Branding

Better Branding

Branding Icon

Logos and letterhead are things. A brand is all the things.

Thoughts, feelings, experiences, and perceptions that exist in people’s minds. It’s the value people attach to your name. People you call customers, members, employees, or clients. We help you manage the meaning of your brand so that people experience who you really are. Not a painted over version of who you used to be.

We start with Discovery… distill the findings… and use Thomas Gad’s 4-Dimensional Branding to define the brand experience… all that happens before the first inspired sketch.

We uncover the Functional, Social, Mental, and Spiritual dimensions that define how different stakeholders experience your brand and teach you how to activate your unique brand code to connect, communicate, and cultivate relationships with your audience. We also identify your Brand Archetype. Hero, rebel, caregiver—who are you in the minds of others? It’s part science and part art, and it’s all a part of the branding process at Willow.

See our branding work
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SILO

Branding, Creative, Digital, Strategy

Want a better brand? Let’s Talk.

FAQs

What kind of branding do you do?

We pretty much brand everything but cattle—B2B’s, non-profits, membership associations, environmental branding, and place and event branding, we don’t discriminate. It’s not so much the “kind” of branding that matters, it’s the methodology. We start with Discovery and end with Better.

What’s a brand archetype?

So glad you asked! An archetype is a fundamental repeating pattern found in our universal stories. You might remember them from history or psychology class. They show up in film and literature too. Brands that effectively tap into one of these patterns activate a portion of the human conscious that’s already embedded. We look at 12 unique mapping territories to anchor each brand.

What if we like our logo, but not our brand?

Remember, your brand is ALL the things. But if your only apparent brand equity is your mark, then we can work to leverage that equity into a brand that walks and talks (or tells and sells). Using the same methodology, we create brand positioning and messaging, develop complementary visual elements like typography, imagery and color palettes, and support the brand refresh with strategic recommendations for activating your brand archetype. We can also help you manage your brand assets with a handy dandy Brand Standards Guide.

How long does it take?

That depends. (Don’t you hate that answer.) Sorry, but it really does depend on where we’re starting and where we’re going. Are there sub-brands? How many people will want a say on final designs? How will you use the new brand? Do you have existing brand research? On average, a branding engagement takes anywhere from four to six months. Have we done some quicker? Yes, but don’t tell. It freaks out the creatives.