Creating Touchpoints Part 2

Let's cut the chase and pick up right where we left off yesterday - creating touchpoints. I split this phase into two blogs because there are so many touchpoints covered.

Signage and Vehicles. I've already gushed over Apple's iPod campaigns. They're so recognizable and as a part of building that brand, Apple certainly leveraged signage and signage on vehicles.



You've gotta love the train advertising. That's so cool and very memorable.

Otherwise, while we're on the subject using vehicles in branding efforts, I've got to say that vehicles don't necessarily provide a good touchpoint. Sure, the Goodyear Blimp or UPS using its fleet is one thing. But, how do you feel when that idiot driving the company truck cuts you off in traffic? Does a bad driver with a company vehicle create a positive brand impression? Probably not.

Environment. Its such a powerful part of the brand experience. Like the book points out - how many people go to a restaurant for the environment as opposed to the culinary offerings? A lot.

New media. Wouldn't you know it... the book devotes a good bit of attention to the favicon. In an earlier blog, I pointed out the fact that still in 2007 so many companies fail to utilize this touchpoint. Otherwise, I love new media. Search engines are considered new media and at one point in time they really were. Search of today has been a little saturated by the entrance of interactive agencies and even your old school agencies. In my opinion, the new media of today and tomorrow is based on the convergence of media and includes opportunities like cell phone advertising, online video marketing, etc.

Creating Touchpoints Part 1

Once the client has approved the identity design concept, you can move forward with design and development to create touchpoints. The book covers creating several touchpoints so I'm going to break them into two different blogs.

One of the first important topics covered is the trademark process. Basically, the importance of trademarks, service marks and registered marks is that these efforts help secure identity assets. Roberta Jacobs-Meadway offers a good quote:

"A distinctive identity is worth nothing unless you can protect it."

Business cards. Yea, I know business cards are sorta lame in the context of so many other hipper touchpoints. Anyways, the only reason why I mentioned business cards is that printing services like VistaPrint make solid quality print materials like business cards super affordable for small businesses.

Next, let's ask a question: How do you stand out when 30,000 products are vying for attention? Packaging. In the average half-hour trip to the grocery store, shoppers will have 30,000 products vying for their attention according to Thomas Hine, author of The Total Package. Wow.

In addition to standing out from the pack, packaging is an important opportunity to enhance the brand experience - before, during and even after the sale. Obviously, when products are positioned on the shelf, packaging is a key to the purchasing decision. And, on the other end of the cycle, packaging is an important way to enhance the brand after the sale. For instance, read up about Turner Duckworth's work with Amazon.com. They designed Amazon's logo, featuring the ever so creative arrow from the "a" to the "z", with key consideration being paid to how it would work on packaging. Of course, you experience Amazon.com's packaging after the purchasing decision has been made and Amazon.com's packaging works to further enhance the brand experience.

The last topic probably deserves a blog to its own - the website. Geez. What can I say about the importance of a website in a paragraph or two? I don't know. The most important concepts that I'll offer are:

• Just having a website isn't enough any more. You have to use that website.
• Websites offer the opportunity for branding and direct response.
• Site usability is more important that cool graphics and technology.
• Designers should be judged just like marketers - on the basis of real measurables.
• With multivariate analysis attainable at all levels of business, letting your visitors dictate your design has never been easier.

The Design Phase

Previously, we've discussed research and strategy. The next phase in the brand identity process is the actual design. The book covers several elements of design - designing symbols, logotype, signature, color, typography, sound and motion. The design phase culminates in the presentation to the client.

The first topic I'd like to address is a quote by Steff Guissbuhler:

"The trademark, although a most important key element, can never tell the whole story. At best it conveys one or two notions or aspects of the business. The identity has to be supported by a visual language and vocabulary."

I like Steff's point of view a lot. The brand is more than the mark. The brand is the whole experience. It is the collection of all touchpoints.

Next, I wanted to discuss color. Wow. Read up about color theory. Phenomenal concepts. Color is incredibly powerful. It triggers emotion, expresses personality and creates brand associations. In the sequence of visual perception, people register color before content. The importance of color is quantified by the fact that sixty percent of the decision to buy a product is based on color.

My last topic for the evening is based on a Suzanne Young quote:

"Don't expect the work to speak for itself. Even the most ingenious solutions must be sold."

I can't agree more. Ultimately, communication is just as important if not more important than the solution. Yes, your work and the ideas behind it should be solid. But, at the same time, you have to be able to communicate to the client why that work is good. If the client doesn't understand what you've done for them, have you really done anything for them?