formats and channels (including video and social) in minutes. Not only is it a game-changer for creativity, it saves both time and money.

Ads can be optimised, tailored and tested without the need for coding and the messaging can be personalised, at scale, to your audience. This gives you the power and control to replace generic ads with user specific ads – whether that’s copy, images or video.

According to Evergage, 88% of marketers say customers now expect an experience that’s personalised to them. When you have the right data you can pair it with the right creative and put your personalised ads in front of the right gamers. Personalised ads for gaming have the potential to be both console and game specific. This means you can make one-to-one personalisation, at scale, a reality.

Conclusion

As we saw in the examples above, it’s the ability to capture the hearts and minds of your viewers which makes you stay in their memories. The more tailored your ads are to each viewer, the better chance you have of doing this and, ultimately converting them.

For advertising to be successful, it has to have creativity at its heart. That’s why using tech – and a solution like a CMP – in the right way is essential. They can enhance the creative process while at the same time removing unnecessary distractions. And when you have full creative control over your gaming advertising, you can create brilliant campaigns that resonate with your audience and deliver you results.

If you want to find out more about how a CMP like Bannerflow can help power your digital advertising in 2020 and beyond, then get in touch for a demo and see the future unfold before your eyes.

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2 new measures aim to take diesel trucks off Southern California roads

Two sweeping air pollution regulations aimed at removing smog-causing diesel trucks from Southern California roadways and warehouses are being released for public review within the next 30 days.

The measures are part of an executive order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom to have only zero-emission trucks and buses — most would be electric — on the roads by 2045. The changeover would impact 2 million medium- and heavy-duty trucks operating in California, including about 500,000 in Southern California.

A local Southern California measure would require trucks serving 3,000 warehouses to be electrified.

Trucks moving packages and all kinds of goods account for 47% of all the NOx, shorthand for oxides of nitrogen, in the South Coast Air Basin which encompasses Orange County and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. NOx is a component of ground-level ozone, a gas that damages the lungs. The basin has the highest levels of ozone as part of smog in the nation.

Air pollution studies show ozone, produced when pollutants “cook” in sunlight, and fine particulates, a direct component of diesel soot, can trigger asthma attacks, emergency room visits, heart attacks and cause lung damage. Fine particulates, or PM 2.5, pass more easily into the lungs and even the brain.

Transportation sources account for 40% of the greenhouse gases in California, according to state environmental agencies. These gases, such as carbon dioxide, contribute to global climate change, which is melting polar ice caps and causing extreme weather events, according to climate scientists.

The Inland Empire has seen numerous large-scale warehouses, logistics and fulfillment centers pop up in the past 10 years, which are served by diesel semitrucks and delivery vans for companies such as Wal-Mart and Amazon. The two proposed regulations would reduce local air pollution around warehouses often located in low-income communities, as well as in and out of the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to Andrea Vidaurre, senior policy analyst for the People’s Collective For Environmental Justice (PCFEJ) in the Inland Empire.

“What used to be freeways, railways and ports are now pollution sources formed into an inland port,” Vidaurre said. “Forty percent of the nation’s stuff goes through those ports and come to warehouses in the communities of Bloomington, Muscoy, Highland, Moreno Valley, Perris and other areas in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.”

The two regulations are different in scope and approach but both target diesel trucks:

• An informational webinar will be presented at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 4, by the California Air Resources Board on its proposed Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) program. The program sets targets for buying electric vehicles for public fleet owners such as cities and counties; private fleet companies such as those running airport shuttles, as well as owners of drayage trucks, defined as on-road, diesel-fueled, heavy-duty trucks that transport containers to and from ports and railyards.

The CARB program calls for phasing in zero-emission trucks as follows: For public fleets: 50% by the 2024-2026 model years; 100% starting with 2027 model year trucks. All drayage trucks must be zero-emission by 2035, while diesel trucks on the road can operate until reaching 800,000 miles or 18 years of age. Private fleet owners are to phase in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) truck models starting at 10% in 2025 and up to 100% by 2035 for most truck varieties. Sleeper-cab trucks, the largest, have until 2042 to reach 100%.

• The South Coast Air Quality Management District is scheduled to hold a hearing April 2 on its Warehouse Indirect Source Rule (ISR). About 3,000 existing warehouses over 100,000 square feet in size located within the air district would be required to reduce truck tailpipe emissions that serve their facilities by replacing them with electric or fuel-cell trucks and installing electric charging infrastructure. Otherwise, each warehouse owner must pay a “mitigation fee,” estimated at $0.90 per square foot to the AQMD, to be used by others to buy clean-fuel trucks and equipment.

Related links

• AQMD to tackle pollution from warehouses, rail yards, ports and airports, not everyone is happy
• Anti-smog agencies offer $20 million for Inland warehouses to dump diesel trucks
• California sues over San Bernardino airport cargo project
• South Coast AQMD board votes to look into regulating diesel emissions from large trucks traveling inland
• Upland wants to put brakes on large warehouses and distribution centers

While environmental groups, from the PCFEJ to the Sierra Club and the American Lung Association support both rules, some industry groups have deep concerns.

The Southern California chapter of the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks opposes the AQMD warehouse measure, saying it will cost Southern California warehouses $1 billion a year and will result in higher consumer prices on everything from medicine to groceries to electronics.

“We share the goal to reduce air emissions but it needs to be done in a way that makes sense,” said Timothy Jemal, CEO of NAIOP SoCal. Jemal said the association’s 1,300 members will continue to oppose the measure.

There are too few electric trucks are on the market to meet the demand, according to Jemal, so most warehouse owners will pay the fee, which he said is illegal.

“We believe this is a tax that requires two-thirds voter approval in order to be adopted,” he added.

FILE -The Los Angeles based Chanje company CEO Bryan Hansel unveils a line of electric trucks at warehouse/hangar at Fullerton Municipal Airport October 18, 2017. The delivery vehicles were designed with permanent magnet motors from scratch, not based on any other truck. (File photo by Leo Jarzomb, SGV Tribune/ SCNG)

In an earlier webinar on the CARB’s clean truck fleets measure, Brandon Rose, a representative of the board, said there are 93 ZEV truck models on the market today and that will increase to 109 by 2023.

“There really is a wide variety of zero-emission trucks and buses available,” Rose said Tuesday, March 2. “You are starting to see this become more mainstream.”

Costs are going down, he added.

Investor-owned utilities have received approvals by the California Public Utilities Commission for $700 million to install electric-charging infrastructure through 2023, enough to support 18,000 trucks, buses and off-road vehicles, he said.

In the Tuesday meeting, some operators of public fleets asked if exemptions were allowed if the costs were too high. Though the rule is still in the early stage and could be changed, Tony Brasil of CARB answered: “We wouldn’t use cost as a direct criteria.”

However, CARB said it would work with cities and counties to avoid having to buy two electric trucks to replace one.

As far as large trucks that take containers from the ports to warehouses and rail yards, the proposed fleet rule from CARB is an extension of a similar truck regulation that sunsets in 2022. These trucks would be required to be 100% emission-free by 2035 in order to operate at a rail yard or sea port, according to the proposal.

“The concept will focus on minimizing negative health impacts these drayage trucks have on nearby communities,” such as those near a rail yard or the ports of LA and Long Beach, said Jessica Johnston of CARB.

“What we need is the shift from delay and confusion (regarding state and local clean-truck mandates) to investing in the infrastructure we need to fuel these zero-emission vehicles,” said William Barrett, American Lung Association’s California Clean Air Advocacy Director.

“We want to see CARB follow through with the governor’s vision — that all trucks operating in California must be zero emission. That would require a strong fleet rule,” Barrett said.

CARB plans additional online workshops for its clean fleet rule in April and June. No date has been set for adoption.

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