Attic Salt®’s Post

Every Tom, Dick and Harry out there has the exact same branding as each other. . Boring logos, tired color schemes, generic taglines - it's a sea of sameness and mediocrity out there. . You wanna stand out? . You wanna attract top talent and premium clients? Then you gotta blaze your own damn trail with your branding! . Who wants to work with or buy from just another face in the blur of blandness? . Nobody, that's who! . You think your target market is sitting around dreaming of working with Product X from Company Y? Hell no! . They wanna align with brands that excite them, inspire them, and show them something fresh. . So don't just regurgitate what everyone else is doing. . Stop being a sheep and start being a trailblazer! . Carve out your own unique identity through bold branding that stops people in their tracks. . Make a statement about who you are and what sets you apart. . Demand attention by ditching dull conformity and doing your own badass thing. . It might make some people uncomfortable at first, but discomfort is how you know you're on to something revolutionary. . Don't wanna be a disruptor? Then get comfortable fading into irrelevance with the rest of the impersonators! . Time to nut up or shut up - your choice. . But choose boring branding at your own risk, because playing it safe will only guarantee one thing: ABSOLUTE MEDIOCRITY. . #NeverBland #DitchTheTemplate

Ever developed a photo in a darkroom?📸 Branding mirrors that process. It’s not about the instant click. Why? Let's break it down: 1. Patience: Both practices demand it. 2. Reveal: True clarity takes time. 3. Depth: It’s about invested effort. Today’s world is fast. Instant uploads. Instant results. Yet, some things shouldn’t be rushed. Branding is an art. Like waiting for a photo. Both require time and care. Its essence thrives in patience. True brands don’t rush; they resonate.

Who knew branding was more than just a pretty logo? Apparently, it's about creating a deep emotional connection with your audience. Who would've thought? Imagine your brand as the main character in an epic adventure. Sure, the logo is the costume that makes your hero stand out, but the real magic happens when your brand starts sharing its story. This story needs to connect with people on a deep level, making them laugh, cry, and cheer along the way. Think of branding as throwing the ultimate party. Your logo is the invitation—it gets people interested. But it’s the awesome music (your messaging), the tasty snacks (your products/services), and the unforgettable moments (customer experiences) that make people want to stay and come back for more. So next time around, go out there and make millions of hearts flutter and minds remember your brand like never before!

On the "BRT bus" I joined to the office this morning, I got the simplest most relatable explanation of branding and how it shapes our lives, ultimately. A middle-aged man and a lady in her twenties were stuffed up in the aisle of the bus, among other passengers standing. After some intermittent murmurings, they suddenly broke out in cusses, "Mr Man, you're harassing me, remove your hand!", "...you're a useless girl, remove your bag let me put my hand, where do you want me to hold?". The scene seems familiar, right? It gets more interesting. As this continued, passengers began to interfere as peacemakers. Apparently, the lady had had to place her handbag on the bar where the man's hand was because his hand might have been trespassing but he wouldn't have it. They were quite far from where I was so we couldn't do or say so much, other than hear their rants. The lady beside me however commented to us, in the man's defense. "He might not know...I'm not sure he meant it". Now, that could actually be true but something else happened. The cusses got louder, from the man especially, that the lady defending him had to stretch to take a closer look at him. This was the switch! She immediately returned to rebut her own comment," I think the lady is right. This man doesn't look normal. He's wearing a black tie, wine jacket on blue trouser, brown shoe...I don't think he's normal, so the lady knows what she's saying". Now that's the consequence of branding-the Halo effect. If it's new to you, the Halo effect is the tendency to associate good or bad to a persona's entire nature based on one instant feature. E.g, "because he's tall, he can be the president" or "because she's beautiful and soft spoken, she must be a good mother" It goes to say, whether or not we know and accept it, we are all brands. Even if you're not deliberately working on your "brand", it's still branding. We are advised to not judge a book by its cover but I doubt the realism of that in a complex and critical world like ours. It's the same reason a man on dreads will be profiled and wrongly labelled a fraudster until dreads become associated to something more respectable. It's why there are many innocent people in jail today (sadly) just because they looked like the criminal at a crime scene or simply like "someone who can do it". The way the man on my bus got convicted just for his appearance. In summary, every single thing you do or do not do as a person, business, country or product contributes to how the world perceives you. Whether you might be capable or trustworthy. Being intentional on these things would be deliberately "appearing" in a certain way to influence how the people you want to see you really see you. I hope that stays in your mind as the week runs by. Cheers! #BrandIdentityDesigner #BrandDesigner #CreativeDirection #Copywriting #Copywriter #ContentWriter #GraphicDesigner #BrandIdentity #AdigunOlushola #Poet #Storyteller #UXWriter #UIUX

#tbt Stoic messaging✅ Legit ink✅ Employee model, actual rider✅ Last minute brand, “707” (yrs before 805🤣)✅ Cool ad😎✅ Found this ad buried in an ancient CG sample file. And I couldn’t resist sharing the backstory, starting with the “SevenZeroSeven” brand, which rather than being the result of a massive amount of focus-group research, was really just a last minute, 11th hour desperation play. None of the brands we were brainstorming at the office were “available” for trademark. Ordinarily that’s no big deal, but in this case we had helmets on the assembly lines, close to being finished with no name, no logo. Not cool. As I set in my office, I was running out of options. Looking at my phone, our area code caught my eye. So I yelled out (that’s how we did it back then) “what about 707?!” The crew liked it….think we would have settled for “AAAA” at that point. So we worked up logo treatments, applied for the trademark (no time to wait for approval), and set about coming up with our messaging. We had to launch with a killer campaign. Thematically we wanted to acknowledge the risks inherent in riding, which wasn’t exactly the norm at the time, given worries over scaring off potential customers or inviting liability legal issues down the road. And we wanted authentic and edgy visuals…..enter Marlena and her fresh ink. It took a little arm twisting to get DB to sign off (normally he was cool with whatever we did, no approvals required) on the concept, after all in just one ad we had tattoos, a shirtless employee, and messaging that implied, “….yeah you can buy this lid, but you might die anyway”. What’s not to love??? The ad was a hit, the helmets sold, all was good in Gearville…..well, almost. The “SevenZeroSeven” brand became a victim of normal brand consolidation and disappeared in the coming years. But for me at least, it remains one of a million amazing moments in my journey…..no doubt many more are on the horizon. #TomorrowsNeverPromised #Stoic #MementoMori

💡 Did you know? Individuals are willing to pay a premium, sometimes tenfold, for the inclusion of a logo. This highlights the incredible power of branding! A well-crafted logo isn't just a symbol; it’s a statement of quality, trust, and identity. At Media Components, we understand that every element of your brand, from logos to visuals, plays a crucial role in shaping your brand's perception. Our expert team ensures that your branding elements stand out and resonate with your target audience. Ready to make your brand unforgettable? Contact us today and let’s elevate your brand to the next level! 🚀

5 Steps to Avoid Branding Hell 🚀 Your toes aren't marshmallows. How not to bet burnt. 1. Be compellingly real. 2. Talk human, not corporate. 3. Crush clichés. Be unmistakable. 4. Differentiate to elevate your relevance. 5. Ignore boardroom-speak. Listen to the street. People sense and recognize true care. Here is what you need to know to avoid being ignored: 𝟭. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁. → Stop asking people internally what they think. → That’s not where your brand ultimately lives. It’s 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀. → Cliches are redundant ideas. → They're regurgitated and repackaged. →  They lack originality and anything to earn attention. 3. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆. → You’re human. → So are your customers. → Talk like you’re a neighbor, not a company. 4. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲. → Design is often cosmetic. → Don't ask “Do I like this?” Instead, ask: → “Do I compel short attention spans to pay attention?” 5. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 “𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿” → Branding is a game of differentiation. → Rebrands are done because you're blending in. → Things have changed. People have pivoted. Needs have evolved. This list will keep you relevant. P.S. - Please repost ♻️ to help others avoid hell.

"First make it work, than rebrand it." A rebrand should evoke a sense of fresh air for consumers, promising great things to come. However, I've noticed that many rebrands involve eliminating mascots, reducing colors, switching to sans-serif fonts, and adopting a similar look. These actions often come across as desperate attempts to offset revenue losses – as if saying, 'That company hasn't experienced revenue declines in decades; we should mimic their style.' Consequently, we end up with thousands of companies looking alike, all striving to emulate a handful of larger, perceived successful companies. Artistry shouldn't be perceived as 'unprofessional' or 'unsuccessful.' This great article encourages us to reconsider some of the most controversial rebrands of 2023 and view them from a different perspective. https://lnkd.in/dbpvqMsS

Branding is a bond-builder 🔒 When it works together with your messaging, you build a stronger connection with the audience. Create a feeling they want to be a part of. After all, these feelings (not products or services) are what people are sold on. Branding with depth is branding with strength 💪 _______ If you’re new here, or just stumbled across this post: I'm Mark, a Tampa-based branding designer ⚡️ I post about brand identity, design and self-improvement. Follow me to never miss a post ✅