Consistent brand voice: How to be unmistakable no matter what the channel One of the most satisfying things you can achieve as a business or personality is instant brand recognition. You know, those little moments of marketing glory when people can name your brand from the first sentence of an article, social media caption, or even live chat. A big part of this comes back to maintaining a consistent brand voice across all channels, teams, and formats. Consistent branding ensures all your marketing and communication sounds like one cohesive thing, not several disjointed versions of it. And when done right, consistent brand voice builds recognition, trust, and customer confidence and makes collaboration across marketing, sales, and service easier. But how do you maintain a consistent brand voice in a time when businesses are expected to be omnipresent? I’ll take you through what brand voice is, why it matters, and exactly how to create a clear, well-documented brand voice your entire organization can use confidently. Table of Contents Executive Summary What is a consistent brand voice? Why a Consistent Brand Voice Matters Brand Voice vs Tone of Voice Where Your Brand Needs a Consistent Voice The 7-step Process to a Consistent Brand Voice Tools to Keep Your Brand Voice Consistent Common Brand Voice Challenges and How to Fix Them Consistent Brand Voice Examples Frequently Asked Questions About Consistent Brand Voice Executive Summary A consistent brand voice is...

Jaguar's Rebrand: Bold Move or Costly Mistake? Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better. Jaguar’s recent rebrand has people talking, but not in the way most marketers hope for. Gone are the classic cues of British elegance. In their place is minimalism and “modernist exuberance.” Their rebrand campaigns involve cryptic videos, high-fashion models, and a new mantra: “Copy nothing. Delete ordinary.” Reactions have been mixed. Marketing legend Mark Ritson called it “f---ing lunacy,” while Rory Sutherland is reserving judgment, saying, “It’s too early to call.” So, what’s Jaguar playing at? What has Jaguar done? The historic British car manufacturer has gone for a new look. The leaping cat has been removed from the logo. In its place is a minimalist wordmark that now reads “JaGUar.” Yes… with that random capitalization. Jaguar launched this rebrand by wiping their social media profiles clean and replacing their branding with car-free visuals. This prompted Elon Musk to ask, “Do you sell cars?”. But the change is part of a broader strategy. Jaguar’s sales have been falling, and there’s a real fear that the brand can’t rely on its existing customer base. To cope, Jaguar is repositioning as a £100k+ luxury EV brand to rival Porsche and Bentley. Rather than targeting an older generation who adore its British roots, Jaguar plans to target “cash-rich, time-poor” millennials and Gen Z. But will it work? The Tropicana Effect Most marketers can recount a long...

Consumers Care About Brand Values: How To Communicate Them in a Way That Wins Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better. As an inclusive marketing strategist and consultant, one of the things I talk about consistently with my clients is brand values. Many of them want to win over a bigger and more diverse customer base, but I have to make it clear that those efforts won’t be successful or sustainable if they don’t practice what they preach since brand values are now an important part of consumers' purchase decision strategy. In fact, HubSpot's Consumer Trends Report found that 82% of consumers want to engage with and buy from brands that share their values. I’ve even found that I use my credit card as a form of activism and intentionally buy from brands whose values are ones I believe in and want to reward. My hot take is that, despite its importance, most brands don’t do a very good job of showcasing their values, but those that do it well do it well. Read on to find some high-quality examples from brands that stand out. How Smart Brands Demonstrate Their Values to Consumers Brand values are usually developed when leaders are building a brand and determining a mission, vision, and or purpose. When I work with clients on this, we often do it in the context of revisiting and revising their mission, vision, and brand values, to make...

From Pretty Logos to Real Impact: How I Shifted My Focus from Visual to Emotional Branding Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better. I never wanted a business that only looked good from the outside. Creating only to satisfy the eyes of onlookers, audiences, and critics would be, and will always be, a waste of my time. Over a decade ago, I walked away from a dull, corporate job because it felt like a trap — a suffocating environment designed to put me on a creatively draining conveyor belt headed for “Welcome to 65 and retirement!” Frankly, that wasn’t for me. I became an entrepreneur so that I could build a business that is a free-flowing, evolving extension of who I am, rather than morphing it to fit what I think the industry wants it to be. For most of my career, I’ve been a “figure it out” sort of girl. I’ve DIY-ed my way to success, including creating my own logos and coding my old websites. So, when I realized the visual aspects of my business didn’t necessarily align with the heart of it, I paused, evaluated, and made a shift. In the process, I learned the vital difference between visual and emotional branding. This evolution took time because, with my background in photography, I am a very visually-inspired person! Eventually, I learned how to harness my obsession with pretty logos, fun fonts, and...

Creating Your Brand Voice: A Complete Guide Even if you’re brand new to brand voice, you already know exactly what it is. I promise. Think of a few of your favorite brands, and consider why they’re favs. The product or service probably has a lot to do with it, but that’s only part of the story — a brand’s voice or personality is also a major factor in consumer loyalty.  Think about the overall vibe of your favorite brand — is it friendly? Authoritative? Funny? That’s brand voice at work. A well-defined brand voice can underscore your authority, play up your playfulness, or simply bring the directness and relatability that consumers look for in brands. A poorly defined voice, or one that changes frequently, undermines your brand and alienates customers or clients. So let’s talk about how to start from scratch by looking at the elements that form a brand’s voice, plus 10 examples to inspire you. Table of Contents Brand Voice Examples What is a brand voice? Why Brand Voice is Important Creating a Brand Voice Brand Voice Template Crafting Your Voice Your company’s voice should resonate with your audience and build trust with them. In the U.S. market, 90% of consumers say it’s important to trust the brands they buy or use. Your brand voice shows your customers what to expect from your company’s content, services, and even customer service. Why Brand Voice is Important Brand...

14 Best Corporate Social Responsibility Examples in 2024 I ran a survey in early May 2024 where I asked consumers if they thought brands should practice social responsibility — 90% said yes. Consumers want brands to make a difference, meaning they care about corporate social responsibility. In this post, I’ll discuss: Types of Corporate Social Responsibility How can brands be socially responsible? Corporate Social Responsibility Examples 14 Socially Responsible Brands Corporate Social Responsibility Trends Types of Corporate Social Responsiblity Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is companies showing care for society and the planet in addition to how much care is shown for their profits and bottom line. It’s corporations making decisions that leave a positive footprint through thoughtful practices and initiatives. There are four main types of CSR: environmental, philanthropic, human rights and ethics, and economic. 1. Environmental Responsibility Environmental CSR is when businesses champion environmentally friendly practices, like ensuring physical products are produced sustainably or with sustainable materials, offsetting harmful emissions, and using renewable energy. 2. Philanthropic Responsibility Philanthropic CSR is charity-based, whether through charitable giving, partnering with charitable organizations, or even creating separate charitable wings of a business. The overall goal of this type of CSR is to better the surrounding world and specific communities. 3. Human Rights and Ethical Responsibility Human rights and ethical CSR involve practices supporting human rights, such as fair treatment of anyone involved with the business (suppliers, customers, etc.) and following fair trade...

21 Brand Style Guide Examples for Visual Inspiration Developing a consistent brand starts with creating a brand style guide. These branding rule books help graphic designers, marketers, web developers, community managers, and even product packaging departments all stay on the same page, and present a unified vision of the brand to the public. The best brands stick in our brains because their presence is defined by the repetition of the same logo, fonts, colors, and images. Once we see them enough, they become instantly recognizable, bringing us a clear sense of reliability and security. All of this is possible when each member of your team adheres to a cohesive brand style guide. In this article, we'll go over what brand guidelines are, the elements of a style guide, and some amazing examples of them in action to use as inspiration for your next branding project or website redesign. Picture the most recognizable brands you can think of. Chances are, you've learned to recognize them because of the consistency across the messaging — written or visual — these brands broadcast. The same brand colors are reflected across them. The language sounds familiar. It's all very organized and, while not rigid, it's cohesive. Even if you work at a small company, you can also create a brand style guide that takes your company’s visual identity to the next level. But before you sit down to create your branding guidelines, it’s essential to take a step back and define your...

Brand Colors — Everything You Need to Know Brand colors shape how people perceive your business. Up to 80% of snap judgments about products are solely based on color alone. That's right, 80%! Think about McDonald's for a moment. What pops into your mind? The yellow arches, right? McDonald's has done a fantastic job of using its colors to establish a memorable brand identity that stays with you long after you've finished your burger and fries. So why settle for a forgettable brand image that blends in with the crowd? Let's sprinkle some color into our article and discover the powerful connection between colors and branding. What are brand colors? Why Brand Colors Matter The Brand Color Formula How to Choose Brand Colors Color Psychology Tips Brand Color Best Practices Inspiration From 10 Brands That Get it Right Why Brand Colors Matter 1. Colors establish brand identity and recognition. Today’s market is overwhelmed. So, how can you find your top spot there? Using consistent brand colors is a great way to establish brand recognition and identity. For example, let’s look at Coca-Cola. The company has been using its signature red and white colors since 1886. Red represents excitement, passion, and energy, while white represents purity and simplicity. These colors have become synonymous with the brand and are instantly recognizable by people worldwide. Image source 2. Brand colors evoke emotions and associations. Let's admit it. We're all guilty of making purchases based on emotions. And since...

14 of the Most (& Least) Successful Brand Extensions to Inspire Your Own Hailee Steinfeld is mainly known for her acting chops, but her singing abilities bolster her esteem as a performer and stretch her brand to more audiences and fans. And just like her venture into music, companies often extend their brand to develop new products in industries where they don’t have any market share. These initiatives are called brand extensions, and they allow companies to leverage their brand awareness and equity to create more revenue streams. In this article, you’ll learn more about what a brand extension is and see examples of extension ideas that could inspire you. Skip to: What a Brand Extension Is Brand Extension Types Brand Health Measures Brand Extension Examples What is a brand extension? Brand extension is a marketing strategy that involves a company using its well-established brand name or image to introduce a new product or product categories to its customer base. This strategy works best when the new product category is related to its parent category and is something consumers and customers want. Many companies use brand extensions because it allows them to leverage their parent brand’s brand awareness and authority to reach new demographics and open up new sales channels. One company that does brand extensions well is Apple. Although Apple started as a technology company that makes only computers (Macs), it soon extended its product line to include music players...

21 Brand Style Guide Examples for Visual Inspiration Developing a consistent brand starts with creating a brand style guide. These branding rule books help graphic designers, marketers, web developers, community managers, and even product packaging departments all stay on the same page, and present a unified vision of the brand to the public. The best brands stick in our brains because their presence is defined by the repetition of the same logo, fonts, colors, and images. Once we see them enough, they become instantly recognizable, bringing us a clear sense of reliability and security. All of this is possible when each member of your team adheres to a cohesive brand style guide. In this article, we'll go over what brand guidelines are, the elements of a style guide, and some amazing examples of them in action to use as inspiration for your next branding project or website redesign. Picture the most recognizable brands you can think of. Chances are, you've learned to recognize them because of the consistency across the messaging — written or visual — these brands broadcast. The same brand colors are reflected across them. The language sounds familiar. It's all very organized and, while not rigid, it's cohesive. Here are a few types of guidelines you'd find in a brand style guide and which parts of a brand they can influence. Download our free resource on how to create your own style guide with brand guidelines templates to follow. Creating a consistent style...