Branding Basics

http://www.buddbranding.com

Branding Basics

Wendy Lea Rall

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wendy Rall is a professional Graphic Designer, with over 30 years experience. After graduating from The Art Institute of Philadelphia, with a degree in Commercial Art, she embarked on a successful career in Philadelphia, which expanded to New York, Atlantic City and later to Los Cabos, Mexico.

Specializing in brand identity, Wendy designs compelling logos for branding new products and rebranding existing ones; marketing materials (brochures, print and digital announcements, invitations, packaging design); and corporate identity packages.

In 2002 Wendy co-founded Planeta Surf Magazine, a bilingual Mexican surfing magazine, where she worked as the Creative Director for 10 years.

Currently she lives in Southern California and is the inspiration behind Budd Branding, a boutique creative design studio, which helps new and existing companies succeed on the market by building magnetic brand images, advertising and packaging designs.

Wendy’s portfolio can be viewed at BuddBranding.com, http://www.buddbranding.com BlingAdvertisingDesign.com and coverage of her 30+ year career can be found on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b

Branding Basics

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INTRODUCTION This book was created to help business owners and entrepreneurs to be assured they have the right brand image. Also for newbies to be advised of how to develop a professional image. Building a strong brand image is important, and by following a few guidelines you can ensure your brand image will work for you. The goal is results and success.

The content herein, is a compilation of articles that I have written entitled “Branding Tips”. I have selected articles that will give you good basic branding information, and I also have written about experiences that I have had working with clients. I site these examples to explain how some things work “behind the scenes” in marketing and advertising.

I hope you enjoy the book. I continue to write and add new articles to http://www.buddbranding.com

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Branding Basics ©2017 by Wendy Lea Rall 1717 E. Vista Chino A7-463, Palm Springs, CA 92262 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b 951.704.3374

CONTENTS

20 13. Rebranding...Is It Time To Rebrand?

7

1. Keep It Clean

8

2. Color Plays A Part

9

3. How To Better Use Icons In Your Company Logo 24 15. Packaging Trends

22 14. Making An Impact

26 16. Are You Consistent Online And Offline?

10 4. Hitting The Mark 11 5. Choosing Fonts

27 17. Logo Usage Big And Small

12 6. Consistency In Branding

28 18. Be In Control Of Your Branding

13 7. Branding Within Your Brand: Product Line Extension 14 8. Raster Vs Vector: Creating Quality Images

30 19. Updating Your Brand Package Design

31 20. Marketing With Complete Information

15 9. The Human Element 16 10. Do You Look Sharp? File Formats Explained

32 21. Creating Effective Advertising

34 22. Re-Sizing Your Ads When Advertising Your Brand

18 11. Be Original 19 12. Why Using Clip Art Can Discredit Your Brand

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1. KEEP IT CLEAN

A logo is a symbol or signature that identifies a company or product. When it comes to your logo, less is more. Make your logo easy to read, and easy to remember, by using simple graphics and only a few colors.

Often business owners don’t consider all the ways in which their logo will appear.

For example, a logo will appear small on a business card, and even smaller on promotional materials such as a pen or lighter. On the other hand, imagine the same logo on a booth at a trade show. Would attendees be able to identify the logo clearly from a distance and in a room full of other exhibitors? Simple images, with minimal text, are more easily recognized.

Decorative Logo

Does not work at small size or one color

A logo must also be identifiable when reproduced mono-chromatically (in one color only). There are times when your logo will appear in black and white, such as on forms or promotional items. If you sponsor an event, your logo will be featured alongside a sea of other logos, which are often small and in one color. If you love your logo when you see it in one color only, you’re on the right track.

A more complicated image may work well as a tee shirt design but not as a corporate logo. For example, the owner of Peach Tree Landscaping wanted an image, with a waterfall in the background, for his staff tee shirts. Although the scenic design was great for use on a tee shirt, it was not ideal for a company logo. In order for a logo to be effective, it needs to be identifiable—especially when reduced in size or reproduced mono-chromatically. A corporate logo was created and you can see the difference in readability between the tee shirt logo and the corporate logo.

Corporate Logo

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2. COLOR PLAYS A PART Colors evoke emotions. They make us feel something, but each color elicits a different reaction. Let’s take GREEN for example.

Green generally represents the environment, growth and freshness, and makes us feel serene.

The color wheel inspires a range of emotions, and certain colors invoke certain sentiments. It is important to know which emotion is triggered by which color.

Your colors are used in more than just your logo. The color of your fonts, graphics, photos and illustrations are all part of your brand image.

Take a look at the logo for Tart and Soul.

The basic colors for the brand are pink and brown, and are used to inspire the feeling of a bakeshop. Brown reminds us of chocolate and pink reminds of us of strawberries and sweetness.

Blue represents trust, strength and security.

Purple represents royalty, luxury and wisdom.

Now, let’s see what the logo would look like if we substituted the browns and pinks with tans and greens. The new color scheme gives the brand a very different feeling.

Red represents ambition, power, danger and excitement.

Green represents growth, harmony, freshness, fertility, and safety.

Orange represents friendliness, sociability and confidence.

And what if we used another color scheme with red, white and blue? The new feeling is quite a stretch from the original bakeshop image.

Colors are an important element of your

Yellow represents warmth, clarity and optimism.

Black represents elegance, finality and formality.

White represents purity, brand image and send a message to potential cleanliness and innocence. customers. What do your colors say? http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 8 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

3. HOW TO BETTER USE ICONS IN YOUR COMPANY LOGO How can you make your brand more memorable and easier to recognize?

Include an icon in your logo.

The human mind recognizes images more readily than words. Studies have shown the human brain deciphers image elements almost instantaneously, while language is decoded in a linear, sequential manner, which takes a longer time to process.

Standing the test of time Including an icon in your logo will make it easier to recognize and remember.

This image can work well for advertising purposes, such as on vehicle decals, tee shirts or stickers. With social media, your icon can be used as your profile picture to make a bold statement.

Alongside other logos, for example, at corporate events, when all the logos are reproduced down to the size of half an inch, which ones will stand out the most? Logos with clear, large icons will be always be the most memorable.

Some of the largest companies in the world, for example — Apple, Pepsi and Nike— can be recognized by their icons alone, For the first few years, even decades, these images were often accompanied by the logotype (text written beside it). As time passed and these brands became more widely recognized, the logotype was no longer needed to remind An icon should be an image that will consumers of the company’s name and what stand the test of time. The AT&T logo was redesigned in 1984 from a bell to a globe they represent. (along with a name change), in order to represent the company’s new international vision and global network. It was updated in 2007 for a more modern look. The logo is easily recognizable today, some 30 years later, even without the text.

This is the power of a good icon.

Full company logo does not include an icon.

The icon embodies the original message the company wanted to convey to consumers.

Icon created for social media use, among other promo materials.

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4. HITTING THE MARK

grandmother enjoying her golden years, would you be drawn to the same advertising and packaging as the young adults When it comes to creating your brand image, mentioned above? Probably not. A mature you want to think not only about your product audience often prefers nostalgic images and or service, but also about your target market. classic looks. Warm, friendly and easy to read Who will benefit most from your business?

These are your future customers.

The legal cannabis industry covers a wide range of demographics—from hippies to hipsters—with sub-targets inside of the target market. Products need to appeal to, and resonate with, a broad spectrum of customers in a variety of locations.

If you are looking to attract a younger audience, your brand image, as well as your overall marketing, could be bright and colorful, with casual fonts and contemporary images. On the other hand, if your goal is to attract a more mature clientele, then an upscale image would likely work best.

usually works best for the mature group.

Then we have the in-between groups. What about the professional businesswomen and men who may have a more serious outlook on life in general? This audience is often attracted to a more sophisticated look.

So let’s look at the examples of imagery.

The shoe brand Vans is targeted at the younger audience. Whitman’s Chocolates, with a classic look, may appeal to a more senior person. For the upscale business When designing for your target audience, people, Calvin Klein is probably more imagine yourself ‘in their shoes’. If you were attractive. a 21-year-old skateboarder, male or female, what kind of image would appeal to you?

When designing your brand image, marketing This sector generally favors radical images, materials and packaging, think about your funky color combinations, and bold graphics. potential customers. Consider their age and their possible interests, in order to develop a successful brand that hits the mark.

Now imagine yourself as an 80-yearold retired U.S. Veteran, or as a greathttp://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 10 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

5. CHOOSING FONTS When it comes to selecting a font for your logo, tagline and advertising materials, the most important thing to remember is: If it is easy to read, then it will be easy to remember.

The font for your logo and brand need to be legible at any size. Think about how your font will appear in large print, for example on a trade show booth, or in small print as on a business card.

Another factor to consider, when selecting a font, is the effect of upper and lower case letters. A sentence written in all uppercase letters is difficult to read, and may feel like someone is yelling at you. However when designing your logo, if your brand name is short, then all uppercase letters may be used for uniformity. For advertising, a combination of upper and lowercase generally works best.

When deciding on a font, keep in mind your target audience and how you would like to portray your product or service. If you have a high end product, you might select a font that is tall, thin and classic. On the other hand, round, swirling letters will convey a much different idea. Although you might be fond of a more complicated font, reserve it for design accents.

If you look at the font examples shown here, you will see that each style has a different feeling and delivers a distinct message.

Which font should your choose? The options are endless. Just remember your brand font should be clean and easy to read, regardless of size. The font should truly reflect the essence of your product or service.

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6. CONSISTENCY IN BRANDING

vehicle window decal, has the same feel to it. This does not mean that every piece needs to be exactly the same, rather it means that there should be a consistent theme running through your colors, fonts, images and One of the most important aspects when overall look, whether it be a stripe pattern or branding your business is consistency. This a soft style of photography. means that when creating your sales and marketing materials—your web presence The human mind can recall repeated images and your advertising and packaging designs— more easily, and research has shown that your visual image must be consistent. seeing an image at least 3 times will help the viewer remember the image. When A mistake I see repeatedly, and which developing your marketing campaign, create generates a substantial amount of a consistent brand image that will make inconsistency in advertising, is when a your brand easy to recognize and easy to business allows various media sources to remember. create free ad designs. Media sources will often offer you a free ad design in order to help close the sale. There is nothing inherently wrong with using these free services, and although the in-house designer may produce a nice design for you, that design is not likely going to look like the rest of your advertising materials.

Ask yourself: Does that free ad design match your other advertisements and marketing materials? Is it consistent with you social media cover pages? How about your web page? Does it have the same look and feel as your brochures and trade show images?

If you answered no to the above questions, you risk loosing recognition and ultimately loosing business.

Let’s look at an example. If you visit http:// www.buddbranding.com/services you will see an example of consistency in branding.

Every piece of advertising and marketing materials, from the business card to the

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7. BRANDING WITHIN YOUR BRAND PRODUCT LINE EXTENSION

According to AMA the American Marketing Association, a line extension refers to, “A new product marketed by an organization that already has at least one other product being sold in that product/market area. Line extensions are usually new flavors, sizes, models, applications, strengths, etc.�

As you expand your line of products, it is important to differentiate your new product or service from existing ones, while maintaining overall brand consistency. For example, if you currently make chocolate bars and you introduce a new flavor containing dried fruit, then you could show the new flavor not only by printing the words on your packaging but also by varying the color of the packaging.

Using an icon or illustration can also help customers distinguish the new flavor. The wording, the color and the icon will all help your customer to recognize your new flavor.

A good example of how to handle brand extensions is the ad campaign for Rockstone Tavern. When it came time to create an advertising campaign to promote food and drink specials, and concerts, we created a series of ads with easy to identify promotions. We chose one design style with three variations on color to help customers easily identify the type of promotion being advertised. A consistent metallic background was used in all three types of ads, with the background for the beverage specials in silver, gold for food specials, and musical guests with a blue background.

As you expand your line of products or services, keep in mind that your customers need to be able to recognize your overall brand first. From there, they can identify new lines of products or services by distinct visuals such as wording, color and imagery. http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 13 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

8. RASTER VS VECTOR: CREATING QUALITY IMAGES We’ve all seen it, a pixilated image. It looks bad, not just to you, but it makes the brand look bad. Understanding how images get pixilated, is the key to having the best quality possible for your brand’s photos and graphics, in both print and digital usages.

have your logo designed as a vector format.

If your logo is designed as a raster image at seven inches wide, for example, and you want to use it on a trade show display or large banner, the image will deteriorate to the point that it is unusable.

First I’d like toexplain that there are two digital files types: raster and vector. File types are not to be confused with file formats, which will be covered in a future article.

A RASTER image is a file made up of pixels.

These types of files are made of “picture elements,” the smallest point in the digital image, and is where the word “pixel” came from. Digital photographs are raster images.

The more pixels you have in each square inch of your file, will determine the quality of that image.

Vector Image When you are preparing an image for usage on the web, the requirement for a high quality image is 72 ppi, which is significantly lower than the requirement for offset printing.

Digital print machines, both ink jet and laser, will provide a good print quality with a 72 ppi image, however if you can provide an image of 300 ppi it will be a higher quality print.

An important thing to consider when creating new artwork is how it will be used in the future. If you plan to use your logo or A VECTOR file is made up of lines forming art in large formats, be sure that it is created shapes that represent the image. There are as a vector, or at the usage size at 300ppi. no pixels in a vector file, therefore they do not loose quality when they are enlarged.

If you have a photo that is “small” and you really need it “large” for usage on a The quality of a raster press ready image, for banner, it is also possible to have a raster offset printing is 300 pixels per inch (ppi). If image converted to a vector image, this is a you take an image with 300 pip and enlarge it, specialty type of artwork, and must be done the pixels spread out, so there are less pixels by a qualified designer/illustrator. per inch and the image quality decreases.

In closing, please know that this information If the image was created as vector, let’s is just the “tip of the iceberg”. Be sure you take a logo for example, you can enlarge are working with a designer who knows how it as much as you desire and will not have to properly build your designs as well as loss of quality. This is why it is important to format them correctly for various usage. http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 14 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall Raster Image

9. THE HUMAN ELEMENT

Great branding is one of the most important elements of your business. It seems that people are beginning to realize the importance of what I call “the human element”, in their branding, advertising and marketing efforts. Technology has changed the way we live and has such an impact on how we work, but moreover it has effected our relationships, connecting us as never before. With the prevalence of social media and online marketing, it is so easy to “reach out an touch someone”. Building strong relationships with your team and suppliers gives a sense of security to the work at hand, but what about the relationship you are working to build with your customers?

When building a brand, it’s important to realize that emotions play a large part in the decision making process of a product or service. What will your brand help your customer to achieve? If you are providing medicine or a medicated product, you’ll want your customer to know that purchasing your brand will help them and how. Your brand image should make a statement that shows that you product will help them to feel better overall, experience relief, sleep well, or heal emotional and physical conditions, etc. If you are providing an ancillary service, you want your customer to trust you, to know that the service you provide will be something that can they count on, that you will take their stress, fear or worries away.

your needs, and in the end they will connect with your brand and make the purchase.

We can show the “human element” by including expressive photos of people in your marketing efforts. If you are using a marketing tool that does not include visuals, you can convey trust by telling stories that include personal experiences evoking an emotional response. This will link the client to your brand. Images of a person with your clients same need, and personal stories, connect the mind and heart and can be the deciding factor in choosing the brand that your customer becomes loyal to purchasing.

So how can we use the “human element” to come in to play in your advertising and marketing? And more importantly why do we want to use a “human element”?

Let’s address why first. Looking at an advertisement that includes a face showing an emotional state, such as relief or despair, will touch the emotions of most people. It will help them to relate and see that they are not alone. This can give a sense of trust, as they will feel that you, as a brand, understand http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 15 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

10. Do You Look Sharp?

File Formats Explained.

CMYK is the color mode your file should be when printing professionally for both digital and offset printing. All “four color process” print colors are made out of combinations of When advertising your business both online cyan, magenta, yellow an black. RGB is the or in print, do your images look sharp? Your mode used for digital usage, such as your images are a representation of you, not just posts on social media. your business. In this competitive, rapidly growing cannabis industry, you better be When preparing an ad for usage on the web, social media ad posts for example, you would looking sharp! upload either a JPG or a PNG depending on When talking to your designer, do you feel the overall content of the image. If the image lost in a fog of file formats? It can be so is photographic and does not contain any confusing, there are so many acronyms text, you would use the JPG format, however to understand. It is important that you if the image contains a significant amount of understand. You need to send the correct file text, a logo or graphic images, you will get a format to the company posting or printing better result with a PNG file. your material. So let’s delve right into it!

JPG: best for photos, little text Your logo, ads, business cards, brochures, web content and more, will all at some time, (Joint Photographic Experts Group) need to be sent to a printer, social media rep., silk-screener, programmer, display PNG: best for images containing text, house, etc. Each of these companies require graphics and logos a different type of file format, one that works best with their specific space. And when (Portable Network Graphics) posting online, some images work well in one format, when another image having An EPS file will be required when you are different properties (more text for example) working with a company who will be cutting will be best read online when saved in a vinyl for lettering on your trucks or windows, different file format. Color modes also play a or silk screening your shirts or signage. An great part, so not only do you need the right eps is a vector file and provides the “track” for file format, you need it on the correct color the cutting blades in a vinyl cutting machine.

When silk screening, an eps contains a mode for you usage. hard edge (that a raster image could never Understanding color modes is simple. give you), to create a sharp edge on the Basically you need to know the difference image burnt into the screen, resulting in between RGB and CMYK. These are your the highest quality image, for these printing two most basic color modes, however processes. You also will provide an EPS file to the company printing your banners or trade others exist. show displays, anything large format. EPS vector files scale up without loosing quality.

RGB: Red, Green, Blue EPS: specialty printing: large formats, silk screening, vinyl lettering CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

(Encapsulated Post Script) And the format most well know to business owners is the PDF. The PDF is a file

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exported from another program such as Adobe InDesign or any professional design programas well as Microsoft products.

When creating a PDF document, there are several options in quality and specifications for a wide range of usages. You may export at “press quality” with “printers marks” when preparing for offset printing, this will be a very high quality image and a larger file weight than if you export on a setting called “smallest file size” which is good for proofing. A PDF can also be opened with vector design programs, and edited; in that way they are similar to an EPS file.

PDF: created to present and exchange documents reliably, independent of software, hardware, or operating system (Portable Document File) Lastly we have the TIFF. This format is a raster file similar to a JPG, however it saves with more detail resulting in a better image quality. Each TIFF must be saved specifically for either MAC or PC platform, and are not interchangeable as is a JPG. TIFFs are most widely used with professionals in the design and print industry working on Mac platform.

TIFF: High quality printing (Tagged Image File Format) There are numerous additional file formats in use, the above are the basics that I feel every new business owner shouldbe acquainted with as you begin your journey and begin to create your brand image. Go for it!

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11. BE ORIGINAL

You can see from the images here that this collective has what looks to be a ”really nice logo”, (using a lotus flower), but when I In the cannabis market, new brands are searched the image on the web, there were emerging by the hour, making it very 364 duplicate images being used for various important to have an original logo, and, a types of business. unique name.

There is a constant flow of new products and services to the industry. Whether you offer a vape product, edibles, topicals, or flowers, you have competitors out there who are looking for your market share. This holds true for all of the ancillary businesses moving into this industry as well.

It’s important to have an original logo. An original logo is one that has been custom created for you. This means that it will not feature “clip art.”

If your logo includes an icon, it should be something that is not only catchy and memorable, but also original. When using “clip art” or even quality stock images, you are paving the way for your company to be confused with other companies who are also using the same or similar stock image.

There are also many new companies that use the top free downloaded stock “pot leaf” clip art in their logo. It is advisable not to use these images as part of your brand identity.

You cannot trademark your logo if it is not original.

You also may appear to be unprofessional or someone who does not value your brand.

Why else would you grab overused cheap art to represent your business? Maybe you were in a hurry and just needed “something” quick? If so, now is the time to consult with a professional and make the change as early in the game as possible.

In the Cannabis Industry, there seems to be a trend with many brands using a lotus flower image in their logo. If you feel you must have a lotus flower image, be sure to hire a professional designer to create an original design for you. By doing so, you will have the unique identity needed to succeed, as well as 32 free “stock” art websites offer this leaf.

Using this is not original nor able to be being able to get your brand trademarked. registered.

Being original also is important when naming your brand. It’s advised to stay away from names with words such as Green (in any language), Mary Jane, Marijuana, and Canna. The reason is that it’s easy to confuse your company with other companies using similar names.

By naming your product well, and developing 364 Companies are using this clip art in an original logo with a professional designer, you will be off to the start of your success. their logos. http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 18 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

it does not give you ownership 12. WHY USING CLIP website, of that image. It also makes your product/ questionable. If your brand identity ART CAN DISCREDIT service does not reflect professionalism and quality, then why would your customer believe that YOUR BRAND you are using quality ingredients or hiring I received a newsletter from a media source knowledgeable staff members? that I had never seen before. The moment that I saw the logo, I suspected that it was Your image is so important. Truly, even the clip art. In order to satisfy my curiosity, I most gorgeous piece of clip art can directly went online to do some research. I found harm your brand image. The famous lotus that my hunch was correct. Seventy-five flower clip-art, currently in use by numerous (75) companies that were found online are cannabis companies is a perfect example of currently using that same icon in their logos! what not to do.

Professionals from doctors and landscapers to consultants and beverage companies are Ask your designer where the image came all using this popular piece of clip-art also from. I believe that many people have been innocent victims. They are unaware that their known as stock-art. brand identity contains art that they cannot So what is the problem with this? First of all, trademark and is in use by other brands. I it appears that you do not value your brand. have clients who have had this experience. In If you are not going to invest in yourself by these “digital days” of everyone trying to do it creating a professional brand image, then themselves, there are many realizing that it why should the consumer invest in your is not a wise choice. Many hire inexperienced brand with their purchase? Quality branding designers on bargain brand websites and is very important, especially in this highly find out the hard way that you get what you competitive age we are in. You are a pioneer pay for. Feel free to ask your designer where in this industry, this is still the beginning the image came from and if it is original art. and if you plan to be a leader and build and maintain a strong brand, it is best to have When preparing to create your valued brand identity, remember to consider what a huge that reflected in your brand identity. part of our business it is, and make a wise Secondly, when using clip-art, the image is choice to be original. not truly “your” logo. You cannot trademark art that you do not own. Even if you purchased a download from a stock image

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13. RE-BRANDING...

IS IT TIME TO REBRAND?

orange and red logo to an orange, yellow and blue color pallet. If you were driving down

“What is rebranding?”. It is taking an existing brand image, and creating a stronger, more powerful or original image.

In the cannabis industry, I have met many creative and intelligent new business owners. They know how to put a label design together or create a logo with basic design program skills. This can get you started if you are on a tight budget, but your logo and visual brand image are not the areas where you want to cut corners. Some of the clients I am working with now, have found that even if they have the “know how” to create some designs, they find that as the business grows that they either don’t have time to continue future design jobs, or they realize that it’s time to have a professional step in to help which can often relieve stress as your business grows.

When you realize that your brand identity is either outdated, weak, just not working for your target audience or if you have been using “clip art”, then it’s time to rebrand. If you have an established brand that has been on the market long enough to have become recognizable, you will want your new image to have a connection to the prior image. You may want to keep the same colors, maybe a similar font, etc. Rebranding is not often creating a totally new image, it is taking the image you have and making it updated or better.

the street and saw the sign containing the new logo, you would still know it was Burger King, because it is still recognizable. The overall shape stayed similar, as did the color direction.

If you are using a piece of clip art in your logo, it is wise to consider re-branding. This will help avoid confusion between brands, as well as help give your brand a more respectable reputation with an original identity. I repeat this point often, because I see it out there.

I was recently in a cannabis retail store in Denver, Colorado, and saw a line of skin care products using the same piece of clip art in their logo that is being used in the logo of a

One logo re-branding design that is a good example of an “update” is Burger King.

The original logo was very straight forward and perfectly balanced. The new Burger King logo added some flair. They put some “movement” into the logo. The text was italicized the graphic image of the roll was also skewed. They went from a two color, http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 20 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

retail store in Oregon. I share this because many people may not realize how the icon that they consider their brand mark is being used, and how frequently. Also there are times where the client is very innocent, and does not realize that the logo is clip art.

There are designers out there, usually they are the ones offering the lowest fees, that will use clip art without telling the client.

Beware also of using stolen images. I had a client provide me with a photo that was to be used in all of her marketing efforts as the main image. I was contracted to design all of her collateral using this image. Before doing so, I asked where the image came from, and if she had the legal right to use it. She did not know, she said her previous designer provided it. So I did some research and found out that it was a copyrighted photograph. It was licensed for “wall paper� downloads, it also was in use buy a couple of businesses that I found in a web search. This is when it is time to re-brand! When you discover that the logo you have is not original. Also if you logo does not read well, or is just not attracting your target audience or feels outdated.

Coca-cola is famous for never having changed their logo, when Pepsi has changed theirs more than a handful of times. Pepsi kept trying to keep up with the times, while Coca-cola had created a timeless image from the start. How do you feel about your logo? Do you have one, if so, is it a good representation of your brand. Are you proud to hand out your business card that carries the mark of your brand, the reflection of you as a business owner? If not, please consider speaking with a branding professional.

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14. MAKING AN IMPACT So often I see advertising and marketing materials that are so full of content that nothing is legible. An “impactful image” is seen, read and understood quickly and easily.

For example, lets take an advertisement whether digital or print; what makes for an impactful ad? Simply, it would contain one magnificent photo, graphic or illustration, along with minimal text and obvious logo.

This kind of image demands attention on a page where it fights for attention with other ads surrounding it.

A “busy” complicated image is one that uses several small images, and too much text. The object of most ads and marketing materials today are to drive consumers to your website where they can find detailed information.

For this reason, it’s not necessary to include so many images or too many details, you just need enough to entice the consumer.

Too many images make it hard for the eye to focus. The images loose impact due to a smaller size, and sometimes are never seen, or worse, they are misunderstood. This is frequently seen in the restaurant industry,

in promotion for large scale cannabis events and when the brand owner creates a ammeter “self made” version.

Professionally Branded Brochure Interior

“Home-made” Brochure Interior Now lets think about a brochure. Now, imagine that one of your brochures was left laying on a table at a trade show, in a hotel lobby or even in someone’s car. Ask yourself this: would someone who saw your brochure just laying around, pick it up? Would it make an impact enough for them to say “Hey, what’s this?”. If not, you may want to consider why not, by taking a good look at your content.

TIPS FOR IMPACT:

unbranded

• Keep images to a minimum (photos, graphics or illustrations).

• One large photo with a smaller “inset” photo or two will have more of an impact than several small photos will have.

• Keep the text to a minimum.

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Yes, you need to include text to clearly get your message across, however it is best to not include too many details. That is what your website is for. A nice headline, subhead, image, logo and contact is important. If you have the space you can addd some “glamour copy” to entice the consumer to call, write or visit your website. Just “keep it light”. Shorten your message while keeping the message.

Consult with a professional copywriter.

Another way toknow if you brand image has impact is to imagine your ad in a full size print newspaper or direct mail circular, where there are numerous other ads surrounding your ad. Does yours stand out in all of the noise? Or, picture your digital ad displayed scrolling on website sidebars, having other ads above and below yours, does yours make an impact ?

HOW TO MAKE AN IMPACT Color vs. Black and white. Color, or lack thereof, is a key factor in making an impact.

If you are running an ad in a newspaper or online magazine where most of the advertisements are in black and white then it’s worth an investment to run a full color ad. On the flip side, if you are advertising in a location where most of the ads are in full color, then you would be wise to run an ad that is predominantly one color or black, with some accent colors if desired. The lesson here is to consider your placement. This goes for trade show booths and package design as well. Have you noticed how the booths at trade shows that are predominately one or two colors grab your attention, and are easier to spot, over the full color booths. The full color booths may have extraordinary design but there are just so many of them, that your simple one or two color booth will grab the attention best, in the sea of competition.

IMPACTFUL

Select your photographs very carefully and choose your wording wisely. Keep things simple for more visual impact, and it’s always wise to consult with professionals. unbranded http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 23 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

15. PACKAGING TRENDS

there are much larger retail stores, that can afford to show off a larger package. I saw a huge peg board display wall with all of the oil cartridges and battery pens in larger Packaging in the cannabis industry is hanging boxes, proving that not all of the constantly changing. The word “trending” is packaging trends are constant throughout not a term that I use often, but it precisely the country at this point. expresses what’s going on in our industry.

New regulations in labeling requirements are constantly being introduced. What I am seeing most now is the significant change in the actual size and structure of cannabis products packaging. I believe that with the growth of the industry, and the new brands emerging, the medical dispensaries and the retail cannabis stores are changing the way the product is displayed. The objective of course is to fit more product.

Edibles packaging example, plastic tube with label.

What is trending nationally is the increased number of brands using higher quality packaging for cannabis products overall. The “cardboard tube” is popular and now being used for flowers, edibles and oil cartridges.

Left: Old packaging. Right: New smaller package.

Last year, in California, many cannabis products were hung off of a peg-board wall. The packages were large, and had a hole punched so they could be hung behind the counter. Although they could also Packaging Example: cardboard tube be displayed free standing, they took up valuable “real estate” in the display cases This package can be dressed up, and printed in dispensaries and stores. You don’t see with a full color wrap, or it can be a kraft color much of that any more in California. As with anything from a one color printing job you can see from the photos of the old and to a high end, embossed or foiled label. The new oil cartridge boxes from Bhang Stick®. plastic pop-top bottle that fresh flowers are There has been a big change in the way often sold in, are now becoming a popular many now package their oil cartridges. The package for edibles. The plastic bottle is small free standing flip-top box now sits on silver or gold in many cases, and when a full directly on shelves or in display boxes. On a color label is wrapped around the bottle it recent trip to Denver, Colorado, I found that gives the look of a tin. http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 24 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

Hang tags are another way to add a touch of class to your product. It also gives you an area to include additional information or images that will not fit onto your label. There are many ways we can get creative with custom package designs.

Packaging Example of a HANG TAG When thinking about your packaging for edibles, there are numerous options for single brownies, gummies, candy and cookies, etc. Being that regulations are not constant nationally at this time, your packaging options will vary from state to state. A self sealing cellophane bag with a nice label and/or a hang tag is a very nice and economical way to package your product, however would not be considered “child proof”. The less attractive child-proof “zippered bags” are required in some states, but with a custom label applied, and convey your brand image clearly.

There is a lot to take into consideration when choosing your physical package. Speaking with a knowledgeable professional or doing your homework beforehand will serve you best. Just as it’s best not to put the cart before the horse, It’s important to have your brand identity in place before moving onto your package design. Knowing your audience and working with professionals will help to secure your success.

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16. ARE YOU CONSISTENT ONLINE AND OFFLINE? When you make the decision… “Yes, I’m going to do it,… I’m going to become a licensed cultivator!”… the adrenaline and creativity kicks in: “I’m also going to create my own line of products! I need a logo, I need a website!

If you are at this point, congratulations! It’s great to get moving on this decision quickly as regulations and requirements are everchanging. You know you have to be “on your game” so you look to align yourself with professionals who can help you get to market and be successful.

If you are already past this point, and currently distributing your product, it is also good to step back and take a look at your marketing efforts online and offline and consider the following. It is very important to be sure that the brand identity and visual image are consistent across your online and offline material. Imagine that a first time visitor to your website was introduced to your brand at an industry trade show. They saw your booth and have your marketing materials in hand when they view your website. Now, imagine if they land on your home page and the overall look of the website does not match your brands visual identity, they may not be immediately certain that they are on the correct website.

before you develop your website. It is wise to put your creative designer in touch with your web developer so they may work as a team. Creating a visual brand identity is a very different type of “job” than creating a website. Creating a website is a very technical job. It is complex and requires extensive knowledge. Most web developers do not consider themselves to be creative designers, although they can complete designs jobs. In the same area, most creative designers are not web programmers. They understand how development of a website works, however very few creative designers also specialize in coding and everything that goes with maintaining a website. This is why we need each other!

There are two routes recommended to ensure branding consistency: 1. Have your creative designer create the homepage design along with one sample interior web page design. Then provide the working file to your developer to work from.

2. Your creative designer can provide your web developer with your logo, background images, “accent” fonts and color palette, as tools used to create a consistent brand identity.

Consistency in all areas, from your website and marketing materials, to your staff So how do you fix this or prevent this from shirts and promotional items, will help happening? The answer is to be sure that your potential clients to recognize you your logo and visual identity are created more easily.

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17. LOGO USAGE BIG AND SMALL Does your logo read well?

You are about to build your brand. You have a image in your mind. It is a visual image that is a reflection of you and of how you want your brand to be marked. Go ahead and dream keeping in mind that it’s best to keep your logo simple. This is because you logo will be used large and small. From a trade show display to a ball point pen, your logo must work big and it must work small for the best results.

Getting results.

As a logo designer I am frequently challenged by entrepreneurs that have a complex vision for their logo. In these cases I must keep complexity to a minimum. There will be times that a more “illustrative” logo will work well, such as on a tee shirt or a banner, but when it comes to smaller usages, the objects in a complex logo will run together making the image hard to read, and worse…easy to forget! I design logos to get results. If your logo is not easily read and well remembered then your results will be diminished.

When a complex logo design is complete I recommend designing an alternate version to be used in smaller applications.

Why an alternate version?

There will be times when your logo will be used on promotional items, such as a pen or a lighter for an example. Many logos do not read well on such a small item, however a more simple, alternate version of your logo can be read well due to it’s simplicity.

There are many other applications such as embroidery, for example, that do not lend themselves well to illustrative, complex logos.

Alternate version for small usage For my corporate logo, I have my company name inside of an oval. If I was to reduce this to put it on a pen, the lettering inside of the oval would surely be “closed in” and unreadable. Also when reduced for a profile photo in social media, an oval is not the best use of space, therefore I created an Alternate Version of the Budd Branding logo, that I can use in small spaces or specialty application such as on the sleeve of a tee shirt that would feature the full logo on the front or back.

A perfect example of an illustrative logo is the logo that we created for Rejuvenate Me Massage. The business owner was set on having doves fly out of Heaven’s gate in a beautiful soothing image. We developed Master logo and logo for small usage. her logo and when reduced to usage for a business card, it still reads well, however anything smaller than that would be a challenge to see clearly.

Logo in small usage.

Please take a look at your logo as it stands now. If it is “too busy” to read in all applications, it’s time to consider rebranding your logo or creating an alternate version.

Be bold!…Be remembered.

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18. BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR BRANDING

since a version of the logo for use on a dark background had not yet been created.

The vendor took the initiative to change the Do you want your brand to be recognized and colors on the logo for readability. Although it remembered? Even when you have a great was a kind thing for the vendor to attempt, logo in place, it’s important to be in control of the brand identity was lost in each design. your branding. Consistency helps your brand Our client called asking for help and we created a version of the logo to be used on to be recognized and remembered. dark backgrounds. In the end, a simple white My recent experience inspired this article table runner was designed to lay over the and brought to mind the importance of letting your brand guidelines be known to those involved in your marketing projects.

It reaffirms that providing brand guidelines are an important part of the brand identity creation. It is especially relevant to create a version of your logo on both a light and a dark background.

Mary Jane University was interested in acquiring a dark grey tablecloth to feature

gray cloth. It was beautiful and adhered to the overall brand image.

Designers can create and provide you with a “Logo Color and Usage Guide” to share with all vendors working with you. Shown here, the corporate logo. Artwork was provided to is the logo guide for the Keystone Canna a vendor and they created a few quick mock Remedies. When the brand logo was placed ups showing the color of cloths available on a black background, the blue and green did not stand out sufficiently and the gray lettering faded into the black. The best option in this case was to adjust the colors slightly so it would work on a black background.

It’s also important to have your designer create both vertical and horizontal versions of your logo. The Forbidden Leaf Co. came

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to us for help because their logo was not reading well on their website. Hence, the corporate logo had been designed primarily for usage on product labels. It is a very tall format. When reduced to the small banner area on the company website, it was not easy TO read or recognized. We suggested a simple adjustment to their logo that made a large difference in their readability

and recognition. As you can see from the images here the updated logo fits the space better They now have a horizontal version of their logo which improves readability and recognition.

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19. UPDATING YOUR PACKAGE DESIGN

sophisticated look to it, but overall the redesign has not lost the brand identity.

The colors and shapes have remained. By moving a photo of a horse to the front and center of the package, the image catches the consumers eye more quickly, with focus. The new photo shows action and is more captivating and colorful than the original photo.

With new brands emerging in the market constantly, it’s important now more than ever, to be sure that your package design is working for you. Wether the customer is looking at your package on a store shelf or a photo of you package online, you need to command attention. You need to have a The text on the new package is contained in a sophisticated, easy to read manner. The visual brand appeal. addition of grey tones which portray a rich I’d like to share the story that inspired this silver feel, add an elegance that makes this article, while I was in my hay barn last week. product look like a high end, quality product.

I site the DuMor Sand-Aid package redesign The older package used yellow as an accent, as an example. I used to use this product which gives the overall package a different over a year ago, and I stopped. The package “mass market” type of feel. on the right is the package that I bought over a year ago, and had stored away. Last week I returned to using the product and purchased a new bucket. When I shelved them side by side, I noticed the redesign immediately.

However, I did not notice the redesign when I was in the store, but I still recognized that DuMor was the brand I was looking for. This is an example of a good package redesign.

Lets look at this brand’s package redesign.

You will see that the new package on the left is visually more attractive. It has a more

I share this with you because the competition is out there and it may be time for you to take a fresh look at you current package design. Is it making an impact? Are you increasing sales and distribution? Have your sales declined since the market has been expanding? If business is not growing at the rate that it could, you may want to take a close look at your overall image and package design.

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20. MARKETING WITH COMPLETE INFORMATION WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY. Most of us know that these are the basics needed in your marketing materials. There is one mistake I see made repeatedly. Many companies are not providing their complete address on marketing and advertising efforts. There are several reasons that this information is important.

It is important to include your city and state on all invitations, announcements, and advertising. I find that many of the invitations that I receive via email have the event time and street address, but no city and state. I now have to visit a website to find out what city and state WHERE the event will be held. In addition, this makes things more time consuming, which may frustrate your customer. Consequently, if you are in a large city such as well known Hollywood you don’t have to include the words Los Angeles or California. Just as if you are in Denver. You can afford to omit Colorado, solely due to the fame of the location.

your city and state. I believe that some leaders think about the content and focus of the ad, but forget that the ad will be seen nationally. Imagine that I am a consumer, and I see your edible product advertised in a gorgeous full-page print ad. I will want to know immediately if it is available in my state. If your city and state are not included, I will need to visit your website to find out WHERE you are located. Although we always want to drive the consumer to our website, we still need to let them know in an instant where you are/distribute.

Now, think about your business card. Many companies no longer include a street address. Including your city and state will help people to connect with you. People just want to know where you are. Logistics are important. We work in different time zones.

Knowing where you are based is important.

When I review business cards collected at an event, and I see a card from a print company, for example, I want to know where they Examples: are located in relation to my clients. This Recently I came across a business card for a is important because shipping impacts the medical delivery service. I was wondering if project cost. it was the card given to me for a service in my area. It had no information except the name, Finally, please review your marketing and phone number and delivery hours. I could advertising. See if you need to complete your identify the general location from the area information in any areas. Having complete code. If it had the city and state included, it information not only shows that you are a would look more professional and be helpful professional business paying attention to and complete. Therefore if you are a delivery detail. It also connects your client with you service, and your card does not say where more effectively and securely. you deliver to, it’s not a completely effective marketing piece.

In addition, Magazine advertisements are another place that companies are failing to provide complete information. Trade show giveaways and online magazines distribute your ad nationally. It is important to include http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 31 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

21. CREATING EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING

of experience, tying a human element to the brand and making an important connection.

In a natural progression, the ads will be created once the package design is completed for the company. The 1/3 page ad should feature the brand’s visual imagery (with the logo and sub text on top), the featured packaging, and contact information that will be prominently placed. An image of the flower would be inset or included in a still life setting. This design will visually attract more readers than the design from the back of the brochure. The client will get more value from their ad space.

“Can’t we just use the back of the brochure as our advertising?” This question was posed to me and inspired me to share this experience with you. One of our awesome clients in cultivation is interested in running one-third (1/3) page magazine print ads. We completed the branding, printed cards, and brochures to date; and we are about to start on packaging designs. The client’s idea to use the back of the brochure and send it to Now there is another route that we could various magazines sounded like a sensible take if this particular company wanted to idea for the following reasons: place an advertisement immediately. Should the deadline not allow for packaging design • The proportions already designed are close and photography, a simple image ad may be to most 1/3 page magazine ads created. This ad would have an objective of • All of the contact information is included driving traffic to the website using the brand’s • The logo is included visual image and feature the following: • The owner’s headshots are included • The brand image is well represented • logo • contact information I was interested to know why the business • tag line or brief introduction owners would want to use the back of the • website and all social media addresses brochure as opposed to creating a custom advertising design. The response was solely On another important note: sizing and because the back of the brochure “looked production is critical. The size of the back nice” and they thought it would be good for of the brochure is not the exact size nor an ad. proportion of most 1/3 page magazine advertisements. If this panel of the brochure This is where working with professionals that is provided to the magazine, it would be have knowledge and experience in creating rendered unusable. A reputable magazine effective advertising comes in! You want your should inform their client that the ad needs ad space to WORK for you. Let’s review the to be recreated to the proper proportions. original concept for this ad and potential You take a risk, however, when you provide missteps. The client was ready to place an an improperly formatted advertisement to ad that would have missed the opportunity to the magazine production artist, who must do the following: “stretch” your ad to fit. You do not want this to happen. In a following article, I will further • Include a photo of packaging consumers discuss the need for advertisements to be can expect. Objective: Brand recognition custom sized for each magazine.

• Include a photo of the actual flower itself Objective: Representation of quality After hearing our recommendations, • Include national contact information

the owners of the cultivation center fully Objective: Representation of stability understood that they would get more out of their • Include a very brief story or bullet points advertising dollars by creating a custom design about the brand. Objective: Representation versus the design on the back of the brochure. http://www.buddbranding.com Branding Basics 32 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rall-2373402b Wendy Lea Rall

You can now see what the back of the brochure looks like. It was perfect for the back of a 6 panel brochure, but not effective for a print ad. The reasons are because the back of the brochure contained only contact information, owners names and a tagline. The logo was not the feature element, and no samples of packaging were included. Nothing on the back panel described that they were cultivators.

Simply it did not contain needed information.

When you view the design created for the 1/3 page magazine ad, you see that the logo is featured, and pertinent text and images are included. This is an effective advertisement.

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22. RE-SIZING YOUR ADS WHEN ADVERTISING YOUR BRAND Imagine you are advertising your brand and have a killer ad design running in one magazine. It was designed to the specifications of this magazine and all of your text and images are inside of the “safety zone.” Now imagine it’s time to run an ad in another magazine. Would you give that same ad to the additional magazines? The answer is no. Why? Because not all magazines are the same size.

They are “close” to being the same size, but “close” is not okay.

The lesson to learn is that when running an ad in various publications, provide the sizes for all of the places you plan to advertise to your designer at once. Request that the original ad be re-sized to fit all spaces, and be prepared to provide additional ad files.

Take a full-page ad design, for example. The ad will not fit if one magazine is half of an inch taller than the magazine you designed and you provide the original ad to this publication.

The publication receiving the wrong sized ad should contact you and ask for a corrected ad. In some cases, especially when submitting your ad close to the publication’s deadline, the magazine’s staff is forced to adjust your ad.

Since publication ready files are not created to be edited, they must be edited in a nonconventional method. Nonconventional methods may require “cutting and pasting” or “cloning” parts of your ad in Photoshop. In some cases, your ad may have to be stretched to fit and this is something that you do not want. You may wind up with text and images that look “squished” or stretched.

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For help creating your brand image and advertising, check us out at:

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