Experts say consistent branding across all platforms will lead to trust, recognition, and identity which results in increased sales. This week, we reached out to three brand consultants to air their views on why a business should always ensure consistent branding.
Eremika Patarh-Ebere is a branding consultant from Carry Africa, a logistics company. Ayeesha Ibrahim is the Head of Communications and Brand Management at QIB Production, an entertainment media production company. Bridget Ibuchim-Owabie, is the Lead coach/trainer at BIO Branding Academy, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Based on their experiences, they gave an overwhelming opinion that uniform branding affects 3 key areas of customer-business relationships: trust, recognition, and strong brand identity.
Here’s a rundown of the main points from our conversations as well as our opinion based on the experiences we’ve had working with brands here at Pandora:
1. Consistent Branding Fosters Trust that Builds Customer-Business Relationships.
Our experts say that branding is about creating the right perception of your business to make relevant connections with potential buyers. The starting point is to clearly define what you want to communicate, the strategy you want to use, and how you want to pass your message across.
This brings about consistency of voice and tone. The absence of a uniform voice and tone can lead to confusion, lack of trust, and weakened messaging as Eremika Patarh-Ebere of Carry Africa points out, “without consistent messaging, your voice/tone may become confusing, your messaging as well may become weak.”
Head of Communications and Brand Management at QIB Production, Ayeesha Ibrahim, emphasized that “when consumers see the uniformity in your messaging across multiple platforms (website, social media, email marketing, etc.), it creates a sense of reliability.” In other words, “…they know what to expect from your brand.”
Imagine visiting a company’s website and seeing a sleek, professional design, only to head over to their social media and find mismatched colors, different logos, and a completely different tone. It’s confusing, right?
Consistency is therefore a key factor in building trust with your audience. When your branding looks and feels the same across all platforms, it shows that your business is organized, reliable, and professional. Customers are more likely to trust a brand that presents itself consistently because it feels dependable.
2. Consistent Branding Boosts Brand Recognition
Brand recognition occurs when consumers are able to identify your business based on its visual elements (like logos, colors, and packaging) as well as its messaging. We made sure to include the messaging aspect of the above definition as branding is beyond the visual elements of a business.
Marty Neumeier, father of branding, and author of the book The Brand Gap, The Brand Flip, once said in an interview that “..branding is not a logo…A brand is not a product…A brand is a result – a customer’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company. It is what ends up in their heads and in their hearts…So brand is a reputation…”
Brand is a reputation, we agree, however, brand recognition demands a combination of both consistent reputation and visual elements. Bridget Ibuchim-Owabie, says: “inconsistent branding can confuse your audience. If your messaging or look changes too often, people might not recognize your brand or may think you’re unprofessional.”
So, how exactly can consistent branding boost your brand recognition? Here’s the answer:
When you stick to the same message, and maintain your reputation and visual identity, your brand remains memorable in the minds of consumers. Take Facebook for instance, the logo and name have become a strong brand recognition that changing to Meta has failed to resonate with the public.
Another example is Nike which is famous for its swoosh logo and tagline that states “Just do it.” That logo and tagline have become one of the most recognizable visual brand elements in the world. If you build a consistent reputation of quality, for example, your brand will be easily recognized which in turn brings about an increase in market share and sales.
3. Consistent Branding Builds Brand Identity
Brand identity is the deeper attribute that defines a brand beyond visual elements. Your identity is how you want your business to be perceived by the world.
“A consistent brand is easier to remember…your audience gets a clear message about what your brand stands for, helping to shape a stronger identity”, says Ayeesha Ibrahim.
Your identity should be reflected in your mission statement, branding strategy, visual elements, and marketing materials. This could mean that you focus on quality and innovation. Or you are stylish and premium. Your brand identity can also mean you’re playful or that you are more serious and authoritative. By staying true to your brand’s voice and style across all platforms, you create a cohesive experience that lets your audience know who you are, what you stand for, and why they should choose and remain loyal to you.
If you want to learn how to build brand loyalty, check out our article on “How to Build Brand Loyalty: Lessons from Pandora’s Kehinde Ruth Onasoga (KRO)“
4. Consistent Branding Improves Marketing Efficiency
Consistent branding “…is important for integrated marketing because, without it, your voice/tone may become confusing, your messaging as well may not be targeted and you become disconnected from your audience”, says Eremika Patarh-Ebere.
For example, when you have consistent branding, you streamline your marketing efforts. Rather than reinventing the wheel for each platform or campaign, you have a set of brand guidelines to follow.
This makes it easier to create new content, whether it’s a blog post, social media update, or advertisement. Consistent branding also reduces the risk of creating off-brand content that might confuse or alienate your audience. In other words, you’ll spend less time trying to figure out what to post and more time creating impactful content that resonates with your audience.
Implementing Consistent Branding is Not Without Challenges
Yes, there are challenges that come with maintaining consistency and we’ll look at it from both local and global brand’s perspectives.
What are the Challenges of Implementing Consistent Branding for a Local Business?
For a local business, the challenges of maintaining brand consistency include limited resources, market dynamics, inconsistent government policies and inhouse policy implementation. This can inhibit a business from maintaining a uniform projection across all platforms.
The market dynamics and preferences may change in the local environment and this may sort of affect a brand’s values and standards if not well managed. Examples of this include inconsistent government policies and economic environment which can affect how a business maintains its values and brand image.
Finally, there’s also the issue of inconsistent policy implementation across team members and partners which can result in disparity in customer experiences and bring confusion about the brand’s core values and identity.
One solution to the above problem as practiced at Pandora Agency Limited is to ensure that the structure that is in place, the standard operating procedures (SOP) is reflected across all departments of the organization.
In other words, you have to ensure that everyone across the organization understands what the brand stands for and is actively reflecting that in their operations.
What are the Challenges of Implementing Consistent Branding for a Global Brand?
Top of the list among the challenges global brands face are cultural differences and market variabilities. Let’s look at the example of McDonald and the Indian market.
India has a population that appeals to the fast-food giant which is known to serve burgers and fries worldwide. But in India, beef is not commonly eaten due to religious reasons.
So how did the company navigate this cultural difference and still maintain its burger-serving identity?
The answer is that McDonald’s in India serves the McAloo Tikki burger, which is made with a spiced potato and pea patty. In fact, the company adapts its menu to different dietary restrictions in different countries, such as offering halal meat in Muslim-dominated countries.
So globally, there exists market variability including varying regulations, preferences, and competitive landscapes. Adapting products and marketing strategies to meet these local needs can lead to inconsistencies if not managed carefully.
How to Implement Consistent Branding in Local & Global Markets
Implementing consistent branding takes a conscious effort of a team leader and the overall team. Here are the suggestions from our experts on how to go about this:
- Have a clearly defined brand value and a style guide to document your voice, tone, and visuals.
- Recognize the cultural and marketing variations in each country or environment. Then engage transparently with your audience by sharing your story in a way that resonates with them without compromising your value.
- Maintain good communication and coordination with your teams and partners whether local or spread across the globe to ensure everyone adheres to brand guidelines and uniform brand presence.
- Finally, monitor your brand perception, and gradually adjust when needed. Always remember to genuinely communicate with your audience no matter where they are because that is what builds authenticity.
While you’re here, you can also check out our article on 7 Hidden Strategies For Customer Loyalty Growth in 2024
Tips for Achieving Consistent Branding
1. Create Brand Guidelines
Document your logo usage, color palette, fonts, tone of voice, and other brand elements. Share these guidelines with anyone involved in creating content for your brand.
2. Use the Same Voice Across Platforms
Whether you’re posting on LinkedIn or Instagram, your brand’s tone should be consistent. This article highlighted difference and consistency as major branding tools. This doesn’t mean you can’t adjust your content to suit the platform, but the underlying personality of your brand should stay the same.
3. Regularly Audit Your Brand’s Presence
Consistently review your brand’s presence across platforms to ensure everything aligns. If you spot any inconsistencies, address them right away.
4. Train Your Team
Ensure everyone who represents your brand understands the importance of consistency and knows how to implement your brand guidelines.
At Pandora, we understand the power of consistent branding in marketing for startups and established brands and how it can elevate your business. Our team specializes in crafting cohesive brand strategies that resonate across all platforms, ensuring your message stays strong and clear. Ready to transform your brand and build lasting customer connections? Partner with Pandora today, and let’s create a strategy that fuels your growth and success.
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