Month: January 2024

What can brands do for feminism?

Posted on by Knom

Building the model of society in which we want to live.

Brands are a reflection of the social reality in which we live, but they are also an engine for change. Advertising, branding and communication play a very important role in normalising and implementing the social changes that emerge in our societies.

Although there is always a certain commercial interest behind this, we cannot underestimate the power and influence of brands on the population as a whole, both in reinforcing stereotypes and in breaking them.

Brands and products are part of our daily lives and that is why it is so urgent that, as consultants, designers and communicators, we learn to identify the biases that exist in the system and try to correct them. Being aware of issues such as the fact that the majority of voice assistants are women, or that the ergonomics of cars are designed for the comfort and safety of the male body is the first step in rethinking what we need to redesign in order to have the kind of society we want.

Because while there is a sector of brands that only seeks to jump on the bandwagon of a highly profitable mass movement through small, purely aesthetic and opportunistic gestures, we also find examples of truly committed brands that understand that relevance and real impact come from taking action.

An action that can be materialised in different ways: from attitude, empowering women; from information, giving them visibility and tools; but above all from design, including them in decision-making.

Because although it is great to see us starring in egalitarian spots and advertisements, it is much better to see us directing these campaigns, presiding over companies, and being a point of reference.

Because the present we design shapes the future we will be.

How trendy should a visual identity be?

Posted on by Knom

Brand design must transcend trends, but also take advantage of them.

The accelerated pace at which we live means that many trends are born and die at the same pace. What works today is likely to be obsolete in a few months. It is no longer like before, when a certain trend or movement prevailed in a more obvious way, now many different design trends coexist at the same time. That is why it is so dangerous to entrust the design of a brand to a merely aesthetic fashion.

A maxim of branding is that it should be functional, but it is also true that brands cannot (and should not) completely abstract themselves from what is happening around them, trends included. We must not forget that visual codes appeal to the social imaginary and are linked to a popular understanding. In this sense, the concepts of “modern”, “classic” or “technological” are not static but vary with the historical moment.

Good design handles this with great skill, always finding the balance between trend and universal codes, those that steer clear of the volatility of taste. A good brand design will find current graphic solutions and at the same time contain that intrinsic ‘truth’ to the brand that makes it solid and different from the base.

Branding must be approached from a long-term perspective and, although it is fine to play with the trends of the moment, we must know how to choose them. We must transcend the trend or the designer’s own style and think about what the project, the sector or the specific client demands. Before being guided by a particular trend, we must consider whether it is relevant to our category, our current positioning or the consumer group we are targeting.

Why should global brands speak locally?

Posted on by Knom

In order to mean something, we must think and act locally.

For the first time in a long time, reality has confronted us with a common, pressing and global problem which, although on the one hand, makes us more aware of our globality, on the other hand, makes us more sensitive to what is close to us.

In this context, hyperlocality is gaining strength and as consumers we demand brands that are 100% adapted to us, responding to our expectations and lifestyle and that also help us to reinforce our own identity that distinguishes us in such a globalised world.

Faced with this, big brands must approach their strategy from a global but locally nuanced meaning, a meaning that allows them to convey authenticity and remain relevant in all markets. Because a global brand that does not adapt its portfolio and its communication to the local reality becomes a brand that speaks from common places and ends up meaning nothing.

Therefore, we must work on a common identity axis that reflects our unique personality as a brand but keeping in mind aspects such as the maturity of each market, its culture and idiosyncrasies and also the specific competitive position we play in that place.

Today’s great brands are targeting global, hyper-connected citizens but also communities with different traditions, issues and priorities. The advantages of a multi-local strategy are clear, but will all global brands be able to make the organisational and financial effort required to implement it?

Where does the person end and the brand begin?

Posted on by Knom

A brand is much more than the person who runs it.

Amancio Ortega and Zara, Richard Branson and Virgin, Elon Musk and Tesla… There are many examples of brands in which the image of the CEO is mixed with that of the brand itself. A few days ago we learned that Jeff Bezos decided to step aside and no longer continue as CEO of Amazon, just when the company reached its peak turnover.

A move that may be due to a desire to evolve the brand, or perhaps it is just an attempt to disassociate the Bezos brand from the Amazon brand. Because there is no doubt how fragile it is for a brand to depend on the image of a single person, no matter how closely linked that person is to the company (remember how Apple’s shares fell when Steve Jobs fell ill).

Of course, the existence of a self-made visionary genius creates a myth around the company that humanises it, makes its values more credible, and generates an aspirational halo that everyone wants to be part of. But thinking in the long term, to what extent is attaching oneself to a character (however magnetic he or she may be) a recommendable strategy for a brand? And if this strategy is built from the bottom up – from the employees – and not from the leader?

Because, without getting into polemics, will the Barça brand still be worth the same when Messi is no longer there?

Why is a spoken word worth a thousand words?

Posted on by Knom

Voice brings people closer and conveys truth.

We find it in the entertainment sector with podcasts, in social networks with audio notes and tweets, and in the user experience with voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. We are living in a sweet time for the audio format which, far from reaching its peak, continues to grow.

But what does this have to do with brands? Everything indicates that it has a lot to do with brands. Purchasing through devices and voice assistants is one of the keys to the future of e-commerce. In the meantime, services such as Amazon Polly’s Brand Voice are emerging, offering companies the opportunity to create a personalised and unique voice to interact with their users. Because in the same way that we design your visual identity, perhaps it is time to consider what the voice of your brand is like: whether it is deep or high-pitched, whether it is young or adult, whether it has an accent, whether it speaks quickly or conveys calmness.

In a context in which proximity and authenticity are rising values, the voice is a resource to be exploited, and audio UX is a field to be explored for the most experiential brands.

Can a brand be 100% sustainable?

Posted on by Knom

Do first, say second

Trends and consumers are pushing brands to create sustainable business models, aiming for a zero carbon footprint.

It is more than proven that the throwaway culture cannot be sustained and brands cannot look the other way: they must take firm steps towards product innovations that make the best use of resources.

In this sense, a few days ago we saw the launch of the first refillable deodorant. A brave commitment to sustainability that moves away from small initiatives and greenwashing gestures, and sets out to restructure its business with the planet in mind.

Because building a truly sustainable brand involves absolutely every aspect of the business (materials, transport, employees, suppliers, etc.) and this implies a great economic and logistical effort, as well as a great effort in terms of communication. Because if we do not communicate the new processes transparently, consumers will not be able to assess the brand’s real commitment.

Why do so many tech brands use illustration?

Posted on by Knom

Technology needs poetry to excite.

Not only Google, but also Shopify, Mailchimp or Dropbox… Every day more and more startups and tech companies are developing their own brand illustration system to better connect with their users.

Whether with the aim of simplifying ideas, humanising digital products, differentiating themselves from the competition, or generating brand recognition, illustration is a vital communication tool for today’s technology brands.

Gone are the days of literal icons and in favour of freer, more expressive brand illustration that, like words, helps us to modulate our brand personality according to our purpose and audience. Illustrations are now much more sophisticated and no longer simply translate the engineer’s complex innovations into user benefits, but form a whole brand language that conveys our story in a more relatable way.

Should brands take political positions?

Posted on by Knom

‘Brand love’ is achieved by taking risks.

After the assault on the Capitol, some social networks have silenced Trump and many other brands, such as FedEx, Hilton, Mastercard and Microsoft, have broken ties with the speech of the still president.

Faced with a more active and aware public, and aware of their power and influence, the so-called ‘activist brands’ are emerging which, committed to their principles and values as a company, dedicate time and effort to fight for the causes they consider just.

While there are issues where there is a certain global consensus and where it is easier to take a stand, such as the fight against climate change or equality, the matter becomes more complicated when we take the debate to political leanings.

Growing ideological polarisation increases consumers’ desire to know whether the brands we buy are aligned with our way of thinking and our values. The idea of ‘voting with your wallet’ is expanding, but how far should brands’ political engagement go?

What’s in store for brands in 2021?

Posted on by Knom

In a year in which the most searched for in Google has been “Why?”, we would like to end December with a bit of uncertainty for 2021 (at least in terms of branding).

For this reason, we would like to share with you some of the trends that most of the main branding consultancies and blogs agree on, and we would like to thank them for always keeping an eye on what the future holds for our sector.

Purpose will continue to be the beacon for brands

Beyond the what, the why a brand exists will remain at the heart of the strategy. A brand purpose nuanced by the how. We are at a time when consumers have become aware of the impact of their consumption choices on society, and are increasingly concerned about processes, origins, routes and so on. This year more than ever, brands have to combine profit with social impact.

There will be greater environmental awareness

Like people, brands are increasingly aware of the damage done to the environment by our consumerist excesses of the past. That’s why this year we will continue to see a surge in brands linked to the ‘Climate Movement’ and aiming to help consumers move towards a more ethical and respectful lifestyle.

Brands’ processes and backstage will be more open.

Closely related to the previous two points is the trend for brands towards transparency, honesty and participation. Eliminating the distance between what we say and what we do has a lot to do with using more transparent communication codes, but also with involving our audiences more in our own brand strategy.

Experiential will be the priority

In a year marked by social distancing, the physical and human component has increased exponentially in value. As far as possible, we will return to physical points of sale, where brands will seek to recover the more sensorial and tangible side of their product. At the same time, virtual events will emerge that increasingly mimic the face-to-face experience.

Empathy as a core value

Over the last few months we have seen how, despite everything, technology has not been enough to compensate for in-person interactions. However, brands that have listened and empathised with our problems, doing what they could to help us, have come out stronger. In the coming years, brands will become even more humanised and move away from the rigid brand manuals we know.

What can brands learn from the Ibai phenomenon?

Posted on by Knom

We want naturalness, horizontal relationships and less posturing.

We are increasingly connecting with a “live” version of things, in which authenticity and real experience replace the retouched and perfect brands that no one believes anymore.

For example, the 2020 chimes where Ibai Llanos brought together half a million viewers on Twitch at its peak audience. A streaming platform that was born at the dawn of the gamer world and that owes its success to a combination of authenticity and community feeling, achieved through content without filters or scripts that gives us the possibility to interact between viewer and transmitter.

Ibai’s feat is just one example that highlights the new relationships of the younger generations with brands, prescribers and the media. A paradigm shift to which brands must pay attention and react in time so as not to lose relevance.