When to *Actually* Invest in Branding (+ Allegory ACCESS First Look)
If you've ever asked "do I actually need to invest in branding"? This is for you. Plus, sharing the ACCESS brand expansion and inspiration.
One of the scenarios I frequently encounter as an Integrative Marketing Strategist is a client who has DIY’d or invested very little in branding and is wondering if it’s holding their business back. You know when branding isn’t strong. Sometimes it’s dated, others feel like a copy-and-paste version of a popular, well-done brand, or it’s so simple that it holds no visual storytelling power aka it’s forgettable.
Given that I own a marketing services company and offer branding services, you would think I’d be chomping at the bit to tell every client to rebrand with stars in my eyes, but the truth is, I rarely do.
That’s because Allegory’s core offer is my expertise and after 10+ years as a marketer, I’ve learned when to do what and to set organization-level priorities based on those instincts.
A brand is more than just its visuals and having incredible aesthetics is only one part of the equation so if budget is strapped, dropping 20k on a beautiful logo isn’t going to turn your leads into customers if your current marketing strategy isn’t creating much momentum.
So, WHEN do you need to invest in branding? And WHAT should you be looking for when you’re making that decision?
WHEN
I typically recommend clients to invest in the highest level of brand strategy and branding that they can afford, as soon as they can afford it. This is because the majority of clients I see come through with regrets about their initial designs, and at that point, they’ve already invested a couple of thousand dollars and dented their reputation with a cheap and inconsistent brand universe.
WHAT
That’s not to say you should go into debt hiring a fancy agency to give you a new logo. Instead, I would bring on marketing experts who can build a brand ecosystem that ties into your growth goals. That’s why Allegory "launch packages” include a full suite of brand assets, but the more important part is the marketing strategy that goes with those assets.
This is how we break it down:
Custom Brand Suite (Assets)👇
Brand Guidelines
Moodboarding
Color Palette
Primary Logo, Secondary Logo
Typography
Social Templates
Email Templates
Marketing Strategy (that’s built first, so the Assets are intentionally designed to create growth and brand equity)👇
Positioning
Values
Mission
Aesthetic (for consistency)
Tone
Audience Breakdown
Channel Launch Strategy — note: THIS is the most important one! Consider this your “how” once you receive your brand assets.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had branding done and got templates but you find them impossible to use? That’s because they didn’t lead with a growth strategy so the templates don’t build into the goals.
Why is this important? Because a strong brand builds brand equity and that’s the only metric worth a penny when it comes to brand world building.
WHAT IS BRAND EQUITY?
I often describe brand equity as the relationship between brand and consumer that causes the consumer to purchase from that particular brand. It’s what pushes a consumer to intentionally choose one business over another. It’s the thing that makes people pay more for essentially the same product. It’s why some businesses dominate while others are quietly forgotten. It’s fundamental to business and extends beyond visuals into every brand touchpoint that your consumer interacts with.
But what if I already have a logo that has gained some traction but I know my brand isn’t building equity?
A brand isn’t a logo! It’s why a lot of my clients get “brand expansions” (and why I chose to do this with my newest offering Allegory ACCESS as well). If your initial logo already has traction but you’re looking to scale or improve your brand universe, a brand expansion where you strategically touch up sections of the brand can do WONDERS for the business.
This typically looks like keeping your established logo for brand continuity and updating elements around it to create a brand that connects better with your new or established audience. It can be creating custom patterns like the work we did with a quantum institute to stand out from their industry (see below) or it can be adjusting all other elements like colour palette and icons to better connect with a new audience.
The strategy is key here on what to update and where the direction goes, because one wrong move can severely impact a brand. This is what happened to niche perfume brand, Boysmells which rebranded to appeal to a wider Gen-Z audience but suffered major backlash by alienating what made them different.
This is why for Allegory ACCESS, I decided a soft brand expansion was perfect for the occasion.
If you were with me last month, you’ll know that Allegory ACCESS was inspired by the integration of art, architecture, and space, which is why when brainstorming the brand direction, hospitality and beautiful spaces where creative minds and business bloom came to mind.
I live in Vancouver, B.C. and I’ll admit, we have STUNNING nature and amazing food but we lack some of these creative spaces (like the Santa Monica Proper’s lounge area is ALWAYS buzzing with business brains collaborating — we stayed there for a few nights and I swear, I heard a new business launch every time I had lunch) so I wanted to recreate this vibe digitally.
I also wanted to make sure it was tied back to Allegory’s main branding because one of the core features of ACCESS is the direct access to me and my expertise. It wouldn’t be me without Allegory so after some debate, it was essential to stay within the Allegory brand guidelines.
Without further ado, I wanted to share here first Allegory ACCESS — a private membership for brand founders, marketing leads, and in-house teams who want to stop being reactive and start leading with clarity, confidence, and real-time expert support.
I’ll share more of the ACCESS offer and what’s inside soon but this was created after years of hearing feedback from fellow marketers, brand founders and marketing teams that were sick of:
a) Courses that literally weren’t relevant the second you started them
b) One-size-fits-all solutions that didn’t give you actual access to a marketing strategist to personalize it for your business
c) Content with zero execution plans (which isn’t actually helpful when you’re already a lean team).
That’s all for now! Of course, leaving you with actionable TL;DRs and some cool related stuff to read/consume if you’re interested in building a brand that creates trust and loyalty↓
Do you even need to upgrade your brand? Investing in your branding is similar to investing in a beautiful piece of fashion — haters will say it doesn’t matter, but having a brand that’s intentional, timeless, and makes YOU feel good helps your brand move through the world differently. You’ll attract better partnerships, clients, and retailers if it’s done well, so consider this when you’re sorting out your marketing budget.
Start with your “Why.” It’s a tale as old as time, but beautiful branding isn’t just about looks; it has to convey that special sauce that is unique to your business. If you’re unclear what that is, no graphic designer on this planet can help you create a fantastic brand.
Track your KPI’s - one of the hardest sells about branding is that it’s difficult to track the exact lift from this investment. That’s why it’s important to look at your conversion metrics and use things like ad CTR’s, followers that turn into buyers and soft metrics like how many people are sharing your new brand or opening your emails to know if you’ve nailed it. Visual identity is hard to measure but trust me, it’s a soft power that makes a huge difference when it comes to targeting.
Worth a read: If you haven’t read Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller — it’s an essential read for marketers.
Thanks for being here!
Tiffany