My dad has always just loved farms, animals, fishing, in short, he loves the outdoors!Ever since I can remember, I was with him doing some type of farm work. We were either digging holes for foundations, weeding, fixing farm equipment, or planting seeds.
I would ride shotgun with him to the store to buy animal feed or chicks that would be raised for poultry.
My favorite times were sitting outdoors around a fire at night and just listening to my dad tell stories or hear his friends and farmhands embellish fishing or hunting stories.
I remember as a 12 or 13-year-old, going with my dad in his really cool red Chevy pick up truck to other farms to look at cattle. You see, on our farm, we had pigs, goats, chickens, quail, we even had rabbits. What we didn’t have was cattle.
So it was a real treat when we had the chance to visit farms that worked with cattle.
I would see cows grazing, being milked, or witnessing one of my least favorites activities in the whole wide world. A bull being, you know… Fixed.
Another, I’ll call necessary evil, was tagging and branding the cattle. The farmhand would puncture a tag onto the animal’s ear and two or three guys would use red hot irons with a particular logo and press it against the hide of the cow or bull. I could smell the charred side of the animal. You could hear the animal’s flesh kind of sizzle when the brand was applied. The animal would complain with a loud, what I can only describe as cattle talk for “Ow, you piece of $#!+, that hurt!!”
We hear the word brand quite a lot these days. We read in news, articles or a blog post how a corporate brand or someone’s personal brand has been damaged because of a scandal.
Most of us grew up liking a particular brand of clothing, snack, game, or athletic gear.
In many countries, people will not make a purchase of an item if it’s not a specific brand.
We even hear how a reality TV celebrity leverages their personal brand to earn so much money for every post they upload on one of the social media platforms.
I’m sure you’ve heard at least one of your friends say that you have your very own brand. They probably mean something which you are known for, a quality, an attribute.
So, what is a brand? Is it true that we all have our own brand? Does your business have one? Is a brand made, or is a business born with it.
It is true that people will recognize certain distinct qualities in each other, just like consumers recognize specific attributes in a company, store, or any type of business. And when that quality, trait, or attribute is consistent, becomes a habit, it becomes part of the brand.
Now, how we express those attributes to an audience, the consumer, is an important part of the branding. That’s where of the colors, shapes, typography, and design all come together to empower a particular business, product, or service in being recognized.
In a way, just like that cattle in my dad‘s friend’s farm were being tagged with that hot iron, your business, product, or service has to tag the consumer to gain their attention, which by the way, is being pulled in so many different directions.
What comes to your mind when you’re driving and you see a sign on a billboard for Coca-Cola? Or what about you just ate a huge meal at one of your favorite fast food joints and pass by a Weight Watchers advertisement. What do you think about then?
Or, you’re in the middle of winter, freezing your buns off and you see a logo for the Florida orange, Disney World, the Bahamas, or even a picture of a couple of flip flops with a hibiscus flower? Hawaii here I come! Am I right?
That feeling we all get That positive or sometimes negative gut reaction to an abstract expression of colors, shapes, and letters is part of brand awareness.
Brand awareness is built intentionally, carefully, over time. One very effective way to build brand awareness is through added value.
In its most simple form, added value is providing a person and experience that they’ll wanna share with those people closest to them.
The Disney brand is an exceptional example of creating added value to its customers. Disney, is not so much in the business of storytelling, as much as it is in the creating unforgettable experiences business.
I still remember the first time I set foot at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I had seen Disney movies and had Disney branded merchandise. They had added so much value to me, that I just had to go personally to experience the park for myself.
That experience was so great, that we have kept coming back over the years.
Having a graphic representation of your business is very important to express your brand. But nothing beats a great experience for your customers every time they come through your doors. Do that, provide that added value consistently, over time, and you will reap the reward of brand awareness, brand recognition, and most importantly, brand loyalty from your customers.
Word of mouth is key in creating brand recognition, and with the explosion and power of social media and digital information, the sky is the limit for small businesses who can hardness and leverage storytelling and creating great experiences for their customers.
At Vision Kitchen, we can help you and your business create brand awareness which will bring your business the recognition it deserves for years to come!
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