Thursday, October 6, 2011

Branding for Businesses

I understand that there is a gravitas to business and that people at work are busy beyond words. But why does that often translate into very rational marketing to them? Form letters. Powerpoint. Bullet lists. Stock photos.

I love that good design can be even simpler and more direct. Emotion can convey respect, trust and confidence as well as or better than a business letter. And capturing the inspiration of why people are in business can make us feel part of something bigger. Business customers are people with business needs. GE ran their iconic and successful "We Bring Good Things to Life" campaign for nearly 25 years inspiring people, even while they largely transitioned to corporate customers. Now, IBM is trying to make a "Smarter Planet".

Corporatized marketing becomes even starker when serving entrepreneurs. In trying to respect them as businesses, I often see marketing that draws from corporate tool kits. Yes, they have business needs. But they are also people who are passionate, driven, and proud to serve their own customers. Here are some examples of small business branding as food for thought.
Google Chrome Frank Restaurant


Square Card Case Devil's Teeth Baking Company


One of the most concise, straightforward books on business branding I have found is The Case for B2B Branding: Pulling Away from the Business-to-Business Pack by Bob Lamons. It's a good, basic read. I've bought many copies and they always go missing...

No comments:

Post a Comment