Branding For Start Ups

Over the years we have worked with many different entrepreneurs who have had great ideas, great products but limited budgets to get a proof of concept live.

I wrote back in 2017 about what comes first for businesses the product or the brand and the answer is always probably a mixture of the two. Looking back at the businesses that have gone on to be a great success like Public Desire, Lancashire Farm and Mojo they all have a commonality in that they invested the time at the outset to think strategically about their business and who they were targeting. Having this clear business or brand strategy then allowed us to execute a visual identity and initial brand that had more chance of resonating with their customer base.

Public Desire, View the case study here

Lancashire Farm, View the case study here

Our ethos at BGN and our processes are all based around balancing strategic thinking with creative output. And our branding process, although flexible does require time. Time to think, time to develop ideas and time to create and refine visual identities.

For a start up business with limited resources to invest at the outset, this often prices them out of working with branding agencies. So we set about building a process where we could adapt to the pressures of a startup and value to their journey.

The following processes still puts strategic thinking at the heart of what we do. But the emphasis is passed to the brand owner themselves to develop this. We give people the tools to ask themselves the right questions. We even advise to continue to do this regularly until they settle on what’s right.

One thing we have noticed over the years is that businesses and propositions often change in the first few years. Especially in tech, where we have seen some major pivots in idea that have resulted in really strong brand propositions.

So there are 4 simple stages…

1. Strategy & Brief

We will send across our DIY brand strategy kit that covers 4 key exercises that you can do in isolation to develop the core elements of your brand strategy. That, along with our briefing document we supply will give us all of the information we require to start the project.

2. Research & Exploration

Sketching out up to 4 different rough creative concepts, explaining our reasoning for why we think each would be a good fit for your brand, and agreeing with you which route(s) are worth taking through to creative concepts.

3. Creative Concept

Creative concept development looking at up to 2 different routes that can be taken from the brand. Inspiration on how the brand can roll out will be mocked up on 2 key touch points that we agree in the briefing so you can see the brand in context.

4. Refinement & Manual

Following on from the strategy, exploration, concepts and your feedback. We will develop a final brief, we will refine the concept and artwork the final brand elements. This will then be documented into a 10 page brand manual that covers everything created to date.

Depending on the business and the sector we can help with how you launch the brand, your website, packaging, etc. But first off we believe that developing the brand and then taking a brand-led approach to all elements of your business will benefit you in the long run.

Beyond the services that we can offer directly we can add a lot of value in terms of the networks that you have access to. Whether it be helping point you in the right direction for PR, digital marketing and social agencies. Or introducing you to other business owners and entrepreneurs in a similar space for advice. We have many people we have worked with over the years and are always happy to make relevant introductions wherever possible.

If you are an early stage business and want to speak to us about how we can help, then just email Antonio.

Some examples of recent work with start up brands

Mojo, View the case study here

V1BE, View the case study here

Yark, View the case study here