Branding Process

Branding Process - Sevenloop

The Seven Loop project appears to have been a comprehensive branding and communication design engagement. The process followed involved several structured steps, as outlined by Mejo Kuriachan during the discussion. Here is a breakdown of the process:

1. Research Phase

• Objective: Deeply understand the client's business, target customers, and market dynamics.
• Activities:
  • Conducted competitor analysis to understand positioning in the industry.
  • Explored cross-industry learnings by studying brands with similar business models (e.g., Airbnb for its supply-demand duality).
  • Identified core customer needs and challenges within the manufacturing and supply space.
  • Developed a keyword repository based on brand values, audience expectations, and differentiators.

2. Strategy Development

• Objective: Create a strong brand foundation based on research insights.
• Key Deliverables:
  • Brand Story: Articulated the narrative for the brand to resonate with both buyers and suppliers.
  • Positioning: Defined the unique place Seven Loop occupies in the market.
  • Value Proposition: Focused on showcasing their strengths in manufacturing and sourcing components for specific industries.
  • Taglines and Messaging: Crafted precise taglines and messaging strategies targeting different audience segments.
• Dual Audience Targeting: Seven Loop’s approach mirrored businesses with a supply-side and demand-side dynamic (similar to Airbnb's operational model).
• Comprehensive Brand Strategy: The output included:
  • Core Purpose
  • Audience Insights
  • Value Proposition
  • Business Proof Points
  • Big Idea and Tagline
  • Brand Voice and Personality Traits

3. Design Exploration

• Objective: Visually express the brand's personality and values.
• Activities:
  • Developed three visual routes for the brand. Each route explored different aesthetic approaches and tonal directions.
  • Chose one route that aligned best with the brand strategy and client preference.
• Design Philosophy
  
  • High Customization: The Seven Loop branding and website involved significant custom illustrations and animations.
    • These elements were tailored to position the brand as international and forward-looking, targeting clients in Europe, the UK, and the US.
    • The intent was to create a premium and professional feel that reflected the brand's focus on quality and expertise in manufacturing and supply.
  • Minimalist but Impactful Visual Language: The website and other materials avoided clutter and emphasized clarity and precision, suitable for the B2B audience.

4. Website Development

• Objective: Provide branding and communication materials.
• Deliverables:
  • A website design emphasizing clarity and the company's core offerings.
  • Animations and Illustrations: Created detailed animations and illustrative elements to enhance storytelling and engagement on the website.
  • Iconography: Designed custom icons to align with the brand's visual language.
  • Marketing Collaterals: Delivered supporting materials such as brochures, proposal templates, visiting cards, and internal marketing elements.

5. Continuous Collaboration

• Timeline: While the primary deliverables were completed within 4 months, collaboration extended into a fifth month for refinements.
• Client Interaction: Regular feedback cycles to ensure alignment with the brand's vision and the client’s expectations.

6. Final Execution

• Integrated the design elements and strategy into a cohesive brand identity that reflected Seven Loop's expertise, industry focus, and customer-centric approach.

This process demonstrates a balance between strategic depth and creative execution, ensuring the branding was not just visually appealing but also strategically grounded to serve business objectives effectively.

‍

Branding Process Overview: Key Takeaways from the Discussion

1. Initial Steps: Understanding Objectives

• Begin with a discovery phase to align on the website's purpose:
  • Is it for attracting customers, investors, or talent?
  • Determine the target audience and their priorities.
• Conduct stakeholder workshops involving key teams (product, marketing, founders) to extract critical insights.

2. Research and Insights

• Perform independent research to:
  • Understand industry trends, competitors, and cross-industry inspirations.
  • Gather qualitative data through client interviews, Glassdoor reviews, and secondary research.
• Derive insights from findings to shape design and messaging.
  • Differentiate between findings (observations) and insights (actionable conclusions).

3. Positioning and Conceptualization

• Define the brand’s positioning statement to encapsulate its core essence.
  • Example: "Predict the Future" for a brand emphasizing foresight.
• Create style-scapes to explore visual directions before finalizing branding elements.

4. Content Development

• Focus on subject matter provided by the client but refine copy for clarity and impact.
• Emphasize content structure, ensuring consistency across pages like product, service, and career sections.

5. Design Execution

• Build a structured homepage and define layouts for other pages based on insights and best practices.
• Develop a consistent visual identity:
  • Typography, color schemes, and iconography derived from research.
  • Ensure alignment between visual elements and brand tone.

6. Feedback and Refinement

• Present initial designs and collect feedback for iterative refinement.
• Address concerns about making content too broad or generic, focusing instead on precision and relevance.

7. Implementation and Handover

• Deliver a cohesive branding system that includes:
  • Website and landing pages.
  • Supporting assets like brochures, LinkedIn creatives, and event materials.
• Provide templates for dynamic content like blogs to ensure long-term consistency.

8. Key Challenges Identified

• Clarity of Objectives: Ensure sharp messaging to prevent generic outcomes.
• Consistency in Visual Language: Avoid disjointed branding across platforms.
• Content Structure: Optimize for scannability and engagement.
• Dynamic Content Maintenance: Facilitate continuity for blogs and landing pages.

9. Additional Services

• Base-level SEO integration during website development.
• Animation and video production for intros and product showcases.
• Collaboration on marketing campaigns (excluding distribution).

10. Project Timeline

• Initial release in 10 weeks, with subsequent phased updates based on business needs.
• Timeframes may vary based on the depth of research and branding components required.