Branding has been on our minds lately. In our last blog we discussed the importance of your personal brand. From personal branding to corporate branding and everything in between, we are constantly surrounded by these identifying marks. In this two-part blog series, we plan on discussing events, how they are branded and how they can be experiential marketing.
The branding of an event is an intensive process. The event must have its own look and feel but also relate to the organization it is tied to. For example, Urban Nights is a Fundraiser benefiting Urban Peak, a shelter for homeless teens. The fundraiser is in its third year and has developed its own recognizable brand separate from Urban Peak. Below you can see the Urban Peak logo and the Urban Nights logo. Details such as the typeface, color scheme, and clean layout carry over, but Urban Nights is a distinct brand all to itself.
We have come up with a few tips to help you when branding your event.
1. Clearly define the identity of the event.
What type of event is this going to be? Who is your target audience? Who benefits from the proceeds? The identity of the event will dictate the type of branding you will do. If it is a fun fashion show like Urban Nights, your brand will be much different than it would be for a golf tournament. Once you have defined the identity, the personality of the brand can shine through and direct future decisions.
2. Choose various platforms for promotion.
There are countless ways to promote events, and the ones you choose will have a significant impact on your event brand. If you are targeting a younger crowd, Instagram and Snapchat may be the way to go. For a broader audience, Facebook pages could be more appropriate. We also like this website (splash) for creating a website for your event. When choosing platforms, carefully consider how they play into the identity of your brand.
3. Be consistent!
When promoting your event across different channels, we cannot stress enough just how important it is to keep your brand consistent everywhere. From Facebook to Twitter to print advertisements, the event brand must be recognizable and maintain its identity. When the brand is not consistent, it can cause confusion and negatively affect your promotional efforts.
4. Assign a brand ambassador.
When it comes to consistency, it makes it much easier when there is one person or group to manage the brand. It is important that everything affecting the brand goes through their approval process to ensure that you are maintaining the brand’s identity. Everything from invitations to menus to interior décor ties into the brand and must be approved by your ambassador.
When you start the event planning process, branding may not be the first thing on your mind. However, we have found that after defining a clear intention for the brand, it simplifies many of the other decisions in the planning process. To see some our event branding work, check out Urban Nights and the SaddleUp! Foundation Suitcase Party.
Next week we will discuss events and experiential marketing!
-SSM