Building Brand Messaging that Works
This article was contributed by Margaret Kerr-Jarrett
When working with designers, I often get the questions: Is messaging a part of brand strategy or brand identity? Do I really need to include messaging at all?
It's confusing, isn’t it?
If brand messaging/language is what complements the visual design, then wouldn’t brand messaging really be a part of brand identity and not the initial brand strategy?
Yes and no. Let me explain.
When you work to get to know your client, putting in place all of the strategic elements that will set you up for branding success, you want that final deliverable - whether you call it a strategy document, a brand roadmap, or something else - to be as useful and comprehensive as possible. Because that document is primarily written, not visual, you should ensure from the beginning that the words are reflective of the core brand messaging, voice, and tone.
In short, your strategy document, in the very words you choose, should serve as a living example of your brand.
In short-er, language is primary to branding, not secondary. It's not an afterthought, and it won’t do you well to quickly “add it in” later on in your process.
So….what do I put in that strategy document?
Because a brand is so much more than the visual identity or even the words associated with the brand (it’s the “gut feeling” -- remember?), I like to take a flexible and adaptable approach to brand messaging. It goes as follows:
Gather client gems: Comb through your strategy session notes and recordings and create a document with any interesting phrases or words that differentiate your client and speak to their market position in a passionate and authentic way.
Gather customer gems: Gather voice-of-customer research and create a document using the customers own words. Focus on phrases/words that speak to emotions, pain points, descriptions of the product, and aspirational identities (as in, focusing on who your audiences aspire to be).
Voice/tone: Define (at least minimally) the voice and tone of the brand. I like to use voice/tone charts, but even a simple description can be enough. Resist the urge to be cliche here. Saying your brand is “professional” doesn’t tell us much. However, qualifying your descriptions, like saying “bold, but not infallible,” will help the brand understand where on the continuum this voice characteristic really falls.
Draft core messaging: Create a set of flexible and powerful words or phrases that will serve as the foundation for all future writing. Think of this as a precursor to visual brand identity and a way to ensure brand alignment from the beginning. This messaging may turn into a tagline, a value proposition, or many things at once!
Have your gems and voice/toned lined up and still don’t know where to start? Look at successful brands for inspiration, and even consider checking out some classic pieces of literature or poetry. Reflect on what lines really stand out and why. This return to the fundamentals of language is a great way to hone your messaging skill set.
One great and iconic example is Nike’s current brand messaging: “Bring inspiration and innovation to every *athlete in the world. *If you have a body, you are an athlete.”
You’ll see throughout their websites and brand materials, this core message and the words it uses (such as inspiration, innovation, athlete) are repeated over and over in different formats. The message is used in some places as a mission statement, in others as a description, and in ad campaigns, “about” text, and elsewhere. It's a set of words that really packs a punch--flexible, powerful, and memorable.
Img. Credit: Nike.com
5. Draft supplementary messaging: Once you know how your brand speaks and can point to a core message/set of messages, you can work on other valuable written assets for the strategy. These supplementary assets are typically more for internal alignment than external presentation (as opposed to the core messaging, which will become ubiquitous in your public presence). These elements should all serve as reflections of the core messaging.
I usually include the following, but feel free to adapt to your clients needs:
Vision - how will the world be different as a result of this brand in the long-term?
Mission - what is the brand doing right now to accomplish their goals/work towards their vision?
Why - Simon Sinek said it best! A well-articulated “why” can serve as a true north for a budding brand.
Manifesto (optional) - A creative and passionate expression of the brand’s beliefs and purpose. Dove’s real beauty pledge is a great example of a manifesto in action.
Values - What guidelines does the brand uphold when making decisions and presenting themselves to the world? H&M has a set of publicly-displayed values that are truly represented in the brand they have built.
This 5-step process was designed to help you (even if you’re not a “natural writer”) extract the core emotional resonance from your clients, customers, and from the brand itself--leading to what will hopefully be an authentic and effective brand strategy and experience.
And don’t forget--words have a unique power. With an extremely small number of (carefully crafted) words, you can create new emotional experiences and illicit the empathy that eludes much of the advertising and marketing world. It may be simpler than you think.
Good luck!
Margaret
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About the author:
Margaret Kerr-Jarrett is a writer working at the confluence of strategy, branding, and poetry. She partners with brands, designers, and agencies to build concepts, campaigns, and companies with language at their core. A relentless advocate of writing, and specifically poetry, as a primal tool for communication, Margaret gives workshops and writes articles about creative writing for brands. Check out her website at margaretkj.com and connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIn.