15 secrets to quickly create a powerful brand from the best brands in the world [Checklist]
Everyone understands perfectly well that a strong brand allows you to sell more, and when it is professionally created, it can influence the perception of the value and quality of your product and remains in the subconscious of customers, which will allow you to quickly get ahead of your competitors and increase your income. Branding is very important for using one of the most powerful marketing tools in promoting your product - the “packaging” effect. But not a single well-promoted marketing company will tell you how to create such a brand, because it is not profitable for them to talk about it.
In this article, we at SWOT suggest taking the effective path by studying for you the names and logos of the 50 best brands in the world. We reveal their tricks and for the first time show the secret formula for their success.
Earlier, the American business weekly Businessweek presented a list of the 100 best brands. Among them: Apple, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Microsoft, Google, IBM, GE, Intel, Nokia, Marill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, McDonald's, Gap, Gucci, The Walt Disney Company, MTV, Marlboro, Gillete, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and many others.
Webson, one of the Top Freelance designers in the world, analyzed the logos of the 50 most popular brands and determined the secret formula for their success.
SWOT checklist for creating an effective brand
1. Avoiding stereotypes
In 94% of cases, the brand name does not characterize the product/service offered. For example, Apple, The Walt Disney Company, McDonald's, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Harley-Davidson, etc.
2. The ideal combination of “name and sign”
90% - the logo uses a corporate block - a combination of the name and brand sign (McDonald's, Pepsi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Marlboro, MTV, UPS, Harley-Davidson, Louis Vuitton, etc.);
3. Simplicity and ease of understanding
84% – simple and easy to read font (Gap, Gucci, Sony, etc.);
4. Nothing more
74% – the sign uses only 1 color (white and black colors were not taken into account). For example, IBM, Intel, Toyota, Gillette, Samsung, Gap, etc.;
5. Novelty through “Breaking Patterns”
72% – brand name is fictitious or an acronym (IBM, intel, Nike, Microsoft, Google, IKEA, MTV, HSBS, SAP, UBS);
6. Content to form
66% – rectangular logo sign (Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Marill Lynch, GAP, etc.);
7. In a word
62% – 1-word brand name (Nokia, Toyota, Honda, Sony, Nescafe, Samsung, etc.);
8. Conciseness
52% – name of 6 or less letters (GAP, Citi, Sony, Cisco, Honda, Canon, Dell, Oracle, etc.);
9. “2 in one”
54% - the trademark symbol is used in the logo (Apple, McDonald's, Louis Vuitton, BMW, Nike, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, MTV, etc.) and in 48% - it is placed in the upper right corner;
10. Writing features
44% – spelling the name using only upper (uppercase (capital) letters) or lower (lowercase (small)) case (acronyms were not taken into account), for example, ORACLE, IBM, UBS, pepsi, intel, citi, etc.;
11. Background
52% – the logo is placed on the background (Gap, Pepsi, Marill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, American Express, Coca-Cola, etc.);
12. Pronunciation in one breath
44% – the brand name consists of 3 syllables (Marlboro, Nintendo, Novartis, Budweiser, Gillette, Toyota, etc.);
13. Main color shade
40% – blue is the dominant shade of color (Samsung, Marill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, etc.).
SWOT specialists conducted their own analysis and, in our opinion, it is important to supplement this list with 2 more important rules that Webson missed, a secret that makes them all recognizable and especially attractive:
14. Uniqueness
100% of them are original, have a clearly defined positioning and mission, and do not imitate other competing brands, i.e. have distinctive features that allow them to be distinguished from the total number and deposited in the consumer’s subconscious.
15. "Fresh"
62% are brands that began their history as innovators, attracting with their novelty, fresh vision of familiar things and an unconventional approach to solving known problems (Coca-Cola, Microsoft, GE, Ford, Gillette, Apple, The Walt Disney Company, McDonald's, Google, ORACLE, MTV, etc.).
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and every brand represents a unique combination of the above features. So, Microsoft meets only half of 50% of the criteria - 50% (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 14), and does not meet the other 50% (1, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13), This is also the case with many other brands. The proportions are quite different, but the secret of the formula for their success is quite simple - they all have an average of 10 features out of 15 (66%). Therefore, often, the best brands are created with the understanding that you cannot combine all the rules at once. And at the same time, for successful naming and logos, 9 or more of the specified features must be fulfilled, then you have a chance to become the best and be remembered by your consumers for a long time. And this already brings potential customers halfway closer to purchasing your product.
Let's take our SWOT brand and consider whether we have a chance to become such a strong brand?
The SWOT brand logo corresponds to 10 (more than 66%) features (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13,), we have a chance to go down in history as a strong brand and that means we need to work on brand development !
Therefore, when creating or rebranding your brand (whether you do it yourself or order from a marketing agency), be sure to use this unique checklist from SWOT and check for these features. If you have any doubts when creating a brand, turn to professionals.
What is the appropriate asking price?
Branding is not something you need to skimp on, because the same product of yours under a powerful brand and under a mediocre one will bring in completely different money. For example, the Steve Jobs company logo NeXT (which was later bought by Apple for $429 million) was worth $100 000.
Do we propose to invest so much in the development of your logo? – no, but it is a profitable investment. Investing in branding can bring you much more money in the future, and your brand can become your most profitable asset. Therefore, you need to spend wisely on branding. The price of high-quality naming and logo from SWOT for you will be 300 $, and full branding with the development of a corporate style (identity) - only $ 500.
What's next?
So, if you have a strong product or if you are going to start your own business, then in any case you need to start by creating a powerful brand. Of course, your branding and development of your brand on the Internet should be handled by professionals; ideally, it should be one company and then the result will be much better.
SWOT professionals are ready to take on this task for you. Therefore, quickly order high-quality branding or rebranding from SWOT before your competitors do it.
Or order a unique website from us from $3,75 thousand and receive a logo or an easy logo redesign as a gift!
