Changing Consistency

To all my school friends, I was 'the hockey player.'

My atypical youth experience consisted of an incredible amount traveling to practices, games or even weekend tournaments. Needless to say, an investment of time and effort at this level greatly dictates one's entire identity.

10 years later, after a garage spring cleaning and seeing the giant bag of equipment gathering it's typical dust in it's typical place, I began to realize that it was no longer part of my identity. My needs, hobbies, and priorities have all changed, and that equipment is no longer of the value to me it once was. The only thing that was keeping that hockey equipment in my possession was the nostalgia of a former hockey career and the one time every 3 years I pull it down for a session of drop-in hockey.

I've long desired the mobility and freedom of a macbook pro as my daily-use computer (Read #7 for yourself) But, we've always been hindered by that high sticker price.

So, after much of my own ado, I posted the gear on the craigslist chopping block. Hopefully off to someone else whose identity it will aid. Next step, aiding my own identity of 'mobile graphic designer.'

So, how does this identity change apply to branding? The main purpose of branding is to create a consistent look, conveying dependability to your audience, right? Well, yes, and no.

If you've kept a specific logo and business voice for the sole purpose of consistency, you may need to step back and evaluate if that logo or business voice still appropriately represents your business. If your business grows and adapts, so should your branding. Brand consistency is not just about your customers recognizing your product, but also about your identity being consistent with your services.

If you're holding on to a certain look because it's what you've always used, you're ignoring the greatest branding principle of all: Appeal to your market. Even if your business hasn't changed, your market probably has. Maybe not in their need for you, but in their overall lifestyles, priorities, and integration of resources like the internet or mobile devices (In short, a present-day man is looking for different things out of a car than he was 30 years ago, and is shopping for a car in a different way as well.).

What's driving you to hold on to that logo your buddy put together for you in the 80s? Or that FrontPage website you pieced together when you first started your business? Maybe it's time to let go of your dusty bag of equipment and upgrade to something that better fits your needs.

Let's grab a cup of coffee and talk it over. I might even bring along a shiny new laptop!