Why it’s important to get everybody on the same page, paper, slide, etc.
Speaking the same language.
Some may see this as a blog, while others consider it a newsletter. We call it an article. Same thing, right? Sure. Maybe, sorta, not exactly if you know what we mean. One person’s definition or understanding of something can differ wildly from someone else’s. And when it comes to referring to your branding elements, the same is also true. Without an agreed upon structure put in practice, obscure naming conventions and personal interpretations can easily create confusion internally.
When you stop and think about your brand, you start to realize the number of items that go into making it what it is. There are fonts, logos, colors and photography styles. Then there’s the operational side of things when implementing it all – things like process, tasks and even providing creative input on how to use those elements. Add any number of people working on or with your brand all calling these elements and processes something different and it can become a linguistic nightmare.
That’s why we put so much time, thought and effort into coming up with clear and easy-to-remember naming devices for your entire brand that you and your team can stick to. Doing this at the onset of creating them (or equally as important, when updating your brand style guide) not only will help reinforce your brand from the inside out, it gets everybody communicating clearly to avoid any confusion or mistakes being made.
First, we start with the basics.
Colors
Colors are an import part of any brand’s visual arsenal and are used in a combination of primary and secondary hues. We recommend avoiding names that are nondescript or fun for fun’s sake, and to stay away from words that could inadvertently trigger negative associations – things like decay, rust or envy, for example. Once someone mentions that something sounds “gross” or “dirty”, it’s impossible not to see it in a negative light, and at that point, it’s as good as dead.
Instead, we concept names that relate to their specific use or a characteristic, so they’ll be unmistakable when referred to.
YES “Sand” | “Green 1”
NO “Refracted Silica” | “Slime”
Patterns and textures
When we create brand patterns or textures used as background visual elements, we give them a clear, descriptive name too. Similar to colors, we avoid fluffy, confusing names or anything that feels off-putting.
YES “Circle Grid” | “Scalloped Texture”
NO “45º Orbital Gradient” | “Blood Splatter”
Photography Style
Having a distinct POV on photography style not only sets clear, explicit direction for content search, using clearly defined words to describe the look your brand is going for will ensure everyone knows what to expect.
YES “Posed” | “Editorial”
NO “Unapologetic” | “Fierce”
Operations
Maintaining a clear and consistent way of referencing the day-to-day operations within your organization can also be beneficial to your team and partners. With everyone using the same naming structure for things like processes and meetings, there’s less confusion as to what a KO (Kickoff) is versus an IR (Internal Review). Even using familiar language to provide feedback ensures everyone understands marching orders. Avoid things like “we need a cute photo here” and instead use familiar brand cues – “we need a photo that depicts our attention to detail” – to pinpoint the desired direction and avoid misinterpretation.
Next, we help you make it stick.
Like anything, getting everyone on board can take a while. But by helping you go in with a well-defined gameplan (nameplan?) the larger team can immediately begin operating from the same playbook, giving it a better chance at being reinforced, sinking in and being used consistently and correctly across the company. The way we see it, how you talk about your company’s processes and the names you give to its elements are as much a part of your brand as its logo, tagline and colors. It’s why we spend the time getting it right and thinking it all out. Which is just smart, no matter how you say it.
Which leads us to the big, important questions:
Off the top of your head, can you name a few of your brand colors? If not, there’s a good chance others in your company can’t either. Things like the “blue one” or “greenish” are a start, but being more definitive will get everyone calling it the same thing, which is exactly what you want.
Conversely, do your colors, logos, patterns or textures have any negative names attached to them? If so, it’s time to come up with something positive and constructive so they don’t become a thing that everybody hates.
What about organization or company-wide items? Are your team and partners all on the same page when it comes to how process is referred to? If someone schedules a CR meeting, they could mean Creative Review or Client Review. Though very similar in labeling structure, they’re vastly different with different outcomes and expectations.
And finally, as you think about your brand elements, if any of it is feeling unclear, it’s a good time to take a step back, re-evaluate your brand guide and consider an update. Not only is it an opportunity to make necessary changes to things like asset names, you can use it to finally get everyone to speak your brand’s language.