When the sun aligns and the poles shift, I get out from behind my desk and into networking mode for a few hours every month. When out talking trade, I often get asked what I do or how much it would cost to brand company XYZ. As someone who lives and breaths branding every day, these are still some of the most difficult questions to answer on the fly.

The average person's perception of brand development doesn't go far beyond the creation of logos, letterhead, packaging or web design (and sometimes even lucky when it extends that far). Brand run much deeper than these surface components and only achieve lasting success when supported by a strong, underlying foundation. This is where many of my hours are spent at Urban Influence and ultimately why the brands we've built have an unprecedented record for success.

Many factors can swing the scope of a branding exercise, but nothing more-so than how healthy the living state of the brand is. I'm not talking about the brochure or the advertisement, but the real emotional experience that exists at the core between consumer and company. How sound is the brand experience when you disregard the surface layer of marketing communications and get to the center? I've found this particular question is the single most important thing you can ask and is best answered with more questions…

Do the leaders of company XYZ have a clear and consistent vision for their brand? Do the employees understand what that vision means and act on it purposefully? How about past customers who have experienced the brand for all it's strengths and weaknesses; are they still coming back? What does Company XYZ mean to relevant audiences who haven't interacted with it before; do they even know about it? These are all questions that need to be asked before thinking about a new logo, website or marketing kit.

When companies come to us for specific brand touchpoints, we often find that they need to address something deeper than just a logo refresh or new brochure. Depending on the current state of said company, the strategic outreach could be as simple as interpreting a healthy brand experience into a build foundation for design, or it could mean going as far as a ground-up restructure. Branding must runs deep, reaching into the far corners of a company's infrastructure down to how employees are trained, what products are offered, and how the receptionist answers the phone. Brand isn't just about how you look or what you say, it's the way everything functions harmoniously together to consistently deliver an experience.

The brand and marketing collateral that a company puts forth are only vessels communicating the promise of a greater experience. These vessels are important, but only after you've put a sound strategy into play that can validate the promise made with these components. By aligning the brand and marketing touchpoints with the strategic foundation, authenticity is born. In recent years it has become paramount to create this authentic brand experience. Consumers and businesses have become increasingly fickle in an age of over-marketing and economic volatility. Marketing skepticism is at an all time high and consumers are increasingly looking towards companies that look, feel and (most importantly) act authentically. The companies that understand this brand alignment are the ones who succeed, at least in the long-term.

So when I'm out, I've learned that the best way to describe my job, is that of a promise maker. I help companies make promises… and keep them.

If you want to learn more, follow our latest blog creation where we dive into the concept of branding and its effects on the world: http://www.pivotagency.co