In an interview given iQads, we answered a few questions about trends in branding.
Brands realized they could no longer be self-centered, so their humanization came naturally, says Dionisia Sandu, Senior Brand Manager Brandfusion. In fact, purpose is the very foundation on which the industry is built, but it has gained an oversize in recent years, as a result of studies, reports and figures that show that the success of a company is directly influenced by the existence of a purpose that animates it day by day.
At stake, however, is authenticity. And one of the predisposing forms of manifestation is packaging. Soon, it will be implicit that all packaging is recyclable/sustainable, and brands will no longer be able to display this as a value, believes Stefan Ferencz, Brand Design Director Brandfusion.
Dionisia and Stefan analyze the trends that animate branding at the moment, from minimalist logos and recyclable packaging, to the honesty of companies' actions, in their attempt to get closer to consumers and reach the branding of the political movement, also taking into account the social and political context in the country.
“I think people have become more and more aware of their role and how much energy they can generate together, when they gather around an idea, a purpose, that we were talking about it all the time.”
Trend of 2018
Dionysia:I think that unlike the other related disciplines, branding is less about trends and more about timeless things, be they values, principles or whatever we want to call them. In itself, a branding action, comes to discover that defining, universally valid thing that stands the test of time.
Of course, there are years when there is more talk about certain aspects, what it means to have a purpose, how democratic the process of building a brand is, how you act on-brand, etc. And maybe companies are doing more things in one direction or another.
How important are trends
Dionysia:It depends on what kind of trends we look at. If we are talking about the construction of a brand, product for example, then yes - it is important to see what is trending and what is relevant for the consumer of now and tomorrow. Because your brand will be built for it.
If we think about company brands, it is important, rather, to understand what is the trend of the industry in which they operate, where things are going, what the future of the businesses in the category will look like. Because the brand is built for the long term.
Otherwise, industry trends are always subordinate to your brand strategy - it's cool to have fun names with missing vowels, if the brand personality you're building isn't like that.
Humanization of brands and what it means
Dionysia:The humanization of brands came naturally, as the profile of consumers changed and brands realized that they could no longer be self-centered. Discussions about purpose have become more and more present since companies began to seriously wonder what resonates with people (whether customers or employees) and what creates real attachment.
While purpose is not new to branding, it is the very foundation on which the industry is built. Now there are studies, reports and figures that show that the success of a company is directly influenced by the existence of a purpose that animates it day by day. And suddenly, brand consultants are no longer the only ones talking about it.
In the case of the purpose, I think that the great challenge of the Romanian brands is, in addition to the willingness to define it, the constancy in carrying out their activity after it, in everything they do.
Causes
Dionysia: Authenticity is fundamental in branding. People feel when brands try to forcibly align with a trend, without it being in their nature. And they charge that over time. When you see that Patagonia donates millions of dollars (exempt from administration irresponsibility) to environmental causes, you understand that it is part of their way of being, that it aligns with the purpose of the brand, that it is something rooted in the structure of the brand. Because it is not a punctual action, it is still a way of living its purpose.
On the other hand, when you talk about creating opportunities and empowering people to change the traditional way of relating to mobility, but more and more stories emerge from within, in which own people have not been able to live by these principles, something is wrong. And no communication campaign or brand revitalization will straighten that out.
Ethics
Dionysia:On the part of brand consultants, ethics is closely related to the desire to maintain a level of professionalism of the industry and to do things to a certain standard. On the one hand you have a responsibility to the domain, on the other hand you have a responsibility to the customer of your brand. Hence the persistence to build on authentic, real, true things.
Logos
Stefan:Modern identities live fluidly and combine many touchpoints. That is why the projects that have been attracting attention lately are addressing these needs on all levels. Outside, the brand experience is carefully studied, and large companies lean on every detail. We note responsive logos, adapted to different screen sizes and instances, use of micro-interactions, customization of font families, concept photography.
Apparent minimalism is actually a distillation of brand identity. Unnecessary design elements disappear in favor of content, and the remaining assets acquire a distinctive character (type, color, photo style).
In Romania there is still no brand that does all these things consistently.
Packaging
Stefan: As consumers have become increasingly aware of the environmental impact, brands have reacted by adopting sustainable/recycled packaging. If for now it is something new, it is interesting to watch how this direction will evolve in a future where you cannot lag behind on the shelf, both for ethical and legislative reasons. Soon, it will be implicit that all packaging is recyclable/sustainable, and brands will no longer be able to display this as a value:).
At the design level, some more frequently explored directions would be simplicity as sophistication, packaging with background generated by artists, minimalist illustrations, gender-neutral design (which avoids the product being defined as female/male).
What caught your attention in branding
Dionysia:In Romania, in 2018, there was quite a lot of effervescence around city/location branding and political movement branding, taking into account the social and political context in the country.
I think people have become more and more aware of their role and how much energy they can generate together, when they gather around an idea, a purpose, that we were talking about it all the time. It is interesting to see from our perspective how such movements will evolve.
What to expect for 2019
Dionysia:For us, “long-term impact” is the idea that will animate us in 2019 and beyond. We believe that the role of our solutions is to help businesses meet their goals and brave entrepreneurs to put their vision into practice. Strategically designed branding has a visible and lasting impact in the business.