A brand is not just about having a recognizable logo or eye-catching visuals; it’s about conveying a cohesive identity based on a strategy that resonates with your audience. At SMG, teams across the whole company are supported and enabled by our branding experts within our Business Units, as well as our Marketing Strategy & Branding team to successfully implement branding guidelines, from everyday documents to large-scale campaigns.
Keep Learning about the Brand
In a previous article, we delved into the importance of our digital asset management system in streamlining assets for a multitude of brands, spanning different industries. However, our efforts extend beyond providing access to resources. One of the innovative ways in which we empower teams is through the creation of quizzes within our Group’s internal Learning Universe tool. Our colleagues are the most important contributors to brand consistency, which is why it’s so important for them to have easy-to-access information and ways of learning about our diverse portfolio.
This Learning Universe serves as a personal learning and development space for our employees, offering various learning paths tailored to individual needs. From collaborative courses to mandatory training, it’s a platform designed to foster growth and skill development. Within this ecosystem, our quizzes stand out as a tool to reinforce brand guidelines and ensure consistent application across diverse teams and brand touchpoints.
Gamifying Branding
These quizzes cover a spectrum of brands and topics. They are organised in a funnel that builds the brands: from strategic elements, like positioning and values to the correct usage of logos, colours, and branded elements to more nuanced aspects such as tone of voice and imagery. By incorporating these elements, we aim to equip all teams with the knowledge and understanding needed to uphold our brand standards effectively, even if their main tasks don’t revolve around branding related topics. Several of our colleagues are engaged in generating assets for various brands, encompassing not only marketing materials but also extending across product teams and sales initiatives. Therefore, it is important for them to know and differentiate between the guidelines of multiple brands.
The general goal of the quizzes is for most employees, who work on branding related projects, to become well versed when it comes to branding processes as well as know who to contact for questions or extra support. The quizzes also serve as a way for new employees to familiarise themselves with SMG’s branding, our purpose, vision and mission as well as that of our brands. It also enables them to understand how the creation process of branded assets work.
Brand Consistency is Key
Why is branding consistency so crucial? Beyond aesthetics, it’s about establishing trust, credibility, and – most importantly – a sense of identity in the minds of our audience. Whether it’s an internal communication or an external marketing campaign, consistency breeds familiarity and reinforces our brand’s value proposition. Every interaction, whether it’s a social media post or a sales presentation, should reflect the same cohesive brand narrative. This coherence not only enhances brand recognition but also reinforces our commitment to excellence in everything we do.
Furthermore, by enabling teams to apply branding guidelines effectively, we ensure alignment with our overarching strategic objectives. A unified brand presence, for each of our brands, strengthens our position in the market, enhances customer loyalty, and drives sustainable growth.
Empowering Teams for Consistent Brand Management
At SMG, the brand management experts serve as the guardians and also constant innovators of our brands’ identity, guiding and supporting teams across all business units and making sure that our brands’ positioning stays relevant through the ages. Through initiatives like quizzes and comprehensive guidelines, we empower our colleagues to become brand ambassadors, embodying our values and vision in every interaction.
We have learned that effective branding goes beyond mere aesthetics; it’s about creating meaningful connections and fostering trust. So, by equipping teams with the knowledge and tools to uphold brand consistency, we not only reinforce our identity but also elevate the impact of our collective efforts. Together, we continue to shape a brand that inspires confidence, loyalty, and success across all facets of our business.
