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Common Branding Mistakes A Brand Needs to Avoid

05 February 21

As the leading branding agency in Indonesia, it is a must for Milestone to consider every step in branding meticulously. Branding means communicating the value and promise of the brand to customers. If the customers fail to recognize the identity of a brand, it will result in bad experiences between them and the brand. Thus, these common mistakes in branding must be avoided.

Customers will see a logo first when they find out a brand. Having a logo that does not deliver the brand identity will lead to customers not understanding what a brand wants to deliver. Common logo mistakes include choosing the unsuitable color, a logo slogan that is not catchy, and using unfamiliar symbols which do not match the brand. When a brand wants to change their logo, they need to consider the reason and messages they want to deliver. An example for this case is when Gap changed their logo design and rebranded their company in 2010. Public’s reaction was not positive, leading the brand to use their original design again six days after they announced the new logo. It is because the previous logo had been used for more than 20 years. When they changed into a new logo, customers found it confusing.

A brand also needs to stay up-to-date. However, following the trends every time something new comes up does not also mean right. The second common mistake by a brand is always chasing the trends.  Trends tend to come and go in a fast manner. Denise Lee Yohn, the author of “What Great Brands Do: The Seven Brand-Building Principles that Separate the Best from the Rest”, said, “If you want to build a great brand, stop following trends.” The reason is jumping into a new bandwagon gains you attention, but only in a short term. Instead of following trends, a brand needs to focus on creating a long term strategy, such as connecting with larger customers to earn more long-lasting impact. 

The last common mistake a brand has to avoid is ignoring the importance of connection with customers. Turning off the comment section on social media and ineffective complaint handling are examples of actions ruining the connection between brand and its customers. Building a deep relationship with your customers leads to customer loyalty. Loyalty is earned. When customers are emotionally connected with a brand, they are going to purchase more products and pay attention to the brand. Maintaining a tight relationship with customers helps a brand to improve their customers’ experiences as well.

Mistakes in branding can lead to a broken bond they have with their customers. The customers may not stay afterward. Therefore, branding must be done in well-planned ways to ensure the process goes smoothly and in accordance with the purpose of the brand itself.