Brand Guardians Strategy
Our strategy division is all about setting direction. Through our transforming dialogue we develop the great brand thinking that gives brands an edge. In the end, we believe that it’s the quality of the thinking that sets a brand up to deliver an authentic and sustainable customer proposition. We have extensive experience in Executive Brand Direction:
Brand Strategy
Brand Positioning
Brand Architecture
Internal Branding
Brand Training
Brand Insight
Brand Naming
We have conducted assignments in the UK and Internationally.
Our strategy division is all about setting direction. Through our transforming dialogue we develop the great brand thinking that gives brands an edge. In the end, we believe that it’s the quality of the thinking that sets a brand up to deliver an authentic and sustainable customer proposition. We have extensive experience in Executive Brand Direction:
Brand Strategy
Brand Positioning
Brand Architecture
Internal Branding
Brand Training
Brand Insight
Brand Naming
We have conducted assignments in the UK and Internationally.
Brand Guardians USA
Our USA division is all about implementing organisational change to ensure the effective delivery of the brand. From the single organizing thought we deliver brand centric solutions across the business from marketing to recruitment, remuneration and rewards to product development, from organisational hierarchy to customer channels. We call this Total Brand Balance™. We have extensive experience in:
Brand Strategy
Brand Architecture
Brand Naming
Marketing Strategy
Communications Strategy
Brand Management
Brand Assessment
Brand Protection
We carry out assignments in the USA and Internationally.
Our USA division is all about implementing organisational change to ensure the effective delivery of the brand. From the single organizing thought we deliver brand centric solutions across the business from marketing to recruitment, remuneration and rewards to product development, from organisational hierarchy to customer channels. We call this Total Brand Balance™. We have extensive experience in:
Brand Strategy
Brand Architecture
Brand Naming
Marketing Strategy
Communications Strategy
Brand Management
Brand Assessment
Brand Protection
We carry out assignments in the USA and Internationally.
Brand Guardians IP
Our intellectual property division is all about the ownership and protection of your brand collateral: names, visual marks, straplines, websites and domain names. We employ the great brand thinking that gives your brands the right legal standing, worldwide. We work closely with you to ensure that you gain the protection your brand needs, when and where you need it. Seeing where your brand sits in the world and having the right protection can't be left to chance. We have extensive experience in:
Word and Visual Trade Marks
Brand name and identity checking
Supporting creative agencies when developing brands
IP strategy and protection
Trade mark registration
IP Seminars
Brand Naming
We have conducted assignments in the UK and Internationally.
Our intellectual property division is all about the ownership and protection of your brand collateral: names, visual marks, straplines, websites and domain names. We employ the great brand thinking that gives your brands the right legal standing, worldwide. We work closely with you to ensure that you gain the protection your brand needs, when and where you need it. Seeing where your brand sits in the world and having the right protection can't be left to chance. We have extensive experience in:
Word and Visual Trade Marks
Brand name and identity checking
Supporting creative agencies when developing brands
IP strategy and protection
Trade mark registration
IP Seminars
Brand Naming
We have conducted assignments in the UK and Internationally.
Here's a bit more detail about our range of services
Brand Strategy
So what's that mean and why would I want it?
It's about clear thinking, business sense, and understanding what a brand can do for you. A strong, focused brand allows you to deliver business objectives, communicate with your customers, differentiate from your competition and motivate your people.
So what's that mean and why would I want it?
It's about clear thinking, business sense, and understanding what a brand can do for you. A strong, focused brand allows you to deliver business objectives, communicate with your customers, differentiate from your competition and motivate your people.
Brand Naming
The names we develop communicate powerful ideas that engage your customers.
Our creative work is grounded on a foundation of strategic thinking, market knowledge and trade mark expertise.
The names we develop communicate powerful ideas that engage your customers.
Our creative work is grounded on a foundation of strategic thinking, market knowledge and trade mark expertise.
Brand Architecture
It's a way of organising your brand, services and products so they make sense - especially to your customers.
So that's what we do. The big thing is that it is developed with a customer perspective - it's not an organogram or a way of organising your products into logical boxes or a map of your business devisions. It's about how your customers access and understand your brand or brands.
It's a way of organising your brand, services and products so they make sense - especially to your customers.
So that's what we do. The big thing is that it is developed with a customer perspective - it's not an organogram or a way of organising your products into logical boxes or a map of your business devisions. It's about how your customers access and understand your brand or brands.
Brand Positioning
Brand positioning is the mechanism that competitively delivers your brand to your audience.
We analyse, read, think, test, pull apart, model, scenario, experiment, draw, hypothesise, until we can determine what that single organising thought should be. Something simple, relevant and motivating. Something with a sense of inevitability. It feels right. But maybe a bit scary.
It's based on the principle:
'Highest customer need, that you are willing and able to deliver, in a differentiated way'.
Brand positioning is the mechanism that competitively delivers your brand to your audience.
We analyse, read, think, test, pull apart, model, scenario, experiment, draw, hypothesise, until we can determine what that single organising thought should be. Something simple, relevant and motivating. Something with a sense of inevitability. It feels right. But maybe a bit scary.
It's based on the principle:
'Highest customer need, that you are willing and able to deliver, in a differentiated way'.
Customer Insight
Customer Insight is about tuning in to the important things. The zeitgeist.
Understanding what makes customers tick, how they think, what they care about, is the first step to developing a brand that does something for them - more than just meeting a functional need and makes them feel good about their decision - to buy your brand.
With our research partners we conduct branding research through focus groups, creative
workshops and our propriety naming research, STREETBEAT.
Customer Insight is about tuning in to the important things. The zeitgeist.
Understanding what makes customers tick, how they think, what they care about, is the first step to developing a brand that does something for them - more than just meeting a functional need and makes them feel good about their decision - to buy your brand.
With our research partners we conduct branding research through focus groups, creative
workshops and our propriety naming research, STREETBEAT.
Internal Branding
Internal Branding is that essential ingredient that ensures that what goes on inside the company is in alignment with what goes on outside.
A brand is more than skin deep. Just like a stick of rock, the values, ethos and behaviours within exude and exemplify the brand essence. Our mechanism for success is the single organising thought, around which we create training collateral, tone-of-voice, brandscapes, videos, guidelines, reviews and measurement tools.
Internal Branding is that essential ingredient that ensures that what goes on inside the company is in alignment with what goes on outside.
A brand is more than skin deep. Just like a stick of rock, the values, ethos and behaviours within exude and exemplify the brand essence. Our mechanism for success is the single organising thought, around which we create training collateral, tone-of-voice, brandscapes, videos, guidelines, reviews and measurement tools.
Tone of Voice
Tone-of-voice is a guide that crystalises the way everything should be said or written in communications from your brand.
Brandscapes
Brandscapes are short ‘films’ of words, pictures and sound that conjure up the essence of the brand positioning.
Tone-of-voice is a guide that crystalises the way everything should be said or written in communications from your brand.
Brandscapes
Brandscapes are short ‘films’ of words, pictures and sound that conjure up the essence of the brand positioning.
Consultancy
Alongside our larger projects, we conduct individual consultancy projects for senior executives.
These respond directly to a particular need, often prior to a branding project, helping to set the brief, direction and business case.
Alongside our larger projects, we conduct individual consultancy projects for senior executives.
These respond directly to a particular need, often prior to a branding project, helping to set the brief, direction and business case.
Realize Brand Potential
We help you look at your brand with a 360-degree perspective to ensure accurate execution from all corners of the business. Within and across all functions of the value chain we help you expose when and where the brand promise is being met and where it is lacking.
We help you look at your brand with a 360-degree perspective to ensure accurate execution from all corners of the business. Within and across all functions of the value chain we help you expose when and where the brand promise is being met and where it is lacking.
Brand Naming in the USA
The names we develop communicate powerful ideas that engage your customers.
Our creative work is grounded on a foundation of strategic thinking, market knowledge and trade mark expertise.
The names we develop communicate powerful ideas that engage your customers.
Our creative work is grounded on a foundation of strategic thinking, market knowledge and trade mark expertise.
Brand Assessment
The goal of Total Brand Balance™ is to ensure that an entire company is working in a manner that enables each unit’s efforts to build upon the efforts of the other units. By using the brand as the central point of focus, we develop integrated strategies to ensure seamless workflow and constant coordination between departments. Perfected collaboration versus silos is what separates the great companies from all the rest.
With a thorough understanding and recommendations on how to solve disconnects within your value chain, you will be, more than ever, prepared to exploit the market place and achieve your goals.
The goal of Total Brand Balance™ is to ensure that an entire company is working in a manner that enables each unit’s efforts to build upon the efforts of the other units. By using the brand as the central point of focus, we develop integrated strategies to ensure seamless workflow and constant coordination between departments. Perfected collaboration versus silos is what separates the great companies from all the rest.
With a thorough understanding and recommendations on how to solve disconnects within your value chain, you will be, more than ever, prepared to exploit the market place and achieve your goals.
Intellectual Property Strategy
(in partnership with Brand Guardians IP)
We develop the strategy for checking and protecting existing or newly created brand assets. We plan the search and registration process for a brand development project.
Through considered planning you can ensure that the IP you create will be adequately protected. How you do it can save time, effort and money. The essence is having a process for doing it effectively given time and budgetary constraints. A good strategy helps future-proof your business by ensuring you’re in control of your brand.
(in partnership with Brand Guardians IP)
We develop the strategy for checking and protecting existing or newly created brand assets. We plan the search and registration process for a brand development project.
Through considered planning you can ensure that the IP you create will be adequately protected. How you do it can save time, effort and money. The essence is having a process for doing it effectively given time and budgetary constraints. A good strategy helps future-proof your business by ensuring you’re in control of your brand.
Brand Planning
Have you tried everything and still can't seem to budge sales forward? Have you heard one too many times the "because we always have done it that way" argument for using a specific tactic? Brand Guardians USA is here to help.
By taking an independent, nothing is sacred, approach we can help you map out a marketing plan that is strategically designed to accomplish your goals. We will review your previous plans and analyze whether other outside factors could be impacting its effectiveness. We will provide customer insight to ensure the most effective mediums are being used and we'll push you to think outside your comfort zone.
Have you tried everything and still can't seem to budge sales forward? Have you heard one too many times the "because we always have done it that way" argument for using a specific tactic? Brand Guardians USA is here to help.
By taking an independent, nothing is sacred, approach we can help you map out a marketing plan that is strategically designed to accomplish your goals. We will review your previous plans and analyze whether other outside factors could be impacting its effectiveness. We will provide customer insight to ensure the most effective mediums are being used and we'll push you to think outside your comfort zone.
Brand Promotion
Traditional branding firms will always have a design solution (because they are actually design houses) and ad agencies will always have a medium of choice that is critical to your success, such as TV, Radio or interactive. It was for this reason Brand Guardians and Brand Guardians USA was created.
We believe the solution that’s right for you should be solely based on your situation and market opportunity, not our creative speciality. Therefore, we founded Brand Guardians USA on the basis of Strategic Planning and Account Management, preferring to use a network of award-winning specialists to deliver complete solutions. This approach enables us to strategically match your needs with the most effective vehicle, as well as use the best talent within that medium. Excellence is refreshingly simple, once you have mastered the art.
Traditional branding firms will always have a design solution (because they are actually design houses) and ad agencies will always have a medium of choice that is critical to your success, such as TV, Radio or interactive. It was for this reason Brand Guardians and Brand Guardians USA was created.
We believe the solution that’s right for you should be solely based on your situation and market opportunity, not our creative speciality. Therefore, we founded Brand Guardians USA on the basis of Strategic Planning and Account Management, preferring to use a network of award-winning specialists to deliver complete solutions. This approach enables us to strategically match your needs with the most effective vehicle, as well as use the best talent within that medium. Excellence is refreshingly simple, once you have mastered the art.
Brand Experience Cycle Workshops
"Walk in my footsteps and view the world from my eyes" — your customers.
How well do you know your customers? Does your product/service actually surpass their expectations resulting in building loyalty? In a unique and proprietary workshop, Brand Guardians USA combines education and interactivity to help your people understand the Brand Experience Cycle. Entertaining and informative, the workshop focuses on your business, enabling each participant to think about how their actions positively and negatively impact the customers’ brand experience.
Workshops are recommended for upper and middle management.
Workshops can be provided in 1-day, 2-day and 3-day formats.
"Walk in my footsteps and view the world from my eyes" — your customers.
How well do you know your customers? Does your product/service actually surpass their expectations resulting in building loyalty? In a unique and proprietary workshop, Brand Guardians USA combines education and interactivity to help your people understand the Brand Experience Cycle. Entertaining and informative, the workshop focuses on your business, enabling each participant to think about how their actions positively and negatively impact the customers’ brand experience.
Workshops are recommended for upper and middle management.
Workshops can be provided in 1-day, 2-day and 3-day formats.
Brand Training
Congratulations! You have a new or revitalized brand. You did it right. You used the best specialists. Your logo is unique and memorable. Your positioning is so powerful that it will set the market on fire. All of senior management is aligned behind this new vision. Your services and product line have all been reviewed and seen as on target. So now what? How do you ensure that the new vision is understood and embraced by all the employees, those who really carry the corporate flag day in and day out?
We know that the best Branding program can fail if your people are not inspired to live the brand. For this reason we developed our Brand Training services. Think of it as self preservation. Why allow months of work and significant expense go to waste due to overlooking the most important target audience, your employees.
Congratulations! You have a new or revitalized brand. You did it right. You used the best specialists. Your logo is unique and memorable. Your positioning is so powerful that it will set the market on fire. All of senior management is aligned behind this new vision. Your services and product line have all been reviewed and seen as on target. So now what? How do you ensure that the new vision is understood and embraced by all the employees, those who really carry the corporate flag day in and day out?
We know that the best Branding program can fail if your people are not inspired to live the brand. For this reason we developed our Brand Training services. Think of it as self preservation. Why allow months of work and significant expense go to waste due to overlooking the most important target audience, your employees.
Brand Management
Do you:
Have a significant need for marketing talent quickly?
Want marketing talent without significant overhead?
Need a marketing department you can scale up and down?
Want to minimize your investment to test market a new product?
As veterans of both sides of the business (agency and client), we understand that for various reasons companies may need a temporary increase in marketing capabilities. Therefore Brand Guardians USA is pioneering Outsourced Brand Management services to enable companies like yours to exploit market opportunities without the headaches of recruitment and onboarding, as well as eliminating the barriers of staff salaries and employee benefits.
Do you:
Have a significant need for marketing talent quickly?
Want marketing talent without significant overhead?
Need a marketing department you can scale up and down?
Want to minimize your investment to test market a new product?
As veterans of both sides of the business (agency and client), we understand that for various reasons companies may need a temporary increase in marketing capabilities. Therefore Brand Guardians USA is pioneering Outsourced Brand Management services to enable companies like yours to exploit market opportunities without the headaches of recruitment and onboarding, as well as eliminating the barriers of staff salaries and employee benefits.
IP Seminars for Agencies and Clients
Do you know what IP is?
Can you advise clients or colleagues on brand protection?
Do you know how to register a Trade Mark?
Do you know what happens if your design infringes another Trade Mark?
Do you know why you should care?
We deliver informative, illustrated IP seminars, in an interactive and informal way, giving you an introduction to intellectual property: what it is, the different forms it takes and the basics of how it works. The seminar provides the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues relevant to your business. Ideal for teams of designers or brand managers.
We can also create a bespoke seminar for a client or event.
Do you know what IP is?
Can you advise clients or colleagues on brand protection?
Do you know how to register a Trade Mark?
Do you know what happens if your design infringes another Trade Mark?
Do you know why you should care?
We deliver informative, illustrated IP seminars, in an interactive and informal way, giving you an introduction to intellectual property: what it is, the different forms it takes and the basics of how it works. The seminar provides the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues relevant to your business. Ideal for teams of designers or brand managers.
We can also create a bespoke seminar for a client or event.
Creative Checking
VISIONARY Searches
Quick, economical searches of Trade Marks, used as part of the brand development process. Ideal for checking to see whether your logo is a 'big idea' and see all the images in a category.
Logo Searches
Help scope your 'Trade Mark world' by showing whether there are similar marks already registered in your sector. These are the marks of competitors. It's the way of finding out how unique a new mark is.
Name Searches
Got a name, or a short list of names to check and need it doing quickly? Then this is the search for you. Used by clients and agencies who think they've created an ideal name or where there's a long list you need to filter down.
VISIONARY Searches
Quick, economical searches of Trade Marks, used as part of the brand development process. Ideal for checking to see whether your logo is a 'big idea' and see all the images in a category.
Logo Searches
Help scope your 'Trade Mark world' by showing whether there are similar marks already registered in your sector. These are the marks of competitors. It's the way of finding out how unique a new mark is.
Name Searches
Got a name, or a short list of names to check and need it doing quickly? Then this is the search for you. Used by clients and agencies who think they've created an ideal name or where there's a long list you need to filter down.
Logo Audits
Need to see all the logos for academic institutions or insurance companies? Do you want to see what the identities of gambling websites are like? A logo audit provides a snapshot of any marketplace.
Logo audits of competitors, organisations, sectors. Much of the information is web based to show the logos in context. Widely used for services, public sector, Internet retailing, entertainment etc.
Need to see all the logos for academic institutions or insurance companies? Do you want to see what the identities of gambling websites are like? A logo audit provides a snapshot of any marketplace.
Logo audits of competitors, organisations, sectors. Much of the information is web based to show the logos in context. Widely used for services, public sector, Internet retailing, entertainment etc.
Strapline Searches
Straplines are increasingly important for brand communications and as the majority are not registered as trade marks it’s important to know what’s out there and to check one before you use it.
Go to work on an egg
Naughty but nice!
Solutions in mind
Check inn - the reality…
Straplines are increasingly important for brand communications and as the majority are not registered as trade marks it’s important to know what’s out there and to check one before you use it.
Go to work on an egg
Naughty but nice!
Solutions in mind
Check inn - the reality…
Linguistic Checking
Will your proposed name or strapline work in other countries or will it get lost in translation? You need to know! Cultural and linguistic screening is the answer.
Our professional linguists will tell you whether it’s pronounceable, has negative meanings, is similar to any other words in the language, is associated with any other products. We screen individual names and short lists.
Will your proposed name or strapline work in other countries or will it get lost in translation? You need to know! Cultural and linguistic screening is the answer.
Our professional linguists will tell you whether it’s pronounceable, has negative meanings, is similar to any other words in the language, is associated with any other products. We screen individual names and short lists.
Intellectual Property Strategy
We develop the strategy for checking and protecting existing or newly created brand assets. We plan the search and registration process for a brand development project.
Through considered planning you can ensure that the IP you create will be adequately protected. How you do it can save time, effort and money. The essence is having a process for doing it effectively given time and budgetary constraints. A good strategy helps future-proof your business by ensuring you’re in control of your brand.
We develop the strategy for checking and protecting existing or newly created brand assets. We plan the search and registration process for a brand development project.
Through considered planning you can ensure that the IP you create will be adequately protected. How you do it can save time, effort and money. The essence is having a process for doing it effectively given time and budgetary constraints. A good strategy helps future-proof your business by ensuring you’re in control of your brand.
Trade Mark Searches
Identical searches for short lists or as a pre-screen. These are used for initial checks and for reducing short lists of names, as they are quick and economical.
Availability searches with a legal opinion are available for the UK, Community Trade Mark, International Trade Mark and other countries internationally. They are available for words, logos (graphic devices), colour marks etc.
Which you use depends on the project, number of countries, timing and budget. We aim to put together a sensible strategy for your project.
Identical searches for short lists or as a pre-screen. These are used for initial checks and for reducing short lists of names, as they are quick and economical.
Availability searches with a legal opinion are available for the UK, Community Trade Mark, International Trade Mark and other countries internationally. They are available for words, logos (graphic devices), colour marks etc.
Which you use depends on the project, number of countries, timing and budget. We aim to put together a sensible strategy for your project.
Trade Mark Applications
Trade Mark applications are available all over the world. There are different types of applications:
National Trade Mark
Community Trade Mark
International Trade Mark (Madrid Agreement)
All have their merits. Which one is right for you depends on the markets you trade in, the results of the trade mark searches and budget.
Trade Mark applications are available all over the world. There are different types of applications:
National Trade Mark
Community Trade Mark
International Trade Mark (Madrid Agreement)
All have their merits. Which one is right for you depends on the markets you trade in, the results of the trade mark searches and budget.
Brand Defence
The owner of a brand is entirely responsible for policing and protecting their own brand. Planning and protecting a brand by putting in place a protocol for brand defence is an essential element of business.
The starting point is to ensure it is correctly used internally and by legitimate third parties through well-managed guidelines. This includes securing and looking after Trade Marks, domain names, design registration, copyright, patents etc. We help set-up the brand protection process to include defensive planning, planning for business growth, watching services, brand communications monitoring and brand guidelines.
The owner of a brand is entirely responsible for policing and protecting their own brand. Planning and protecting a brand by putting in place a protocol for brand defence is an essential element of business.
The starting point is to ensure it is correctly used internally and by legitimate third parties through well-managed guidelines. This includes securing and looking after Trade Marks, domain names, design registration, copyright, patents etc. We help set-up the brand protection process to include defensive planning, planning for business growth, watching services, brand communications monitoring and brand guidelines.
Ongoing Brand Support
Specialist services for when there’s a specific issue e.g. change of business ownership, purchase or sale of a brand or a problem of infringement, mis-representation and passing-off. For instance:
“Someone has copied our brand identity….”
“There’s a similar business started-up with the same name and my customers are confused, I need to do something quick!”
“We’re doing an MBO and have to change our name, what’s involved in doing this?”
“We’re licensing the brand in other countries, will our trade marks be protected?”
“We’re changing the logo, does it affect our trade mark rights?”
Specialist services for when there’s a specific issue e.g. change of business ownership, purchase or sale of a brand or a problem of infringement, mis-representation and passing-off. For instance:
“Someone has copied our brand identity….”
“There’s a similar business started-up with the same name and my customers are confused, I need to do something quick!”
“We’re doing an MBO and have to change our name, what’s involved in doing this?”
“We’re licensing the brand in other countries, will our trade marks be protected?”
“We’re changing the logo, does it affect our trade mark rights?”
©2011 Brand Guardians