Are you on brand or on trend?
Updated: Sep 27, 2022
Most recently I can't help but to be getting lost in the abys of similarity between brands. To my surprise, this topic hasn't really been touched on and as a brand designer myself, I believe it's about time we look at it for what it is: trends.
Oh yes, I said it, trends. The things we all have been following since we were young. But is jumping on a trend for your brand something you should do?
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How can you avoid turning your brand into a trend?
These steps will walk you through evaluating for yourself and business to see if you are on trend or on brand. This will help with defining your true unique messaging and ensure you're shining compared to looking just like everyone else.
1. Know your brand messaging
Your brand message is how you come across when showing up. Think about what your values are, the purpose you serve and how you compare to those in your industry. What truly sets you a part?
When these stay the same, your audience will start to notice and you'll begin attracting those who share similar values to your own and want to support what you represent as a business.
2. Know the visuals that identify with your brand specifically
Knowing this is essential to your business because your brand identity should be the most consistent thing in your brand. This includes your logo marks, colors, icons, illustrations, patterns and photography style.
These elements commonly get lost in trends, ensure that when these are created they are something that stays consistent for more than just a few months. You want these visuals to become repetitious so that your ideal audience will start to know immediately that they belong to you. Keep in mind that while you see them everyday, your potential audience has/does not.
Be sure to ask yourself:
Are the details I'm incorporating make sense and do they identify with my brand?
Are they being used because I have already seen them a lot and think that's what people want to see?
Do they truly identify with me and what my business represents?
If you answered: No, Yes, No. Then sorry to tell you, but you most likely have fallen into being trendy.
3. Know if your brand is coexisting with a trend or becoming the trend
The thing about trends is they take their turns, no matter what industry or topic is circulating, they only last for a frame of time.
If your brand starts to become the trend, then it too will die out or you will be in a constant battle to keep up with what is trending. Take a moment to look through this list to see if you are staying on brand compared to trending:
Your logo has stayed consistent for more than a year
Your color palette hasn't changed drastically
Your brand still looks similar every season (most trends flow with the seasons)
You are attracting the right people that want your service/product
Your messaging has stayed consistent
You don't look like literally everyone else... (YUP I SAID IT!) Embracing your true unique qualities will continue to set you a part, so embrace them!
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Now before I leave you with these 3 things, I also want to touch on how you can include trends into your business without it effecting your brand. The best way to see an example of this is to look at popular brands who already do it really freaking well.
Here is my favorite brand that works with trends compared to becoming one.
Starbucks
Not only is their brand iconic, but they have been able to still implement it with various trends throughout the years. Including those in the design style industry and with all the holidays every year. The reason Starbucks can keep up with trends is due to their consistency in values and brand identity visuals such as their branded green, siren icon and packaging styles. (Cups, straws, food sleeves)
Read more here on the Starbucks brand and the secrets behind their success: https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/strategy/secret-starbucks-brand-success/
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