Take me to your leader
Posted by Armando at 3:52 am 0 Comments
During the next couple of weeks we are going to be focusing on a subject that has baffled the most brilliant of minds; How to avoid a branding disaster (aka. How to have a successful branding campaign). Over the past decade we’ve learned to spot a few, avoidable signs that could lead you to wasting an incredible amount of time and money. As they say…it’s not rocket science. But, it is only learned through experience.
First, we’re going to start with the very foundational principles and lead up to the more specific guidelines to help you get the most out of your campaign.
Everyone’s got an opinion. That’s a wonderful thing. The opinions of our customers are what drive us to excellence on every single project. However, imagine this scenario:
We are working extra hard to produce a logo for Bob. After getting the initial samples ready, we send it to him. Then, just for kicks, we send the samples to some other people that he knows; Sally, John, Mary, & Edward.
After a little time, Bob is very happy but requests some minor changes. He is, obviously, the one who understands the vision and purpose behind his logo and is the most qualified to suggest revisions. However, shortly after this, Sally, John, Mary, & Edward all send back their suggestions and recommendations.
Sally thinks the color is all wrong.
John is not sure about the concept and would like to see another version.
Mary loves it.
Edward is indifferent.
This is all fine, but what happens next? Should we consider the opinions of Sally, John, Mary, & Edward equal to the opinions of Bob? Should we tell Bob that we won’t be able to make the “minor revisions” he requested because John isn’t sure about the concept?
The answer is obvious. From the beginning, Bob was the decision-maker. In this case, his opinion is the only one that matters. By introducing other people into the conversation we’ve only hindered the creative process and, inevitably, Bob will second-guess his decisions. Eventually, the logo will no longer be Bob’s. If it ever gets done It will be the product of least offense. The lowest common denominator between all opinions.
As silly as all of this sounds, it happens everyday. Companies and organizations make the step to start a new project only to have it crash because too many people have a hold on the steering wheel. Instead, understanding and applying the following principle will save you a HUGE amount of frustration.
Before starting on a project ALWAYS determine who the decision makers are. Choose one or two people that understand the vision and purpose behind the campaign. Make sure that they are confident enough to lead and make the final decisions.
Most importantly, make sure that they are the only ones giving orders and requesting revisions. And remember, without clearly defined leadership, any project can (and most likely will) fail. Save yourself the trouble and establish project leaders in the beginning.