5 reasons why tech branding is hard
Happy INTERNATIONAL BRANDING DAY everyone!
So today is INTERNATIONAL BRANDING DAY (not really, but it sounds good doesn't it?) So you should all get yourself a coffee, sit down and think about branding for the next 90 seconds.
Me and my colleagues are in #techbranding.
To be honest, I had never really seen tech branding as hard, until a few projects ago we were struggling to find the right answers to visual branding challenges. And then it hit me; OMG! Tech branding might be harder than I've perceived it before and I will tell you why:
1 - Tech = novelty and innovation
With tech you enter a world full of novelty and innovation. Basically a couple of key ingredients for good storytelling and strong brand narratives are stolen from your kitchen: heritage, historic context and past performance. This pretty much means that tech branding needs to be more credible and captivating in less time than other categories.
2 - Tech = less emotional
Although in many cases technology has great impact on our world, our lives and our emotional being, tech itself does not bring up emotional images. It doesn't stimulate your senses as much as food or fashion for example. (And yes, there are exceptions!) A good brand sends out a promise that hits emotional senses and makes the company's value proposition felt. Apple has done a terrific job at solving this challenge.
3 - Working with techies
Many of our clients are technologists and innovators. They see things in ways other people won't see it. At least not yet. Many clients focus on the innovation, complexity of the tech or the features. Most users don't give a damn about the features. Actually, and I'm thinking out loud here, I haven't met many tech founders who got their value proposition nearly right before they came to us. Branding is ALL about customer centricity. It is not tech centric at all. Because at the end of the day people don't want to buy the fastest drill, they want a hole in the wall. (Some will argue, they want a painting on the wall and the hole is the means to an end)
4 - Tech = fast
Branding tactics and strategies look to build value now and over time. Most tech firms know they have a couple of months runway before their products need to sell. Aligning short term needs with long term vision should be a big point of attention.
5 - Tech = iterative
Especially startups have adopted lean methodologies and there will always be feedback and another iteration. However good branding and design are about clarity and simplicity. Being lean initially feels like you need to keep all options open and being clear means that you need to make bold decisions. It's paradox. And there are solutions. We'll dive in another day.
See these 5 reasons?
Get the challenge?
Recognize any of it?
My door is always open to talk tech branding.
#IBlameApple #techbranding
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