On-brand? Or off-kilter?
I have always believed that a brand is built by customers, not by companies. Companies are stewards of an optimal customer experience with a product. The brand is the medium.
So, is something “off-brand” if no one notices?
A few days ago I was in a creative meeting, looking at artwork being planned for the store environment for a new album release coming. The band provided photography, a logo, and a font for use.
One of the signs shows the band’s picture, their logo, their names, and the release date. But, the release date is in the company’s brand font, not the band’s font.
I asked the question, “Is there a reason the release date is in a different font? From a design standpoint, it looks awkward.”
Here were the responses:
“We need to have some brand ownership over signs in our store.”
“We have trained the shopper to understand where our brand touches the environment.”
“That’s how we do it.” (Yes, I actually heard this one.)
Then I asked, “Does any customer really notice or understand that the release date font is the company font?”
The only response I got was, “No one may notice, but it’s these little ways that we continue to build brand equity.”
Which makes me ask: If no one notices, is it “off-brand?”
I believe the answer is no. Visual brand ownership or equity on a sign does not constitute brand, and combining two fonts for the sake of a brand is awkward and does not communicate anything other than bad design.
The irony is that three days before this discussion, we saw this video in a meeting.
