Blog

Online marketing is a broad term and one that often means different things to different people depending on who you are talking to. 

It is summed up very simply as being any form of advertising/marketing that is undertaken via the Internet, but that is where the simplicity ends.

With the advancements in technology there is an ever increasing number of ways that a business can advertise online to the point that even some experienced marketers are confused as to which avenue they should be focusing on. 

The good news is that the Internet as a whole is following a solid trend of focusing on relevance. Online marketing is about targeting specific audiences which might be less in number but will more often than not yield higher returns on investment.  

Almost all of the main marketing avenues now give advertisers the opportunity to entice people to their site using images and this is where Fabrik Brands can help your business to thrive above and beyond the success of your competitors. 

Our professional creative team combines with experienced marketing professionals to plan and execute strategies and campaigns that are guaranteed to grab the attention of the people who matter most to your business. 

Successful online marketing combines competitor research with industry experience so that a full plan can be created with the aim of getting the right message to the right people and always at the right time. 

Graphically it is important to ensure that ads and campaigns are eye-catching while also being easy to understand. The team at Fabrik Brands specialise in creating campaigns like these with special attention paid to gaining customer conversions as well as professionally representing your brand.

Speak with one of our team today to discuss the various options that are open to you and your business. We prefer to consult rather than sell so there is no obligation and you will be sure to discover some interesting marketing trends that you can take advantage of with our assistance.

Corporations are faceless. Brands are identities. So how do the two tie together? How does a business become a brand? More importantly, where does the process of developing a brand begin?

Defining the brand

An ordered system of brand development begins with the creation of a name, but company naming services are often used by existing firms. Whether creating a name for a new or existing brand, the process involves understanding a business and its products or services in considerable depth. That means identifying the who, what, why, when, where and how of a company from the perspective of both its staff and customers. In many cases, such is the importance of the process that naming a company can actually define the brand.

Existing companies

An existing company is not necessarily an established company. Choosing the wrong name for a business can be disastrous, but the damage need not be permanent. Sometimes an old brand simply needs a new name.

Fabrik specialises in providing company naming services for existing brands. Brands that need a new identity. Last year, we helped transform the fortunes of Thanet College, which had been failing to attract the most promising students from the East Kent area. After a comprehensive consultation that included workshops, interviews and questionnaires, Fabrik recommended that Thanet College change its name to East Kent College. The transition was completed soon afterwards. What had been perceived as an anonymous, geographically limited college soon grew into the open, diverse and performance-driven learning establishment it is today.

The important point to note is that the college had not changed, but its identity had. Students and teachers perceived East Kent College in an entirely different way. And that made all the difference.

New companies

Name creation can be effective as part of a re-branding exercise, especially if the image of a company has been tarnished in some way, but there is usually no better time to establish a brand than at the beginning.

Naming a new company is not much different from renaming an existing brand. The main difference is that more information is usually available to creative specialists whose task it is to identify a brand and work out where it has gone wrong. New brands can be difficult to conceptualise.

The process of creating a name for a new brand is often more complicated that it might seem at first. Research is very important, as are polls, interviews and creative workshops. Sometimes the perfect name is found quickly, but other times the process can take many days or weeks. Though time is usually a factor, finding the right name is paramount.

Company naming experts know what to do to find the right name. But more importantly, they are able to recognise the right name when they find it. They know when to play it safe and when to be daring. They know when to adapt and when to innovate.

A name is not just a name: it is a fundamental aspect of identity. And brands are all about identity.

Marketers aim to manage brands effectively, but what exactly does that mean? Do successful brands not manage themselves? Do customers not dictate the terms of their relationships with brands? In answer to the last two questions: yes and yes. At least that is how successful marketers make it seem. And they achieve that by excelling at brand engagement.

Encouraging repeat or prospective customers to engage with a brand is not at all straightforward, but marketers employ a number of techniques to stir interest in a product or service. Some methods are subtle, others are more obvious. The trick is to find what works best for a particular brand.

Brand engagement describes the formation, development and management of a relationship between an individual and a brand. Though abstract in many ways, engagement can occur through direct advertising, such as when marketers deliberately repeat a message to consumers. That message could be designed to foster certain thoughts or discussions among potential customers, such that a shared perception of the brand takes shape.

When a strong image of a company, product, service or brand has been established, sentiment can be manipulated with greater ease in a certain direction; for example, Sainsbury’s has established itself as a premium supermarket, at least in comparison with ASDA, Tesco and other budget-driven stores. But Sainsbury’s is no different from any other supermarket in the UK; it sells more or less the same goods, but the environment in which people shop gives rise to a fundamentally different experience. There is a greater expectation of quality among customers. Sales tend to be driven by choice, not price. Value is a secondary concern. Sainsbury’s is a normal supermarket whose customers engage with the brand in such a way that the store is perceived to be better than most others. And that allows the company to sell the same goods at higher prices (though it may not always do so).

Engagement creates and reinforces perceptions. And perceptions control what companies can and cannot do. Taking Sainsbury’s as an example once again, the company lost favour with customers when it entered a price war with Tesco in the late 1990s. Not even John Cleese could convince customers that Sainsbury’s had become a value-driven store. It hadn’t, of course. Sainsbury’s simply made the mistake of advertising its brand in a way that conflicted with how customers engaged with it. The supermarket soon learned its lesson.

If Sainsbury’s is anything to go by, brand engagement can act as a bind on business, but it can also be the main driver of success. In its most abstract form, engagement requires little intervention from marketers. The attitudes and perceptions of people are incredibly difficult to control, but they can be manipulated; for example, an online business could attempt to create a friendlier, more relaxed environment for customers by offering games, competitions and engaging content. Over time, perceptions of that company are likely to change for the better, provided that the stimulus is subtle and appropriate.

Another aspect of engagement that cannot be ignored involves the service-profit chain, which describes the relationship between satisfaction and profitability (customers) and loyalty and productivity (employees). In a nutshell, the better the treatment of staff and customers, the greater the income and output of a company will be.

Business owners should be aware of the advantages of digital advertising and marketing. They should also understand the importance of brand development. But what does it mean to have, create or implement a digital brand strategy?

Positioning

The obvious answer is that a digital brand strategy is a form of marketing that exploits digital channels to promote goods and services. But that answer is too simplistic. Too lacking in depth and insight. It might also be fundamentally inaccurate.

If some business analysts, social commentators and journalists are to be believed, humanity is at the mercy of the digital age. Entire communities have shifted to the online world, where products, services, information, entertainment and relationships are available at the click of a button. Reality is becoming more virtual as the digital revolution marches on. But is it?

An alternative view states that the revolution is over. The digital age has already made its impact, as digital technology is now fully integrated into human existence. And that means the creation of digital-centric brands might be redundant on one level. So, what role can a digital brand strategy play in a post-digital age?

The main point to consider is that labelling brand development as digital can be misleading, not in the sense that marketing techniques should not exploit digital channels, but that digital channels have been normalised to such an extent that they form part of everyday life. In other words, a brand strategy that aims to explore the potential of digital should focus on creating a brand that works beyond digital. A brand that is not dependent on a single environment.

Total brand development

A brand refers to the relationship between a business and its customers, establishing the framework for how people perceive, respond to and interact with a company. The strategies that underpin effective brand development must be designed to target the outcome, not the channel; for example, interacting with existing and prospective customers on Twitter can be useful for promoting products and services, but the principal goal should be to nurture the brand, not the business. That means focusing less on how Twitter can be used for sales and more on how it can be used as a platform to communicate ideas and feelings; after all, advertisements generate leads, but interactions build brands.

So effective brand development aims to create and strengthen brands. It does not require any particular channel or medium to succeed, but it is likely to use the full range of digital communications to ensure that the right audiences are accessed. Marketers must think beyond digital to create brands that are able to survive in a world that is fully integrated with technology; digital sets the stage, but it neither writes the script nor acts out the parts. Those tasks must be completed by the brand itself.

At Fabrik, we know how to create brands that exist everywhere. We use digital channels to develop brands, but our focus is not limited to the digital sphere, which is why the strategies we employ serve the outcome, not the medium.

Brands are defined by their interactions with customers. But what makes a brand different from a business? Both interact with customers through marketing and sales; indeed, the two are indistinguishable from a purely commercial perspective. Perhaps a more appropriate question to ask is: when do people stop seeing the company behind the brand? Digital design holds the answer.

Visual recognition

Companies soon realise the strategic importance of partnering with digital design agencies in London and other major cities. Creative teams are able to develop brands beyond the written word. Though the name and description of a business can make or break a brand, digital design creates the first – and arguably most lasting – impression of a company. Digital design makes brands recognisable.

Logo development

Fabrik, one of the leading digital design agencies in London, provides a service that incorporates all aspects of brand development. No branding service would be complete without an effective digital design strategy, which is why we focus on ensuring that brands are brought to life visually. And if there is one area of digital design that turns businesses into brands, it is logo and brand mark creation.

Designing a logo or mark for a brand, not a business, requires an approach that is both measured and creative. A business logo does little more than provide customers with a basic description of the company, whereas a brand logo conveys a deeper, more insightful message, one that aims to communicate an ethos to the customer or elicit an emotional response. Brand logos are badges of success, luxury, value, status, efficiency or excellence; they define what a company is, not just what it can do.

A well-designed logo captures the essence of a brand. Some are necessarily eye-catching, others require a more subtle design. Logos must be unique, representative and memorable. Each must provide customers with a visual symbol of the brand. A symbol that is instantly recognisable.

Website design

Another aspect of brand development that is included in the digital sphere is website design. The success of any online business hinges to a large extent on the appearance and functionality of its website. Fabrik designs websites that extend or complement the visual description of brands, ensuring that visitors know exactly where they are based on look, feel and colour.

But functionality is never a secondary consideration. Our digital team aims to develop sites that are intuitive, navigable and easy to use. Clean layouts, balanced colour schemes and standards-compliant navigation form the basis of most of our websites, but we are not afraid to be different if the brand requires a more exotic design.

Other services provided by digital design agencies include search marketing, email marketing, graphic design and mobile development. As the shift towards mobile browsing continues with the introduction of faster and smarter mobile technology, the development of applications will form an even more important part of a company’s digital design strategy. Fabrik develops apps for all platforms, including iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone.

Earlier this year I went to see the Ansel Adams exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich entitled, Photography from the Mountains to the Sea.

Ansel Adams is the most popular and arguably the most influential photographer in American history. Famous for dramatic and evocative landscapes, he produced iconic and beautiful images of American nature. The forests, mountains and coastlines of the US provided a rich environment for Adams’s pioneering photography, and this exhibition brings together his most powerful and striking pictures of water in all its forms, from awe-inspiring images of epic seascapes, dramatic rapids and geysers, to crashing waterfalls, placid ponds, raging rivers and beautiful ice-locked landscapes.

Anyone who enjoys the great outdoors and has an interest in photography should go to see this exhibition. It runs until the end of April 2013 and has a late night on Thursdays. I felt truly inspired after viewing the exhibition and would thoroughly recommend going to see it.

http://www.rmg.co.uk/visit/events/ansel-adams

Naming Agency London

When looking for a naming agency in London it is important to look at companies who use the right strategy in helping you to name your business, helping you to start your business in the right way and with your best foot forward. 

At Fabrik Brands we have many years of experience in helping companies in London and internationally to choose the right name that best represents their business. We do this by following and adapting a strategy that we have developed over time to yield the best naming options available. 

Industry Analysis

After gathering information from our customers on their industry we begin extensive research that enables us to find numerous suitable naming options and variations. Because many companies do not research names in the same way as this our method enables us to find options that others have overlooked.

Name Generation

Using the results from our thorough analysis the team at Fabrik Brands compiles a list of names and variations on these names to ensure that we cover all angles that are available to us. Generating just a handful of names opens you up to missed opportunities and this is something that we avoid at all costs. If is our belief that only by looking at all options will the right one be found.

Language Checks

Different things mean different things to different people. This is especially true for companies that trade multi-nationally, encountering a multitude of languages. For companies that do not take language barriers into consideration the consequences can at times be unfortunate. 

One such example is a brand of soft drink in Ghana. ‘Pee Cola’ – In the UK and most other English speaking countries this instantly comes across as a bit of an unfortunate name however in its country of origin it is very innocent, meaning ‘Very Good Cola’.

Two others that I would consider to be even more unfortunate and much more considerable blunders are Nokia’s new phone ‘Lumia’ and the car manufacturer ‘Peugeot’. Lumia is Spanish slang for ‘prostitute’ whilst Peugeot is translated to the same unfortunate meaning in China.

These examples really highlight the importance of language checks when selecting a company name, it is something we treat with great importance to ensure there are not nasty surprises in store further along the line.

Trademark Searches

Many companies overlook trademark searches and registration and this can cause a multitude of problems. In some extreme cases businesses are forced to totally re-brand which can cause confusion, not to mention the expense.

Domain Name Check

Supporting your brand and name with the right domain is important first for brand protection but also because you need the domain to stand out as much as the business name. A memorable and easy to type domain name will always yield more direct visitors.

Creative Development

Seeing a number of potential business names on a list is all well and good but we have found that looks can be deceiving. This is why Fabrik Brands creates logo and strap line examples so that you can view the shortlisted business names being used in real life scenarios across digital platforms, campaigns and literature.

So, if you’re looking for a naming agency in London and want to partner with a business that will make sure all of your needs are catered for, speak to one of the team today and let us help your business start moving in the right direction.

Online marketing is a broad term and one that often means different things to different people depending on who you are talking to. 

It is summed up very simply as being any form of advertising/marketing that is undertaken via the Internet, but that is where the simplicity ends.

With the advancements in technology there is an ever increasing number of ways that a business can advertise online to the point that even some experienced marketers are confused as to which avenue they should be focusing on.

The good news is that the Internet as a whole is following a solid trend of focusing on relevance. Online marketing is about targeting specific audiences which might be less in number but will more often than not yield higher returns on investment.  

Almost all of the main marketing avenues now give advertisers the opportunity to entice people to their site using images and this is where Fabrik Brands can help your business to thrive above and beyond the success of your competitors. 

Our professional creative team combines with experienced marketing professionals to plan and execute strategies and campaigns that are guaranteed to grab attention of the people who matter most to your business. 

Successful online marketing combines competitor research with industry experience so that a full plan can be created with the aim of getting the right message to the right people and always at the right time. 

Graphically it is important to ensure that ads and campaigns are eye-catching while also being easy to understand. The team at Fabrik Brands specialise in creating campaigns like these with special attention paid to gaining customer conversions as well as professionally representing your brand.

Speak with one of our team today to discuss the various options that are open to you and your business. We prefer to consult rather than sell so there is no obligation and you will be sure to discover some interesting marketing trends that you can take advantage of with our assistance.

The book ‘A technique for producing ideas’ is a classic.
An inspiration to creative types for over 40 years.
And the step by step process really works.
The general thrust is simple.
Digest all the information you can.
Then go and do something else.
And an idea will appear out of nowhere.
Scientists say pretty much the same thing.
Well they did on that BBC documentary.
Even Don Draper from Mad Men agrees.
“Just think about it deeply, then forget it, then an idea will jump up in your face.”

Meanwhile, back the real world.
You don’t always have that sort of time.
When a deadline is hurtling towards you.
Time for a bath, a film or a bike ride.
Time for something that lets your sub-conscious take over.
So, what do you do when you’re up against it?
Some fast thinking.

First things first.
Work with a clear goal on mind.
Be specific.
What are you looking for?
Headlines, logos, names or brochure covers?
How many ideas do you need?
Three, five, ten or one hundred?
Set a clear brief and a time limit.
Then stick to it.
And ask questions.
Lots of questions.

How could the proposition be expressed by…
…taking it literately?
…saying the opposite?
…not using any words?
…exaggerating something?
…using a double meaning?
…saying what no-one else would dare say?
…using a metaphor?
…seeing it from another perspective?
…using slang or a common expression?
…comparing it to something unrelated?
…using symbols and signs?
…telling a story?

Keep going.
Keep asking questions.
But don’t forget to stop when you said you would.
Chances are you’ll end up with too many ideas.
But that’s a nice problem to have.

Someone I work with once said:
“Nothing induces creativity like a tight deadline.”
That may not be scientifically proven.
Or even what Don Draper thinks.
But it helps to have a plan when you’ve got one.