Identity aligned with purpose, this is a very brief definition of branding. Of course, other means permeate the process of developing a brand, but an agency or professional who wants to be successful will certainly follow this maxim. When we talk about branding, we are not referring only to the logo design applied to a mockup, but the whole concept behind it, the storytelling, the purpose, the identity, the content and, mainly, the added value that all this represents for the company.

And we can go further, talking about branding as a projected image, as a vision, mission and values, all this being transmitted to strategic audiences and also lived within organizations, by employees. The brand, the branding of an organization, ends up being the backbone that will guide the company's goals, purposes and all communication.

Annually, Interbrand publishes the ranking of “Most Valuable Global Brands”. In 2019, for the seventh year in a row, Apple was at the top, followed by Google and Amazon in second and third place, respectively. Also among the top 10 are names like Disney, Samsung, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Coca-Cola. Now, when we talk about Brazilian brands, the 2019 edition of the BrandZ Brasil ranking, carried out by WPP and Kantar, places Bradesco at the top of the list, followed by Itaú and Skol. Globo, Antarctica, Magazine Luiza and Petrobras follow soon after.

But what do these giants do to enter and remain among the most valuable brands in the world? In addition to tradition and the delivery of a quality product or service, an immense set of actions very well planned, structured and executed by their communication, marketing, advertising teams, and by all those who comprise the company.

Brand creation or management is an interdisciplinary task, involving both short-term and long-term activities. The development and adaptation of a new brand goes beyond the design, illustration or typography. It is responsible for establishing your presence in the market and ensuring the success of your business against the competition, in an increasingly saturated commercial scenario.

The central object of the visual identity is the logo. It is a symbolic graphic representation that, associated with a network of conceptual meanings established by the standardization of colors, fonts, images, shapes and textures, transmit the company's values through a non-verbal message.

In short, the visual identity is nothing more than the graphic expression of the corporate unit associated with its culture, concepts and values. It is a way of establishing an emotional connection with customers, creating bonds to develop, strengthen and maintain a long-lasting relationship.

At MAVERICK 360, some parameters and processes are used in the development of a company's branding. They are: understanding the brand's values and culture; brainstorm; extensive curation and market reference research (both in terms of purposes and storytelling); search for images that translate the concept of what is intended to convey; identification of the reason why - which we call “brands with purpose”; creation of complete visual identity with all conceptual meanings; definition of color palette, fonts and uses; creating textures; application in digital mockups for better visualization; creation and preparation of the brand manual; and, finally, the presentation of the finished material, including values and purposes of the entire concept used during the process.

Compliance with these steps is essential for the final result to convey all the values that the company wants to convey. An example of this was a very successful case produced by one of MAVERICK 360's partners, in partnership with Rafael Zem, for Jandira Alimentos, which is one of Brazil's major food importers.

In 2012, after an extensive study of the brand, including research and a focus group, it was found that, in the old brand, the composition between symbol and typography was disproportionate, giving an emphasis beyond what was necessary to the design, an indigenous girl, which left the name Jandira almost imperceptible in communication.

*As a curiosity, the origin of the name Jandira is indigenous. A nationalist wave took hold in the country and indigenous names were on the rise. It was given to the company in the 60's, which also proves the strength and tradition of the company, which has a trajectory of more than 60 years in the market.

The study found that the audience recognized the company as the brand of the “little indigenous girl” and not as Jandira Alimentos, which was a major branding failure. The great resolution, respecting the purpose of the company, was precisely to separate the indigenous girl from the brand. The character was detached and became a mascot, associated with the restructured and reformulated logo of Jandira Alimentos highlighted, without losing the indigenous reference of audience knowledge. From there, the brand began the process of becoming recognized in the market by its real name.

In addition to the final result, the branding process was applied in its entirety, which is something that, in the reality of the market, is not always possible, either due to lack of budget or time. Moreover, the new logo was applied to the entire visual identity, including the packaging and website that are used until today, proving once again that, when done well, a visual identity can last for years, without ceasing to be current.