Branding.
Defined as “the promotion of a particular product or company by means of advertising and distinctive design”
The key word here would be distinctive. In the fashion world, standing out and bringing something different to the table is something that will be a very large defining factor in your overall success.
The brands that do something new or different are often the ones gaining the most traction and the most success.
In an age where attention is currency and our attention spans are shrinking, businesses of today have to stand out of the crowd if they want to succeed.
We've even done it ourselves. We did a 180 on our platform and did a complete revamp. From the visuals, the website, to the content and more, we decided to bring more life to the platform in order for a better impact in the space.
That being said, revamping and creating a visual identity is a gradual process. You may have an idea right now but don't be fully attached to it. Realise things can change and allow that to happen so you can grow and adapt overtime. You may not be completely sure about your visuals yet and that's fine too because the same principle applies. Over time as you expose yourself to more content in the culture and grow as a person, you'll develop this overtime.
UNDISCOVERED may again look different down the line. We're even seeing it with fashion brands currently.
So don't be stuck on a certain look and don't be discouraged if you're not sure yet. As long as you keep going with your brand, these pieces will come together naturally. And I say naturally because you don't want to force or rush any of the process. I actually learnt the hard way with this.
Looking over this underground scene, one issue I found was the lack of visual identity brands have. A lot of people get inspired by one aesthetic and now you have brands all copying each other and looking the same. Seeing this issue is what inspired this article.
I think one brand that does this really well is Trevor Gorji with his brand Fugazi. The consistent typography, style of the imagery and the deep red colour used give him the exact aesthetic he's looking for and wants to present.
Another brand that does this really well is a small brand here in the UK called The Satori Club. Jake has also done a revamp on his brand and I was lucky to see this come to fruition. I was also able to hope on a call with him to hopefully gain more insight for you guys to take away and implement for your own brand. Watch the video below to watch, or keep reading for the key takeaways
Key Takeaways for you to go and implement.
Firstly, ask yourself Who Am I Marketing it for? This will lead you to where you go in terms of research and starting with ideas. Think of it like a puzzle where you are putting pieces together
Think Long Term. Visual branding takes time and will form and change shape over time. Use reception as a way of feedback for development. Also don't be afraid of asking for feedback directly.
Using a brand guideline book for visuals can help. You can find brand guidelines templates online but overall having a brand guideline book will help shape your brand as you and team members can always refer back to it. It ensures you to take it seriously and remember everything needed for your brand
Visual branding is huge so you must stand out from a saturated market, think about your following and who you want to target, have that strong foundation set before thinking about the visuals.
If you're at a stage where you feel like you've gained good ground with your brand's visuals and want to get it out there more, check out this page for a feature. We offer a range of places you can advertise your brand with us from including our website, individual articles, our youtube, Email Newsletter and our other social media platforms.
Thank you