We are going to play a fun little game to test the strength of your brand. It involves looking into the three C’s of branding to see if you have a cohesive and compelling brand that resonates with your audience and stands out amongst competitors. Are you ready for your brand test?
1. Clarity – Are You Crystal Clear About Your Brand?
Brand clarity means having a well-defined brand identity, target audience, and unique value proposition. Your brand’s message should be clear and easy to understand. Clarity helps customers recognize what your brand stands for and what it offers.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself:
- What is your brand’s mission and purpose?
- Who are you trying to reach?
- What makes you different from your competitors? Why should people come to you?
Let’s share some examples of what this really looks like…
Zoozatz: A collegiate clothing brand
Zoozatz doesn’t actually sell their products online. They sell everything in university bookstores, so brand presence and awareness are important to them. They can’t sell on their website, but they need you to remember them and look for them on campuses. Their brand strategy and having a crystal clear value proposition are critical for the success of their brand.
Let’s take a look at their mission and vision statements.
Mission: We design apparel that lets you (the real you) shine. Our looks blend campus comfort with cool confidence, giving you an effortlessly unbeatable vibe, anywhere you go.
Vision: We want every person—regardless of shape, skin tone, or sexuality—to be true to who they are. From game days to late-night study jams, our apparel is always the best fit for how you want to feel.
It goes beyond having school spirit for their customers. It’s the experience and inclusivity that differentiates them from their competitors. These two statements are the clarity of who they want to be and what they’re striving to do within the future of their brand.
Graceful and Free: Blog and content creator
We worked with Graceful and Free to help define her purpose. A lot of service-based businesses struggle to identify what our purpose is and what makes us different.
Purpose: My purpose is to provide content that encourages women to learn, grow, and flourish. By sharing my story, experiences, and wisdom, I can inspire others to overcome their limiting beliefs, find joy in everyday moments, and create a life led with purpose.
Her values that define her purpose are authenticity, connection, harmony, freedom, and heart. She can always look back to this regardless of what she’s creating for her brand. She can ask herself, “Is this serving my purpose?”
2. Consistency – Are You Always on Brand?
Brand consistency means maintaining a unified look, feel, and message across all touchpoints. Wherever you show up with your brand, it needs to be consistent. Consistent branding helps build trust and recognition among your audience.
So what does that look like, exactly?
- Visual Consistency: Logo, colors, typography, imagery— across all channels from your website to your Pinterest to your email list.
- Messaging Consistency: Taglines, brand voice, and communication style
- Experience Consistency: Customer service, product quality, and website design
We sometimes forget about the voice part of this brand test. Think of it this way: Would people say, “You are exactly who I thought you’d be from engaging with your content?”— This is the best compliment you can get! It means you pass the consistency part of your brand test.
Let’s peek at how having a defined voice and personality can help you!
Zoozatz
Voice: Confidence is contagious, and we spread it like wildflowers. Just like our clothes, our brand feels like a friend who makes you feel seen and never hesitates to tell you how awesome you are. We’re upbeat, inclusive, and full of a charismatic energy that’s fun to be around. Above all, we’re fiercely authentic. We don’t worry about being overly polished or saying the absolute perfect thing. We’re honest and refreshingly casual; professional yet personable; youthful yet relatable for all ages.
A clearly defined voice helps you decide how you’re going to talk within your content and to your customers.
Personality:
- Confident / Not Arrogant
- Inclusive / Not Performative
- Bold / Not Abrasive
- Energetic / Not Hyper
- Trendy / Not Cliche
When we’re helping brands define their personality, we do it in a this / not that format. It helps bring the brand to life. Is your brand personality described in this way? If not, try it out!
Graceful and Free
Voice: The language used in Graceful and Free is encouraging, genuine, and friendly. I show up honestly and share my experiences in the hopes that my story inspires other women to go after their biggest dreams, their deepest desires, and the life that lights up their souls.
Personality:
- Empowering / Not Authoritative
- Friendly / Not Overbearing
- Joyful / Not Dishonest
- Genuine / Not Fake
Can you see how these elements will help you create content that follows these two C’s – Clarity and Consistency?
3. Constancy – Building a Brand That Lasts
Brand constancy refers to the longevity and enduring nature of a brand. It’s about creating a brand that stands the test of time, and that’s more than a trend. It’s about building a legacy that resonates with generations of customers. Constancy is your insurance policy against becoming irrelevant.
How can you ensure you are meeting this C of the brand test?
- Define Your Core Values: What are the unwavering principles that guide your brand? Are they clearly articulated and woven into everything you do?
- Create a Timeless Visual Identity: This is why your brand shouldn’t be led by a certain style, but instead by who you are and your uniqueness. That’s what makes your brand ownable.
- Listen to your audience, learn, and react: How are things changing? What is your audience asking for? Don’t be resistant to change.
- Are you conducting surveys to your current customers or clients? Or polling your audience?
- Foster community: This part is huge. Create spaces for people to engage with your brand, ESPECIALLY if your brand isn’t a person.
So, what did you think of our brand test? Does your brand pass the three C’s, or is it time to have another look at your brand’s foundation? If you’re ready to align your brand with the vision you have for your future, check out our branding services! Everything we talked about today is included (along with all the pretty brand aspects 😉) to help you create a clear, consistent, and constant brand.
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Abbey Oslin and Courtney Petersen are Minnesota-based marketing experts, educators, and co-founders of boutique marketing agency Duo Collective, which specializes in SEO, social media strategy, and branding for small business owners and creative entrepreneurs. To learn more about Duo Collective, or to inquire about working with our team, head over to www.duocollective.com.
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