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Branding Services

Brand strategy 101 for Start-up Founders

When the term ‘amazon’ comes up, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Online shopping, right? You definitely didn’t think of Amazon rainforests.

Similarly, when a term like ‘apple’ pops, rather than thinking of the fruit we remember the tech giant Apple. And when you search online, you are Google-ing. This is the power of good branding. All consuming their user’s mind. But these brands are famous not just because of their products or services, but because they have mastered the art of branding themselves to their user.

And if you have decided to join the legion of start-ups shaking up the market, you will have to achieve such a level of memorable and, perhaps even disruptive, branding.

Flora Fountain, currently one of the best branding agencies in ahmedabad, was also a start-up back in the year 2016. Through our experience, we understand that building a new business from scratch is tough. But still exciting!

So here we are, with a simple brand strategy for you to not be “just another start-up”!

Research & find your niche

The first thing as a start-up you need to know is – who is your audience and what moves them. Finding answers to simple questions can help you get clarity on what you need to do next. Questions like:

  • Who is my target audience?
  • What do they like or dislike?
  • Where are they?
  • How old are they?
  • How likely are they to seek a service or product like mine?
  • How would they come across a product or service like mine?
  • Who are my competitors?

And so on.

If you think you need help in finding the answers to the above questions, you can also hire the brand strategy services from agencies that hold expertise in these segments and find answers to these questions through user and market research. Such services include interviews, surveys, focus groups and workshops which help find answers to such questions.

As one of the best branding agencies in Ahmedabad, Flora Fountain also conducted a similar branding workshop for a manufacturing company. With the help of innovative questions and exercises, we assisted them in finding their niche.

Research & find your niche

Identity creation

According to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of all the thinking that prompts our behaviour (including consumer decisions) is subconscious. That means your target audience will be driven by subconscious factors that they associate with the brand. How the brand makes them feel, whether or not it aligns with their values and lifestyle, how they think associating with this brand will be perceived in their peer group and so on.

Identity creation-1

A great example of an older brand that has worked on an impactful identity creation touching on all these points creating a loyal following is Royal Enfield.

Identity creation-2

“Naam me sab rakha hai!”

When the renowned playwright William Shakespeare said “what’s in a name”, he was definitely not referring to the world of business! Because when it comes to identity creation for a company, NAME actually matters!

As an entrepreneur, your company name is the first thing that comes out of your mouth while introducing your work. That name helps you to stand out from the crowd and promote your values.

As branding experts who have advised and named a number of companies, we’ve seen how creativity and research can help brands build an image in the market. One such example is one of our clients who was into the retail of health and kitchen products like alkaline water purifiers. They were named Shri Laxmi Enterprise. While selling a healthy forward-thinking product they needed to connect and wow their audience, so we came up with the brand name, Sante Life. Sante meaning a cheer to good health in French worked perfectly with the word life to both be simple, memorable and yet connected to the products they were selling.

Still not convinced? Believe us, choosing the wrong name proved to be bad for many brands!

Connect with a memorable message

You need to get your audience hooked. Sometimes the best way to do this is by telling them your story. Think about the origin of your company, where did the germ of this idea originate, what prompted you to create the products you are offering? Dig deep and find your motivation and values.

You can convey this message with the help of logos, colours, taglines, a distinctive voice in all the mediums you use to communicate with your user.

When it comes to logos, make sure that you perform due diligence to avoid any trademark violations or copyright infringements. Create a new one but keep some points in mind.

Of course, you can hire a branding agency like Flora Fountain which offers logo design and brand strategy services in Ahmedabad to many well-known brands in the region. Brands such as CarzSpa – the car detailing studio, Vajra jewels, Mulberry looms, Goodwooder, Mistrywood and so on.

CONNECT WITH A MEMORABLE MESSAGE

Similarly, it is said that colour improves brand recognition by up to 80%, hence choose your colour wisely. Make sure to be consistent with the colour on all platforms for it to work for your brand.

Define your voice which you want to use to connect with your audience. For instance, if you want to come off as a casual and lively brand, use a quirky and playful voice while talking to your customers. If you want to talk to teenagers, choose a hip and more friendly tone that not only communicates with them but also upholds the company’s voice. Just remember to establish a persona for your company, for the people to relate to you.

Website to make the customer sit up and take notice!

Last year in January there were more than 4.66 billion active internet users all across the world. Hence, when all of your audience is online, your web presence is a must. Your website can help you do that.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the colours, fonts, typography, and images used on the website should be of the same family. The tone on your website should reflect what you want to convey to your audience. But before that, you must have a domain name, an address where users will be able to access your website.

Social media

Look where most of your audience is and which platform they use the most. And then create profiles on it. Considering the large number of people who use social media (approx. 4.62 billion people) in current times, a fraction of your audience must be on it too. You can easily reach and stay in touch with your potential customers too!

Social media platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, Reddit, Quora, give you an opportunity to connect with your potential clients in real-time via comments, reactions, and chats. Study your audience and leverage their social media preferences. Show your clients that you are indeed a real deal.

As one of the top digital marketing agencies in Ahmedabad, we also started social media for a start-up called Zoobiz helping them gain a reliable and steady audiences through social media promotions.

PRO TIP: Consistency is the key! Always remember to be consistent in the efforts you make for your brand.

It’s true that the complexity of the branding process sounds like a lot! But it doesn’t have to be, with Flora Fountain’s Brand Strategy Services in Ahmedabad. Let’s bring your vision to life over a cup of coffee! Call 09558079502 or email us at hello@flora.ffteam.in to start a conversation.

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Branding Services

Lift up your brand spirits with humour

An entrepreneur, an advertiser and a comedian walk into a bar….

Yes, they made a knock off your pants funny campaign together, got featured on Social Samosa, generated a whole lot of ‘shares’ and ‘saves’ on Instagram and branded their message right into their TG’s minds!

You get the drift.

So why and how are some of the best branding agencies in India and Ahmedabad, yours truly at Flora Fountain included, using humour to create memorability and differentiation for a brand? Read on to know it all…

Why humour works in selling?

People love to laugh. It’s something that almost everyone has in common. That’s why using humor is a popular advertising technique. The key, of course, is doing something that a majority of people will find funny. Laughter is always good for people. It can reduce pain and stress as well as lower blood pressure. Getting people to laugh also makes them more inclined to think positively about a business and buy its products.

And guess everyone knows, that the best ice breaker in the world is jokes (after food of course). And some of the most commonly heard conversation starters are, “have you seen/heard that ad where…”. That’s how humour creates a recall for brands, making it stand out and get its message shared among more people.

Popular brands that have used humour to spice up their marketing game

Let’s take a look at how some of the brands became household names with their wit and humour in delivering the message and marketing their products.

Old Spice

The popular men’s deodorant and hygiene products brand is known to go meta with their campaigns, making fun of the whole idea of advertising in itself. It usually features a very well built, handsome man, doing something completely out of context in their commercials, like riding a horse on a beach while mouthing the catchphrase addressing women, “Ladies, your man can smell just like me”. Here, take a look at one of their television commercials that aired sometime back.

Prime Video

Amazon’s video streaming service Prime Video in India has decided go all out and tickle the funny bone to promote the movies and shows on their platform. One look at their India Instagram page and you’ll find out posts peppered with humorous memes and jokes all involving some scene or dialogue from one of the movies in their catalogue, and a pop culture reference. One of their longest running advertising and marketing gags is wishing its followers “Good Morning” through funny memes. Here check out a few:

Prime Video

Prime Video-2

Netflix

Everyone hates spoilers. And everyone hates that one Netflix subscriber in the group who watches every movie, every TV show right when they release and give out spoilers to everyone. Netflix gave out fake spoilers of its highly popular shows through huge outdoor billboards as a part of their smart and funny campaign asking people to stay at home during the pandemic, to stay safe from the coronavirus and spoilers.

Eleven 11 Restro Cafe (@eleven11restrocafe)

This Ahmedabad-based restaurant cum cafe is not only known for its lip smacking food and Instagram-worthy ambience and interiors, but their quirky social media presence too.
The brand knows that their audience on the internet is a young, hip crowd that loves their memes and are fluent in pop-culture references.

Eleven 11 Restro Cafe

And to match their vibe and draw them to their outlets, Eleven 11 regularly indulges in fun banters and shares witty takes on their social media pages.

Falguni Gruh Udhyog, Vastrapur (@falgunivastrapur)

This Ahmedabad-based snacks and packaged food brand is synonymous with being a Pakku Amdavadi, i.e. loud, funny and a total film buff. Falguni Vastrapur is a legacy brand, with loyalties of their customers spanning 30 years.

But they promote their products through trending memes and jokes shared on their Instagram pages. Here’s a sneak peek on what they usually talk about online.

Falguni Gruh Udhyog, Vastrapur

The idea behind this is that the brand is pretty confident that the elders of the house (mothers, grandmothers, etc) will always visit the store to purchase their snacks. But the brand wishes to attract the cafe-hopping, new-gen audience by speaking to them in their lingo, while promoting their traditional and fusion Gujarati snacks.

Customers appreciate and remember a funny take

Sprout Social conducted a detailed survey of consumers in relation to brand personality. The report found that three in four consumers appreciated humor from brands. Humor helps a consumer remember and engage with your brand and that they appreciate good humor from companies

Good humour, a cheeky take on oneself also showcases honesty. Which is something every customer seeks from a brand. This honesty helps in building the trust between the consumer and the brand. And when there is trust and honesty in such a relationship, customers tend to engage more with the brand and further refer it to their friends and family too.

Can humour fail in marketing too?

But not every brand has the chops to be cheeky. Failing at humor in the marketing world is sure to attract attention, but not the kind that your brand wants. What builds a powerful connection also has a downside. Humor tends to be highly subjective. What’s funny to one may offend another. That can spread like wildfire and damage your brand. Humor can also water down your message. Make sure your team is on the same page and consistent with who you want your brand to be.

88% consumers dislike it when brands mock their fans
71% of consumers find brands engaging in politics on social annoying

Dos and Don’ts when it comes to using humor in marketing.

  • Test your jokes on others before posting

What’s funny for one, might just be a plain ‘fact’ for another. Check if the ‘hilarious’ joke you thought up for your brand actually makes any sense or not, by cracking it with your peers, maybe the designers, the copywriters, and even the interns.

  • Avoid controversial topics

What’s worse for a brand is a joke offending people than a joke not landing. People may let go of an ‘unfunny’ post, tweet or a blog, but a joke that mocks their beliefs, ideologies or anything sensitive has a high chance of backfiring.

  • Be sure the timing is right

Oh, and what’s worst, is a badly timed joke. Never make jokes or post something funny when there is a scenario that is serious and sensitive, like a national mourning, war, natural calamities, etc.

  • Select the right channel

Some jokes are specifically crafted for particular platforms. For instance, the “Like, Comment, Share” jokes are meant only for Instagram. Posting them on Pinterest or Twitter will never work.

You know what, some of the funniest jokes come out when you hanging out with the right people. How about you drop by our office for a cup of strong coffee and stronger punchlines for your next brand promotion? Drop us a hello on hello@florafountain.in

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Branding Services

Brands, It’s Time to Enter the METAVERSE. Here’s how!

Imagine a world, where a large number of people hang out together, online. Wait, don’t imagine. It’s already a reality now. Various online gaming platforms have evolved from simple tasks and challenges to a complete universe in itself. (Grand Theft Auto, we’re looking at you!)

At a time when companies like Microsoft are announcing that their number of subscribers are going over 10 million, it is quite visible that the pandemic has dashed any hope of weaning children (and adults!) from the online world.

That is the power of the metaverse.

Meta-what?

Imagine yourself walking into a showroom with a friend and going through different products while customizing them according to your choice. Two clicks and you are out of the showroom. As soon as you take your hands off the mouse and your eyes off the screen, you are at your place sitting in your room.

THIS IS METAVERSE

A parallel virtual world that combines multiple technologies like augmented and virtual reality, videos, and 3D avatars. It creates a space where people can shop and trade but also work, travel, socialize, and interact with one another. All of this on the internet, just like they do in real life.

For a term coined three decades ago by Neal Stephenson in his sci-fi novel, Snow Crash, ‘metaverse’ sure took a long time to become a part of the mainstream discourse. Though the actualization of the metaverse can still take a few years, the aspects of it can already be seen in online game universes, like Fortnite, Roblox, Animal Crossing, and Minecraft. These video games provide the closest metaverse experience because players don’t just play games anymore, they also use it for other activities in “cyberspace”.

Brands like Nike have entered the metaverse by creating a virtual world, Nikeland on video game platform Roblox Corp, effectively becoming the first big brand that created a digital space for players to customize their avatars with special Nike products. And like Nike, other big-names are also trying their best to engage young customers while being averse to traditional advertising tactics.

Flora Fountain, one of the best logo design companies & leading branding agency in Ahmedabad is here to share some key takeaways for brands that are still mulling over why and how to navigate through this new frontier.

How can brands map into the metaverse?

Brand placement in gaming platforms

87% of Generation Z, 83% of millennials, and 79% of Generation X spend their time on video games on smartphones, gaming consoles. They meet their friends, select avatars and play in that elaborate digital world of games like Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite. There is no doubt that these habits of a customer base will have a significant impact on brands. Brand placement in games can help the brands reach a very very captive audience.

Some of the world’s most valuable brands like Gucci and Ferrari are actively testing how they can lead in the metaverse and engage with more customers to generate additional revenue. Last year, Gucci joined hands with Roblox, a gaming platform with approximately 202 Million active users, and created a virtual Gucci Garden exhibit on the platform to sell several rare Gucci items for two weeks.

Gucci Garden

Similarly, Ferrari teamed up with Epic Games and added it’s 296 GTB to Fortnite.

Create Virtual Showrooms

Digitally created 360° environments, virtual showrooms give similar look and feel and functions as a physical showroom. It lets a brand share its collections with a click of a button and schedule virtual appointments or set up virtual fitting rooms with retail buyers.

According to McKinsey, around 70%–80% of B2B decision-makers prefer remote human interactions or digital self-service. And with the pandemic, making work from home a reality, more than ever. Brands can use this to expand their reach as buying and selling is happening online. Depending on the software, brands can share 3D product images and product videos and accept purchase orders, all within the same platform. It also allows the customers to avoid spending an entire day running between showroom appointments.

Enable customizers & allow testing

When a person shops for a product. For example a car, he/she decides what model they want and choose their favorite colour, seat style, the style of wheel, along with other specifications. Why? Because 50% of consumers desire personalized products. And studies have shown that customization has proven to be a promising avenue in fields where companies want to attract customers in a competitive market.

Metaverse gives brands a way to create a 3D-exhibition booth space with infinite opportunities to customize. One such example is Mercedes. Which enables its customers to configure their ideal G-Wagon through a live demo and shows them how it will look on their custom vehicle.

Nike Logo in sportswear

Similarly, this customization can be taken to another level, by allowing the customers to test new designs according to their wish. Checkout how Sportswear giant Nike gives its customers a chance to design their ideal shoe.

Indian Tech giants are also mushrooming in this space.

Several mobile app development companies based in India have diversified into providing professional metaverse development services. Other companies like TCS, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Accenture have also started to develop in the field.

If you are wondering how you can do this for your brand? You can hire one of the leading branding agencies in Ahmedabad, India and let them come up with the perfect branding strategy for you to enter the metaverse. It is very important for you to have pilot projects in place. Start building a core team that learns to integrate such dynamic technologies!

We are excited for the future! Are you?

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Branding Services

What Should a Logo Include? Don’t Forget These Essential Elements!

So you want to make your customers sit up and take notice, maybe do a little dance of joy and discovery too? So you want to let them know your brand’s story, how different it is from all the competition out there? After all, in the 90s, there were lover boys and then there was Shakhrukh aka Rahul.

Enter BRAND LOGO

And just like in the movies, brand love does happen at first sight. And logos, being the metaphorical face of a brand, are often carriers of the brand’s first impression for new and future audiences. Logos are also a great way to distinguish your brand from other companies with similar products. So let’s dig a little deeper with the experts from one of Ahmedabad’s best-known logo design and branding agencies to find out all that a logo can be and should be…

logosss

Brand or pictorial mark
Made up of a graphic symbol or icon which represents a real-world object. A perfect example would be, Apple.
Abstract
Logos which consist of a unique symbol tailor-made for the brand, like the one for Pepsi.
Mascots
These logos are made of images of a character that act as a visual representation of the business, like Colonel Sanders in the KFC logo.
Emblem
Logos which consist of a typeface that sits within a border or a seal. For example, Starbucks.
Dynamic
These are adaptable logos, which change themselves according to the context in which they are being used, instead of having a standard font-color-text combination.
Wordmark
These logos consist of text only with company names, monograms or initials. Think Subway or Coca Cola.
Knowing the whole gamut of logo options, how does one choose which logo style works best for your business? Well, here’s how…

1. Do extensive research

You have only one chance to get the logo right! So, do it properly! And how can you do it? With the help of thorough research. Good research will show how you can explore different logos to create a perfect one for your brand.

Dig deep and research your competitors’ logos as well. Don’t do it, to copy from them, but rather to check what kind of design, scheme and layout they have. See what worked and what didn’t work for them. And with the help of your research.

You should show customers that you are unique and different. Plus, being too close to your competitors could be detrimental, and get you into legal trouble. Moreover, be clear of your audience and find out what colours or concepts work on them.

After your research, create a brand concept that reflects the ethos and goals of the brand.

2. Always have a story

Have you ever seen a big brand without a logo? No, because there isn’t one. Logo tells the story of the brand. And you need to create that story too.

Mcdonald’s

When consumers see any brand logo, they are reminded of the stories of the businesses those logos represent. For example, when people see an iconic Golden Arches, they know it’s McDonald’s. It is a brand which people recognise without even seeing the name. The arches represent the newly-constructed architecture of the first franchised restaurant in 1952. Did you see? A story!

This is how companies which have logos connected to the company’s stories or mission are often the most successful.

3. Keep it simple

When in doubt, remove the extra elements!

Less is more, when it comes to logos. While, it’s fun to play with different colours, images and fonts but using too much of them will lead to a disaster. The more elements you add, the more complicated it becomes. And visually complex logos or overcrowded designs should always be avoided.

Rather than getting carried away with too many options, opt for a simple design with a clear brand message that will hit the right spot of your consumers. Choose the right colours and typography very carefully. It should be easy to read and should have a proper size and well-distributed spacing.

Logo

For example, Twitter. The bird with clean lines and blue colour is simple yet effective.

4. Dare to be different

Imagine going to an office party and ending up twinning with two of your colleagues. Do you think people will remember your outfit over someone who wore something different? That is why, in a world where there are no new ideas, your brand needs to have a unique logo which stands out from the crowd and make an identity different from the competitors.

Dare to be different 1

Think out of the box, like Mercedes. The logo of Mercedes is not a car but a three-pointed star which represents the use of Daimler engines on the land, on the sea, and in the air.

Dare to be different

Similarly, a fashion brand of Ahmedabad, known as Mulberry Looms, decided to be different. How, you ask? The brand which crafts pure handloom Banarasi silk sarees, lehengas, among other outfits, does not choose to go for the cliché logos like a top of a woman. Rather it incorporated its weaves in the logo.Your goal should also be to make a logo connected with your brand’s values and aesthetics. Experiment till the time you come up with something totally innovative.

5. Choose a responsive logo

In this digital world, businesses are very lucky to have various platforms to promote themselves. Hence, the brand logos are not just limited to visiting cards, they are also visible online to the people sitting online on different devices.

Your logo should be very clear and distinctive on every platform. It should seamlessly fit on the plethora of devices used by consumers.

The best example for a responsive logo is Google. The logo reads full GOOGLE on larger screen and on small screen the logo is compact in its four distinct logo colours.

BONUS TIP

If you are out of ideas but still want a distinctive, original, and intriguing logo, all you have to do is get in touch with the professional logo & Branding design services in Ahmedabad’s Flora Fountain.

Have a question? Drop us a message here. Experience the difference and enjoy the creative process with Flora Fountain. 🙂