For a brand to attract and engage with an audience in a saturated global market it needs to communicate its brand in a consistent, relevant and authentic manner across all channels to all audiences. The smartest way to maintain strength across your brand is to create a style guide with exact specifications, guidelines and examples.
 
What is a brand style guide?
A brand style guide (also known as a brand book or brand guide) is simply a reference tool that helps content creators maintain consistency by establishing what a brand must look, feel and sound like at all times. It’s one of the most important resources of your business. It sets a clear focus for all parties—employees, partners and investors.
 
A style guide should include all the essential guidelines for your brand’s identity voice and tone especially the elements listed below.

• Brand Position: Brand story, mission and values.
• Logo: Color, size, positioning and clear space.
• Color Palette: Print color (CMYK) and digital color (RGB) codes.
• Typography: Font type/s, size, color, spacing and alignment.
• Imagery: Mood, size, focus, clear space and background.
• Copy: Key words, word count and tone.
• Print Material: Specific specifications and examples.
• Digital Material: Specific specifications and examples.
  

A well-thought-out style guide is an essential reference tool for creating branded content. To clearly and effectively communicate with your target audience in a consistent and effective way you should always refer to your style guide, as it provides brand stability and strength.

Scopic works with businesses to create engaging and memorable brands, connect with us to find out more.

What is a brand style guide?
A business’s brand is one of its most visual assets.  Business branding reflects the core personality and culture of a business. It sets clear direction for employees, and creates meaningful connection points for target audiences. For a brand to be truly engaging and memorable, it must strongly communicate its brand in a consistent way across all channels to all audiences.
 
The smartest way to maintain consistency across your brand is to create a style guide with exact specifications, guidelines and examples. A style guide is simply a reference tool that helps maintain consistency by demonstrating what a brand must look, feel and sound like at all times.
 
Essential Elements of a Style Guide:

• Brand Position: Brand story, mission and values.
• Logo: Color, size, positioning and clear space.
• Color Palette: Print color (CMYK) and digital color (RGB) codes.
• Typography: Font type/s, size, color, spacing and alignment.
• Imagery: Mood, size, focus, clear space and background.
• Copy: Key words, word count and tone.
• Print Material: Specific specifications and examples.
• Digital Material: Specific specifications and examples.

To clearly and effectively communicate with your target audience in a consistent and effective way you should always use your style guide as a starting point.
 
Scopic works with businesses to create brand style guides that provide clear direction for employees and partners connect with us to find out more.

Color is one of the most effective ways to communicate your brand and products to your audience. Color contributes not only to distinguishing your products from your competitors, but also influences consumer mood and feeling.
 
Research into the impact of color in marketing, appropriately titled Impact of Color on Marketing found that colors really do influence the moods and feelings (positively or negatively) of consumers. This research paper indicated that between 60-90 percent of product evaluation and product purchase is based on color alone. Additional research has also shown in The Interactive Effects of Colors and Products on Perceptions of Brand Logo Appropriateness a correctly chosen color mix for your business logo can bring immediate value to your brand.
 
Effective brands use color to great success to engage and connect with their audience. Before even choosing the color mix for your logo, marketing materials, website or product range it is important to firstly consider some basic points:
 
1. Color is memorable
Color is a central element of your visual identity. Carefully consider your visual identity color mix, as it acts like the personality of your business with your audience. While it is not the only element in your visual identity, it is definitely one of the first things seen and possibly the most memorable of your visual identity. 
 
2. Color is innate
Find out the demographic breakdown of your audience and what color mix may persuade them to act. Defining who you are speaking to will greatly influence your color selection. Now you know your audience, you will be able to choose a color mix that positively influences your audience’s moods and feelings.
 
3. Consider the competition
Check out your competition and consider how you can differentiate your brand and products from your competitors with color. This can be tough, as you will still need to connect with your audience and satisfy marketplace perceptions. A/B testing (split-run testing) of color options with your target audience will help you make an informed decision.
 
4. Consider the platform
Be sure that whatever color mix you choose for your brand and products it can work online as well as in traditional print marketing. What looks great on a computer screen in RGB may not look so great on paper in CMYK. Also, carefully consider the color mix for your online messaging, active text and purchasing buttons, so to complement and at the same time stand out from the other content on the webpage.
 
5. Be consistent with color
Your branding and visual identity needs to be consistent, clear and uncomplicated. When you try to do too much color, your messaging gets lost. By keeping things consistent and clear, you are keeping your visual communications strong and memorable. Color consistency will ensure your audience develops a visual connection and relationship with your brand's personality and products. This will inevitable influence sales. 
 
​Scopic works with businesses to create strong and memorable brands, connect with us to find out more.

As we hit the last weeks of this year before the New Year break, it is not too late to review your 2017 content marketing strategy. As you already know, to really connect and engage with your audience – it takes much more than just a few random minutes across the day – you must produce relevant, targeted, valuable and consistent content.
 
To grow your business over the coming year, you should consider these 2017 content marketing trends before you start planning, creating and publishing content.
 
1. Go mobile
As mobile device users surge and speeds accelerate, people want more than just text-based content. Mobile users want to find mobile compatible content quickly and easily, so make the user experience stress-free with clear headings, bullet points and quality visuals that engage users.
Trend Snapshot:

• 80% of users (6.4 billion people) will consume content on a mobile device by 2020  

2. Go visual
Research shows images/videos perform much better than just words on a screen, but don’t compromise loading time. An easy way to increase loading speed, is to compress/reduce images and videos to ensure audience attention is not lost while waiting around.
Trend Snapshot:

• 75%+ of marketers used video in 2016 - video content is predicted to grow 2017  

3. Go live
With live content marketing becoming more achievable on mobile devices via FacebookLive, SnapChat, PeriscopeTV and Instagram Stories live streaming will grow in popularity in 2017. Both large and small businesses will easily be able to share product launches, new campaigns and branded events.
Trend Snapshot:

•  59% B2C and 68% B2B marketers used live events in 2016 - live content is predicted to grow 2017

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4. Target content
To truly connect and hold audience attention businesses can no longer be everything-to-everyone across multiple channels of communication. With a massive amount of content being published across numerous channels, businesses need to be more targeted with the content they create.
 
In 2017 businesses must firstly take the time to identify which channels have their target audience’s attention. Once they understand where the attention is they can then better create targeted - personalized - content that snatches audience attention from competitors.

All in all, successful businesses in 2017 will know where, when, what and how their audiences are consuming content - they will have nurtured a personal connection!
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Scopic works with businesses to create targeted content that snatches attention and increases engagement, contact us to find out more.

Do you communicate your services/products in a consistent way? If you don’t then you are potentially limiting future growth opportunities with your customers, clients, partners and employees. Having consistent branded communications is a real positive for both small and large businesses.
 
Positives of brand consistency:

• Projects professionalism
• Promotes customer loyalty
• Limits audience confusion
• Provides creative simplicity
• Builds on internal culture.

 
Here are 5 questions you need to answer before you can truly improve your brand consistency across your business.
 
1. Do you understand your target audience?
Understanding your target audience is an essential element in creating a successful brand. The words, colors, images and media platforms you use must be inline with your target audience in order to create engagement.
 
A few questions you need to know:

• What is the demographic breakdown of the target audience?
• What motivates the target audience?
• What are your target audience's expectations?
• What media platforms do your target audience use?
• What benefits are you offering to the target audience over your competitors?

 
Knowing who your business is speaking to will help you target your branded communications.
 
2. Do you keep things simple?
Your branded communications need to be simple and uncomplicated. When you try to do too much with your brand, things get confusing and inevitably consistency is easily lost.
 
A business should consider these brand-building basics:

• Use only two or three colors and one or two fonts
• Use recognizable and memorable shapes or design elements
• Use clear messages of professionalism, innovation and trust
• Use social media platforms that are easily accessible to your target audience.

 
3. Do you have a style guide?
An easy way to maintain brand consistency is to create a style guide with clear communication guidelines and specifications.
 
A style guide should include these essential basics:

• Brand message
• Brand colors
• Logo usage
• Copy – length, voice, tone
• Images and graphic style
• Media platform usage

 
If you don’t have a style guide then now is the time to create one to ensure a consistent look, feel and audience experience.
 
4. Do you audit your brand?
Having a clear communications style guide in place allows you to objectively audit your branded communications.
 
A brand audit should cover these initial basics:

• Business cards and stationary
• Brochures and flyers
• Email format and signatures
• Website and banners
• Social media profiles and posts

 
Of course, additional elements like advertising guidelines, product packaging, employee uniforms and even office design all play an important role in ensuring brand consistency.
 
5. Do you actively monitor and analyze your brand?
As your business grows, your target audience reach/diversity may also grow. For this reason, it is important to actively monitor and analyze your branded communications regularly in order to make sure your brand consistency is maintained. Scheduling an annual brand audit workshop allows varying departments to play an active role in the evolution of your brand.
 
A brand audit workshops should consider the following questions:

• Are brand communications inline with style guide?
• Are brand communications inline with customer expectations?
• Are brand communications inline with market changes?
• Are brand communications inline with industry trends?

 
Monitoring and analyzing branded communications will help position your brand for long-term future growth opportunities.
 
Scopic looks, listens and works with you to build a brand that attracts and engages your target audience, contact us to find out more.

Effective businesses use words, shapes, colors and technology to connect and engage with their target audience. Before even choosing the best communications mix for your corporate identity, it is important to firstly consider 5 key points.
 
1. Knowing your audience
Knowing and understanding your prospective partners and clients is an essential element in creating a successful corporate identity. Defining who you are speaking to will help you target your communications more effectively.  Take the time to carefully consider the professionalism of your marketing materials, the look of your company website and the consistency of the content on your social media platforms. Better understanding your audience will allow you to better target your corporate communications.
 
2. Keeping things simple
Your corporate identity needs to be simple and uncomplicated. When you try to do too much, things get confusing and inevitably communications get lost in translation. By keeping things simple you are keeping your communications strong, clear and understandable. Simple promises of professionalism, innovation and trust should be visually present across your corporate identity. Creatively simple corporate identities cut through and engage.
 
3. Knowing your colors
Color is a central element of your corporate identity. While it is not the only element in your corporate identity, it is definitely one of the first things seen and possibly one of the most remembered by prospective partners and clients. Research into the impact of color in marketing, conveniently titled Impact of color on marketing found that colors really do influence the moods and feelings (positively or negatively) of consumers. Be sure that whatever color mix you do choose for your business it can work online as well as in traditional print marketing. What looks great on a computer screen in RGB may not look so great on paper in CMYK.
 
4. Keeping communications consistent
The words, sentences, shapes, colors and images used across your corporate communications must be consistent. Keeping your corporate identity consistent will ensure your prospective partners and clients develop a strong connection and relationship with your business. However, please also remember, a corporate identity should evolve with the growth of a business and changes in the marketplace. So, it is important to monitor and evaluate your corporate identity in relation to your audience and the marketplace.
 
5. Knowing your style
The best way to know and maintain your corporate identity is to create a style guide with exact specifications and guidelines. To clearly communicate in a consistent way with partners and clients you should use the same tone of voice, fonts, colors, formats, images and media platforms. Also, using quality graphic designers, media planners and printers on a consistent basis, you will be able to maintain the strength of your corporate identity.
 
​Scopic works with you to create a strong and consistent corporate identity across your business, contact us to find out more.

It is no secret, in a fast-changing world, creating a strong brand is much more than simply the colors and shape of your logo. A strong brand is about taking the time to invest in researching, planning, execution and regular analysis.
 
Here are five basic brand-building tips to help you strengthen your brand and make your business stand out in a noisy global marketplace.
 
1. Understand Your Business
Before you can even start building your brand you must research the following questions and plan on where your brand is best positioned in a competitive market.
 
What is your business?  
What product/s or service/s do you offer?
Who are your competitors? 
What is your brand promise?   
What is your niche?  
 
The better you understand your business, the better you will be able to create a strong brand.
 
2. Know Your Audience
No business exists without customers, so you really need to firstly know your audience before you go about building your brand.
 
What is the demographic breakdown of your audience? 
What product/s or service/s do they want?
What are their consumer habits?
What motivates your audience?
What social media do they use?   
 
Playing it too safe with a particular demographic group could leave your brand looking boring, so it is important to keep your branded communications and marketing professional, creative and engaging at all times.
 
3. Consistency is Crucial
A strong brand is created through consistency and strong brand consistency allows your target audience to recognize your brand in a saturated marketplace.
 
Consistent messaging across branded communications
Consistent quality across visual communications
Consistent tone across written communications

Keeping your brand consistent will ensure your target audience develops familiarity with your business, and with familiarity comes brand trust and loyalty. Having clear brand guidelines will provide consistency for your business across various media such as web-based, television, radio, print, social media and related marketing activities.
 
4. Embrace Social Media
If your target audience is using social media, then your brand needs to be socially active. There are plenty of social media platforms to choose from, so take the time to research and plan which platform your target audience is engaging with on a regular basis.
 
Unless your business is a major global brand, you are probably safe starting with just a few from the more common platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube.
 
5. Monitor Your Brand
As your brand grows, your target audience reach may shift and change. You will need to monitor and analyze your communications and marketing campaigns regularly to keep on top of your competition.
 
Did you have increased search engine traffic and website visits?
Did your target audience engage with your branded campaign on social media?
How many new sales/sales leads or product/service enquires were generated?
How many social media users clicked over from your campaign to visit your website?
 
Only by researching, planning, monitoring and analyzing branded communications and marketing activities can you strengthen your brand for future growth opportunities.

Scopic works with you to create strong branded communications and marketing solutions for your business, contact us to find out more.

Nielsen a global leader in consumer measurement and information offers a snap shot on how a creative strategy can resonate with different consumer groups in different ways. 

"For years, Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s creative strategy has included incorporating sex appeal into a number of their ad campaigns. While their sexual advertising, presumably targeting male audiences, catches viewers’ attention in high-profile events such as the Super Bowl, analysis via TV Brand Effect identified the polarizing effects that these ads have on women that could impact the brand’s overall equity in the long run."

FINDING #1
Carl’s Jr. ads featuring sex appeal creative are no more memorable than their ads without sex appeal for both men and women. 

FINDING #2
Both men and women were more likely to connect the sexual ads to the Carl’s Jr. brand than their non-sexual ads. 

Download the full report here: Nielsen Case Study - Using Sex to Sell

Watch Carl's Jr. | Tex Mex Bacon Thickburger commercial here: Tex meets Mex - Borderball

Scopic helps you connect with your target audience via creative communications, contact us to find out more.

Today, choosing a domain name is similar to choosing a business name. Your website “domain” name is just as important to your branding and marketing as the name of your business.
 
Here are five simple tips to consider when creating that perfect domain name.
 
1. Easy to type
Having a domain name that is easy to type is extremely important to your online success.
 
2. Short is best
If your domain name is long and complex, you risk customers mistyping or misspelling it.
 
3. Keep it simple
A simple domain name will make it easy for potential customers to find and remember you in a competitive marketplace.
 
4. Make it obvious
Your domain name needs to be specific to your business, the trading name, the products and services you are offering the target market.
 
5. Commit to it
Search engines actually look at your domain name's length of registration to help them judge whether your site is for really worth ranking.
 
Scopic works with you from the start to create a strong and consistent identity across your brand, contact us to find out more.

A recent Nielsen study examined the impact of collaboration in the concept development stage of a new product. The results of the study showed, involving more collaborators leads to a larger pool of ideas, which creates more opportunities to identify a single idea that consumers truly love.
 
Here are five benefits of creating a collaborative environment.
 
1. Encourages creativity
Brainstorming as part of a collaborative team encourages creative ideas to bloom. Sharing varying viewpoints creates more effective solutions to developmental problems.
 
2. Builds trust
Collaborating in a team environment builds trust and confidence among team members. This trust and confidence will promote an open and supportive workplace where fresh ideas are rewarded. 
 
3. Increases knowledge
Working with other employees or outsourced specialists develops the skills and knowledge of all the team. Your employees will benefit from being part of a bigger team with a range diverse skill sets.  
 
4. Supports risk-taking
Teams tend to take more risks, as they have a support network to fall back on. Teamwork allows employees the freedom to think outside the box and take more healthy risks in the development stage.
 
5. Promotes ownership
Collaborative projects encourage team members to feel proud of the ideas and solutions shared. Working in a team allows employees to feel more connected to the company.
 
Read the report: How Collaboration Drives Innovation Success
 
Scopic works collaboratively with you to create smarter solutions, contact us to find out more.