Does Your Brand Still Fit?

We’re expecting a string of sunny days over the next week. It’s what our friends at Fountain Square call, “local summer.” You grab the summery clothes bound for storage and give them one last wear on a hike, trip to the lake or backyard barbecue. We dig deep into the gratitude well and revel in the abundance of joy from living in a place that we love. We do the same thing as we look through the clothes and gear we put away for each season. There are some items that are too threadbare or that no longer fit that go to a donation pile, while others still serve their purpose and reinforce who we are and how we live. Have you ever given your brand or your marketing this same end-of-season once over? Many businesses have recurring needs throughout the year—annual sponsorships, destination guides, or tradeshows and conferences. We’ve heard, “Let’s just run it again.” It can be a big mistake, a waste of money even, all in the interest of “getting it done.” We have always been big believers in working with what you have up to and including acknowledging when the way you have been doing it stops working. Following the spirit of what you do at home, taking stock of your brand can be an excellent exercise in considering what exactly you are telling the world about yourself. Are you creating white noise? Communicating an air of indifference to your audience?We created an ad about 8 years ago for a client. It was a solid ad, with an emotional hook, clear call to action, and strong branding. It did its job. Eight years later is it still a good ad? I don’t know about that. It’s running in the same publications, being seen by a lot of people who’ve already seen it. You run the risk of looking like you are going through the motions. Here’s a simple list of questions to ask yourself: For this exercise let’s allow that “you” can be a business, a place, a service, or a resource.

You wouldn’t wear a raincoat to a campfire and you wouldn’t mountain climb in a loafer. Take some time to look at your marketing wardrobe and make sure it’s still what you need.