Start-Ups: Why You Should Invest in Brand Development

In an ideal world as a start-up business you’d invest as much time, effort and money into your branding and packaging as you would your product development; but the reality is—that this isn’t always possible. Budgets are usually tight and before all else, your product has to be right.

Many start-ups feel that as long as their product is good, fit for purpose and in demand it will sell – right? Although a great product or business idea is certainly a pre-requisite for having a successful venture; it can’t always be solely relied on.

Often an initial ‘working brand’ is used to get a product onto the shelves or online. But poor execution can mean the core essence of a brand fails to resonate with consumers and key sales and marketing messages aren’t communicated effectively.

Successful brands engage their intended audiences and communicate clearly what a business is or does – what its products and services are and its company ethos. They have a clear brand personality that separates them from similar products or services in the marketplace, allowing them to stand out from competitors.

So, don’t settle for a ‘working identity’ that you could end up keeping – because that’s easier than changing it at a later date. Start as you mean to go on with a strong, coherent brand identity that harmonises across all your packaging, advertising and collateral.

Factor design into your business start-up budget, so it’s prioritised and funds are secured for it – just as you would for product development or marketing. Find the best creative resource or Agency you can for your budget. They’ll work with you, to realise and communicate the essence of your business through an effective brand identity.

Design and branding is an investment, that will bring returns. In the right ‘creative’ hands brand identity and product packaging can elevate your business to the next level and build a passionately loyal following that will grow with you.

Butter Bike’s Story

Butter Bike Co is an Exeter-based one-woman peanut butter production line and delivery service, on two wheels. Jeni Reeve set out in 2017, making delicious, homemade peanut butter and delivering to customers locally, under pedal power. What she quickly found was that, while her product was enchanting customers, her chosen company name and brand ‘Cliptop Kitchen’ wasn’t working as well. She got on her bike to Buddy and asked us to work on a new name, identity and to develop packaging for her range of rugged, almost smooth, smoked chilli, cinnamon raisin and chocolate peanut butters.

The new name and labels keep the company’s energetic, artisan origins to the fore. Simple colours and tyre tread patterns identify the brand and its different flavours – knobbly for rugged, wavy for almost smooth, and so on – with each pattern rolling all the way around the jar. With product and packaging working in tandem, Butter Bike Co has got a lot of pedalling ahead of it.

Our Butter Bike Co brand design has gone on to win a sweep of 2019 design awards and nominations with: FAB, Design Week, The Drum and Dieline.

Are you a business start-up who needs a strong brand identity to launch your offering? Let’s talk branding!

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