One of the single most important factors affecting brand health is consistency. When marketing support fluctuates and identifying markers lack uniformity, brand associations fail to form, consumer favorability flags, and you’re left with a patchwork of half measures that not only aren’t strengthening a brand, they are actively undercutting its potential.

By contrast, a consistent and dependable experience across all channels creates trust, wards off confusion, and elevates the commercial and persuasive capabilities of a brand. Firmly rooted brand associations operate on an unconscious level. Whenever the brand is encountered, its promise, the values it stands for, and prior successes are recalled, which is crucial because people simply put more faith in brands they recognize.

“A consistent, unconfused brand needs consistent and unconfused leadership and communication to implement.”

Consistency is vital for forming those associations and each deviant event chips away at that sterling image. But, consistent doesn’t mean inflexible. Rather, steady and vigorous brand management often requires strategic changes in direction. As the marketplace evolves, so too must brands that hope to retain and extend their place in it.

SUCCESS IS THE SUM OF SMALL, REPEATED EFFORTS

That’s where brand implementation comes into play. When it’s time to refresh or rebrand, you need to move quickly to convert the many representations of your identity in a consistent and deliberate manner. The same is true when launching a brand. Once the task of building a new identity is done, don’t let it languish in a designer’s notebook. Get it out into the world and put it to work.

Your visual and verbal identity should be displayed wherever possible, such as:

  • Uniforms
  • Signage
  • Interior Design
  • Company Vehicles
  • Product Packaging
  • Branded Merchandise
  • Digital Media

Without a centralized project management scheme, a rebrand, refresh, or launch can fall victim to inconsistent implementation. High-level decisions don’t filter down to suppliers, employees, and stakeholders. Lack of awareness of the rationale and importance of changes being made results in weak buy-in and a failure to address all touchpoints, leaving valuable sources of brand advancement untapped.

DEMAND PROCESS DRIVEN EXECUTION

The right way to bring your brand to life is a systematic and integrated operation that plans for the inevitable road bumps and contingencies, involves local players to inject a feeling of collective ownership in the process, leverages key stakeholders and managers to push the changes needed, and provides a centralized reference point for everyone to monitor progress and stay informed of the project guidelines.

That last item, a single source to govern and explain the implementation plan, depends heavily on communication. There is no shortage of tools to disseminate relevant information, such as blogs, email newsletters, websites, and project management and coordination platforms like Slack, Trello, and Basecamp. Take advantage of these options to convey your goals and expectations, including key milestones, budgetary limits, and timelines, and to solicit feedback from the people on the front lines.

A consistent, unconfused brand needs consistent and unconfused leadership and communication to implement.

Marketers are creative types by nature. We spend a lot of time dreaming up new ideas, brainstorming solutions, and letting our imaginations run wild. But, the nuts and bolts, logistical side of this business is just as vital to achieving positive outcomes. Crafting the perfect corporate identity is only half the battle. Seeing it made manifest in the world and displayed with the uniformity required for building strong brand associations is where the magic becomes real.

To maximize your brand building potential, choose an implementation partner that brings your brand to life swiftly, efficiently, and most importantly, consistently.