In the first class for this module we looked at branding. This was something that I found quite interesting as I have always been keen on learning about branding and seeing how it works in the design world was super interesting.

What is a Brand?

We started off writing on sticky notes what we would describe a brand as, and then we looked at all the answers the rest of the class gave. What I wrote was that it is an identity that a company has or is trying to represent. Other people mentioned aspects that add to this such as logos, names, colours, and values that a company has. Overall branding is how companies represent themselves to customers, and plays a huge part in whether they are successful or not, so it is important that it is carefully and well-thought out. In this project we will be looking at how we can implement core brand elements into design. A quote that I found interesting was by Jeff Bezos, “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room”.

Process of Branding

We then looked at the process of branding. Which is broken up into 5 steps.

1. Conducting Research - Finding out the current position of the brand and investigate which direction the brand should go in to maximise its potential, these areas should be considered: mission, vision, target markets, brand ****values, competitors.
2. Clarifying strategy - This is ****how you wish the brand to be portrayed, also from the perspective of the customers, and what techniques you are going to use to reach these customers. The strategy should be known to everyone in the company involved.
3. Designing Identity - Developing ideas of what the brand will be called, what the logo will be, and also what colours, fonts, shapes and icons will be used. These should all be tailored toward the target audience.
4. Creating Touch points - These are areas that give the customer the opportunity to see and interact with the brand. Some examples include websites, signage, business cards, brochures etc. They must be accessible and versatile, being able to be used in a range of different ways.
5. Managing Assets - This includes creating brand guidelines that accessible to all employees, and they are equipped to follow them so that the company has a better chance of maintaining customers. Employees need to keep up with the image that the brand is trying to represent.

Design Process

We then looked at a very helpful diagram which walked through the design process. This was very helpful as it is easy to skip straight to the design phase without doing research and analysing the brief etc. This diagram breaks down the different steps in chronological order in which they should be done, which is helpful as if followed correctly it will be super beneficial for completing work. This is something that I will definitely take note of and use in the future whether it be for university work or when I’m working in the industry.

Research Methods

We then looked at some different methods of conducting research, especially regarding what we will be specifically looking at, which is banks. The first one was online surveys, which are very good for getting lots of feedback on specific questions. They are especially helpful when it comes to gathering and analysing the data, as you can see your results in the form of different charts and diagrams.

The second one was interviews and observation. This includes going around asking people questions based on the topic you are looking into, asking questions that are open ended and promote people expressing their true opinions on things, and not just asking one word answer questions. Observation includes going and visiting competitors stores/branches and seeing what they do well or do not do well, what areas have more customers, what times are busy or quiet, and seeing how they advertise and promote their brand by observing where they place their logo and name etc.

The third method of research was competitor analysis, specifically online reviews that are left by customers. This is a great way to see what people think of the company as they are usually honest and open to share whatever they think. People can also give a star rating of the company, so it is useful for quickly seeing on average what people thought of a company. Some sites that are great for gathering research are Trust Pilot and Trip Advisor.