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Straydog Branding

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Branding

Straydog Launches Mander Group

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Diana Mander and her team had vision of revitalizing their full-service home rental & property management business into something that would help them stand out and create focus.

Brand Challenge

Mander Group offers friendly, professional service with a boutique flavour. Their challenge was even thought their reputation in the industry is top notch, they were not effectively communicating to their consumers about exactly what they offer and the Mander experience, that is like no other.

Other challenges were there current website was difficult to update listings, change photos, and just plain out of date.

Brand Strategy

Our goal with this project was to create a brand experience and online presence that is engaging and desirable. We strategically positioned the business as a brand that not only focused on a professional full-service experience, but also focuses on their greatest quality — personalized, grass roots service.

The Mander Group takes pride in carefully searching out rental homes that fit their clients lifestyle and we developed a brand design that suggests intimate personalized service and evokes the team’s rich history and knowledge of the north shore.

The graphic design gives the brand a warm but modern feel and sets them apart from the competition. Because the brand’s logo design is based on quotations, we created a playful tone of voice for the brand which we expressed in a simple but powerful statement “I want to live…” followed by various descriptions of what consumers desire most about living in West and North Vancouver.

We built the website in WordPress with customized functionality for easy posting of listings, blog functionality, social media integration and simplified managing of content and information. This ease of use allows the team to focus on what they do best!

Brand Launch

The entire brand experience speaks to consumers in a language that build trust and likability. The rebrand will give the Mander Group valuable exposure and serve to lure its affluent customers and build trust with its clients.

View the re-branding of Mander Group in our portfolio->

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10 Reasons For a Brand Reposition

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The term “brand” represents your business values, history, personality and direction. It’s a statement as to who you are and what you stand for. As times changes so will your business, the brand and the image it projects.

What is involved in Re-Branding?

For corporate companies, it’s a strategic action in which they will partner in research with a design firm to determine what elements require changing or refreshing.

 

How do you know when you need a re-brand?

The changes in your business may be difficult to pinpoint, but are typically specific to your business model and you may not have even realized the changes that took place.

Sum up everything that has changed about your business from the processes, target market, sales strategies to the way you’re now perceived. Look at it in a time line, what’s changed within a year, anything significant or an accumulation of small changes — A number of small changes can be just as strong as a large change!

  1. A need to increase relevance to the consumer.
  2. Your brand has a confusing or nonexistent image.
  3. You are broadening your brand to appeal to additional consumers.
  4. The primary benefit your brand “owns” has evolved from a differentiating benefit to a cost-of-entry benefit.
  5. Your business is significantly altering its strategic direction.
  6. A new competitor with a superior value proposition enters your industry.
  7. The tone of the brand does not speak to the target market.
  8. Your business has acquired a proprietary advantage that must be worked into the brand positioning.
  9. Corporate culture renewal dictates at least a revision of the brand personality.
  10. The brand looks and feels dated and/or its technology has evolved and is not represented.

Learn More about Straydog’s Vancouver Branding Studio [+]

 

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Branding Misconceptions

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Often times when discussing creative needs with clients, common misconceptions about branding come into play.

It is vital that you understand the importance, value, and return associated with a solid brand, or you’re never going to tap the power of branding and its full potential. Here is a list of the Top 6 misconceptions when it comes to branding.

Misconception #1: Brand is a logo

Yes, logos are a significant part of the Brand Identity, and can say a lot about the character of a company and its offering. But a brand is more complex than a logo, it is the perception in the mind of the consumer, it is the personality and values of a company, and it is a gut feeling.

I’ve already got a brand, I did the logo myself”…Good for you! But a logo is not a brand.

…You should be concerned if all you have is a logo. It’s rare that you can encompass all aspects of your brand into your logo, so you want to make sure you are utilizing other branding elements to support and carry your brand message. Your brand is formulated by the many interactions consumers have with your communications, staff, products and services. Therefore, your brand must project consistently in every aspect of your marketing, PR, and all other touch points.

Misconception #2: Brands are only successful with a big advertising budget.

You might have thought you were limited in your efforts to build your brand because you
can’t afford TV commercials and billboards, but think again. Not only is advertising ineffective without a strong brand foundation, there is far more value in the messaging and its consistency. Brands are not successful by a big marketing budget.

“We just don’t have the marketing budget right now.”
…You have your priorities reversed.

…Your brand strategy and branding initiatives shouldn’t be dependent on your marketing – your marketing should be dependent on your overall brand strategy

Misconception #3: Brands are there to influence consumers

Small businesses grow because of relationship building and consistency. Your product or service is only part of the brand, and it’s not the only reason why customers choose you. It’s really about who you are as a person, a corporation, or a team. Trust and transparency is an integral part of your brand’s success and it’s what will influence customers to become loyal.

When you and your brand are functioning as an energized and cohesive unit, focused on the brand promise and values, you will see a significant shift in your customer and their purchase habits. Building your brand from the inside out will ensure you the greatest returns when your brand reaches the outside.

Misconception #4: Brands are the responsibility of the marketing department

If a brand is not understood and revisited by all members of the organization, brand’s can often create false promises. Products and services must deliver on their brand promise, and it’s the role of every staff member to deliver the message consistently.

It’s the company’s responsibility to educate employees of the brand and make sure they have the tools to protect and enhance a brand’s strength. Delivering on the brand’s promises requires the involvement of virtually every employee in all areas of the organization, even those who have no direct customer contact.

Misconception #5: Consumers don’t really care what the brand looks like

Some industries are less glamorous than others, and some business owners may claim that they don’t need to work on the brand because their market doesn’t really care. Well, audiences are much more intuitive than many business owners perceive. No matter what brand the consumer is buying, they still desire products and services that they are attracted to and that they can connect with.

A brand is an expression of the company, so if the company makes quality products and the brand doesn’t convey the same level of quality, there will be an inevitable lack of confidence.

Misconception #6: Professional Branding services are only for large businesses

Creative design studio’s come in all shapes and sizes, and regardless of scale, smaller companies should not be intimidated by approaching a larger branding agency. Design agencies may offer a sliding scale of services that still fits within your budget. They may also be open to gaining experience in a new industry or building on a specific part of their portfolio.

On the flip side, larger companies should not rule out smaller agencies who also offer quality work and may even have a faster turn around time due to a more flexible business model. The most important thing to remember is that branding is a vital investment in the long-term success of your business, and it should be developed with a strategic and professional design agency.

Summary

When you understand that your brand is made up of all of the touch points your stakeholders experience both on the inside and out, you’ll see that doing all the things you do every day consistently with an understanding of your brand will efficiently build what people think of you.

When you create a powerful brand, you will attract the customers, clients, projects, and referrals that you desire. Deliver your branding message consistently, and you’ll be rewarded with consistent profit growth.

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