Branding is so much more than telling the world an event was planned by your company. It tells the story of the event. When it’s done right, branding sends clear signals to guests for everything from the clothes they should wear, to the tone and feel of the occasion.
In this post, we’re going to look at making sure your branding is clear and cohesive during the run up to the event and on the big day.
Lock yourself away from all distractions and work out exactly what the event is all about.
When it comes to getting branding right, you really have to take it back to basics. What is your client telling people with this event? In other words, what’s it all about?
Once you’ve worked that out, it will much easier to put together your strategy. Don’t underestimate the importance of this stage – it will ensure that your branding is clear and cohesive rather than a muddled afterthought. Every Facebook post, tweet, flyer, blog and your invite should adhere to this strategy.
Let’s think about design.
Before you get the sketchpad out, take a moment to consider the nature of your event. Every decision you make about design, from the colours you choose, materials you use to decorate the venue, and even the words that you use to promote it, must reinforce the message that you want to share.
Good branding doesn’t have to be intrusive. We love the subtle branding used by Target and Honest Company in their partnership anniversary event: a beautiful flower-decked bicycle with the Target logo in the spokes. In this instance, the guests acted as ambassadors for the event itself, Target and Honest Company by posting photos online of the bicycle. Not necessarily because they wanted to promote the event or the companies involved with it, but for the very simple reason that it looked nice. Always consider whether your guests would want to post images online of the event – cleverly executed branding makes for great social media fodder.
The test of consistent, good branding is that people will be able to recognise the event from the branding alone, even if they cannot see the words. Think of a great event you’ve attended and the chances are, you’ll recall the colours, the look of the venue, even the tone of the invites. It makes the occasion – and by extension, the message – much more memorable.
Branding gives the guests a hint.
Guests like to be surprised when they attend an event – an unusual activity, delicious food that matches the theme, a speaker whose ideas are mind-blowing. But, they don’t like to be arrive in the wrong clothing – that’s just embarrassing. And this is where branding comes in.
The ‘feel’ of the branding indicates to guests how formal the event will be. You don’t need to state it explicitly – the message should be clear and consistent in every social media post, the invite, flyers, blogs, and any other promotion you handle.
Careful consideration + creativity = good branding (and happy guests)
It’s important to step back and give yourself time to think about the event and the best way to brand it. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Every element should look great, but also tie into the message that you want to share.
Good branding is part of the bigger picture. It shows that the event has been hosted by professionals who pay attention to the details. They don’t just come up with clever campaign ideas, but hold onto the concept throughout the process, and deliver on their promises.
What branding has wowed you recently? Share with the Get Invited community in the Comments section below or on Twitter!
