KPS3 has extensive experience guiding clients through the branding process and understands the complexities involved with defining a brand. Our experience, mixed with a unique branding process, produces brand traits that ring true to potential brand advocates and helps pinpoint when, where and how they should be conveyed.
Think
Branding should never be done in a vacuum where personal biases and interpretations can skew the overall direction. KPS3 begins all branding projects with internal and external research. Stakeholder interviews, quantitative surveys of customers, employee surveys, focus groups, web studies and one-on-one interviews are just a few of the tactics used to ensure that we have a true understanding of how the brand is currently perceived. Understanding the current perception of the brand helps us determine the brand position and brand development pathway. We also focus on the competition and other external factors that will help hone in on the correct position in the market.
Act
This is the point where the rubber meets the road, and if not handled appropriately… can begin to run OFF the road. This is where clients begin to understand how the research findings actually play out in defining a brand promise more narrowly, and are asked to embrace that promise. KPS3, at this stage, uses all of the input from the brand assessment (Think) stage to define the unique brand positioning statement and promise. From the promise spawns proof statements, key brand messages, consumer benefits and ultimately the brand story and brand pillars to drive the brand down into the client organization. The brand culturalization process, where KPS3 assists the organization in understanding, intregrating and embracing the “new” brand, is critical to success. Once the strategy and written statements are agreed upon, we then move into the visual elements of the brand. We implement a look and feel to the brand through the brand mark, photography, colors, textures and words that represent the brand and embrace the promise--the true representation of what the company stands for.
Evolve
Once the new or updated brand is in the wild and the brand culturalization process has been completed, KPS3 conducts additional surveys to ensure that the new direction is recognized, accepted and embraced on both an internal and external basis.
Branding services offered:
- Brand process management
- Brand strategy in mergers and acquisitions
- Brand research analysis and recommendations (brand awareness, perceptions, attitudes, equity, etc.)
- Competitive research
- Positioning statement development
- Brand messaging and brand pillar development
- Identity/logo development
- Graphic standards
- Brand standardization
- Online brand development
- Brand culturalization
