As the world of branding continues to evolve, a number of new trends arise, some of which stand up to the test of time, while others fail. We can learn many things from past successes and failures and, as we enter a new year, it’s a perfect time to evaluate our actions to see what branding improvements can be made. Based on the way branding has evolved in the past year, here are some things to keep in mind.

Make New Mistakes:

When you’re in the branding and marketing industry, failure is part of the territory. There is nothing wrong with failure, as long as you learn from it. Try to make this year full of failures that you can learn from and stay away from repeating actions that haven’t worked in the past.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

If you work in the field of design and branding, you know how important it is to be on top of the latest trends. As we head into a new year, let’s take a look at some predictions that are being made on the direction brand design will be taking in 2019.

The Wellness Trend – To Continue or Not?

For the past 10 years or so, brands have tried to appeal to us on a healthier level. Whether healthy or not, these brands use natural packaging design, neutral colors, heroed ingredients, quirky copy and soft claims to make consumers feel they are making a healthy choice when buying the product. Although this trend still seems to be going strong as 2019 takes over, we can’t help but wonder if it will be time for a change in the way brands choose to represent ‘healthy’ and, if so, which direction these brands will be taking.

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If you are an entrepreneur working on launching a business, you may wonder whether it is best for you to build your company using business branding or personal branding. A business brand is built around an identity you create for your business and is independent of your personal name. A personal brand is built around you personally and your name and your business name will be one and the same.

So which option is best for you? Read on to explore the pros and cons of each.

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The business world is extremely competitive. In order to stand out with marketing, brands often resort to extreme advertising that is sure to get consumer’s attention. Here are some examples of techniques brands have used which can be considered outrageous, extreme, unusual and, more than anything else…effective!

Nivea:

A German agency created an unusual ad for the Nivea sunscreen company using a seagull drone to squirt unsuspecting children on the beach with its sunscreen product. The drone was 100% real and helped to promote the message that children needed sunscreen during hours of sun exposure and needed it to be reapplied as well. Although the commercial was deemed ridiculous by many, it also served to drum up a lot of attention for the brand.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

Advertising is everywhere today. It seems like no matter where you look, there’s another advertising design online, pop up or block of text trying to get you to buy, buy, buy. For many consumers, it has gotten to a point where they would rather block out advertising than even try to look at products that might interest them.

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You’ve spent endless hours perfecting your recipe, tasting it with friends, family and coworkers, found the perfect package design, and now it’s time to create your product label. The product label design is a crucial step in grabbing the attention of your potential customer but it has to be done within FDA guidelines. There are an endless (or so it seems) amount of regulations for specific products and claims but they all share some of the same requirements.

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When branding a company or product, there are several considerations that must be made. One important factor is the target audience. These are the people that are likely to buy your products. You need to think about what will appeal to them and brand your products accordingly.

If you are selling your product internationally, appealing to your target audience can begin to get complicated. You need to think about the individual cultures you are marketing to and determine the best ways to reach people in these demographics. Here are some things to consider when branding your products internationally.

Familiarize Yourself with the Culture:

In order to brand internationally, you have to familiarize yourself with the culture. The best way to do that is to visit the country you are branding to. Visit their historical landmarks, watch their films, listen to their music, try to learn some of their language and look at what influences their design culture.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

Personal branding vs. self-promotion. What’s the difference? It could all be summed up in one phrase. The me factor. People might be genuinely interested in what you offer, but if you make it all about ‘me’ that’s likely to be a big turn off. With that in mind, here are some general rules for keeping your personal branding professional without having it become a turn off.

Be Aware of What You Have to Offer:

If you are promoting a personal brand, you need to have a clear sense of who you are and what you stand for. This will allow you to promote what you have to offer and deliver your message in a consistent and focused manner. It will also raise awareness for your services without making you look as if you are bragging.

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If you are planning a gala event for your company, it’s very important that your guests walk away with a strong reminder of your brand and what it is all about. Even though you will have many speakers at your event who will be talking about your company, including the right visual images will be an important part of enforcing your message and making your brand recognizable. That’s why it’s necessary to have the following branded items at your event.

Invitations:

It all starts with an invitation. Whether you are planning on handing out physical invitations or are inviting people digitally, be sure to create an invitation that includes your company logo and also looks festive and professional.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

As we get ready to welcome another year, businesses will be looking forward to getting current with the latest trends. Each year brings new developments in design and branding that can help your company to grow. Here are some trends savvy business men will want to look out for in 2019.

Quirky Brand Influencers as Spokespeople: The influencer trend has been big in the past few years and this is a trend that is expected to continue. But in 2019, it is predicted that businesses will opt for real people over celebrities as their spokespeople. Those with quirky personalities will serve companies best in standing out while appealing to customers on a more personal level for increased relatability and authenticity.

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Brand utility is a popular marketing method. It can come in many variations but happens when a customer connects with a brand design before a transaction takes place. It often occurs when a company gives away a product or service to potential customers so that they can see the value of what the company has to offer. It can also develop a sense of reciprocity.

Some examples of brand utility include when a mechanic offers to change tires for free. It can also include a store that offers downloadable coupons or convenient apps.

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Written by ©2019 Lien Design

If you own a company and expand to offer a new product, would you give that product a name that is related to the name of your business? If the answer is yes, the new product would be considered a brand extension. Some examples of companies that have created brand extensions include:

·       Snickers: With its creation of Snickers ice cream bars.

·       Hershey’s: With its creation of Hershey’s chocolate milk

·       Febreze: With its creation of Febreze car air fresheners

There are many ways companies can use brand extensions. Here are some examples:

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Written by ©2019 Lien Design

There’s no doubt that customer feedback plays an essential role in branding and product innovation. Today, brands are taking customer involvement to the next level with co-creation. Co-creation is the process where consumers and brands work together to create better ideas, products and services. There are a number of brands getting on board with the co-creation process. Here is a bit about how brands are taking customers feedback up a notch to help them grow and improve.

Insight Communities:

An insight community is group composed of a company’s most trusted stakeholders, customers, partners, employees, fans, donors and alumni. They give you rapid ongoing feedback that can help you make confident business decisions. Many companies use these insight communities to help them understand the direction they need to take and even to develop products for the future.

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Written by ©2019 Lien Design

When exploring the world of branding you will find that there are several different types of branding that are relevant to your business. One of these types of branding is blended branding. Read on to find out more about this type of branding and how you can use it to increase your appeal to consumers.

Blended branding looks at the internal and external image a company portrays. It consists of a combination of corporate branding, employer branding and employee branding. Let’s look at each of these types of brandings to see how they can work together to present a cohesive whole.

Corporate branding:

Corporate branding entails the properties and characteristics most generally associate with branding. These include logo, customer service, great retail packaging, advertising, products, services and more. It involves the promises a brand makes and what it actually delivers on as well as the customer experience and feedback.

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Branding and human behavior are closely linked. A brand should study human behavior carefully to determine the best way to appeal to their customers and ensure the best possible response. However, sometimes brands make missteps and use tactics that will serve to turn consumers off. Keeping that in mind, here are some common mistakes brands make that you should avoid in your branding campaigns.

Stressing Negative Behavior: Many ads try to solve problems by pointing out negative behaviors. For instance, a charity that is raising money might start out by pointing out how few people are donating to their cause.

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As cannabis becomes more socially acceptable, an increasing number of entrepreneurs are heading for, um, greener pastures, starting their own cannabis brands. While this can work to make cannabis more socially acceptable, it also creates a more competitive market. Keeping that in mind, here are some things you can do to make your cannabis brand design stand out.

1] Emphasis Health Benefits

There are a number of health benefits offered by the cannabis plant. What’s more, it can be a healthy alternative to alcohol when used recreationally. Be sure to advertise this on your web site and in any branding and marketing you do for your company. It will work as a strong selling point for your products.

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Well, like it or not, another holiday season is upon us. No matter how much of a Scrooge you may be, if you want your products to sell, you need to get onboard and turn up the holiday cheer. With that in mind, here are some marketing tips that are sure to make your holiday season a bit jollier.

Use Holiday Colors: Although some companies may go all out in revamping their products so they feature festive colors, a simple bow or some added red and green can do just fine. Your website and logo design package can be a great for featuring these colors. Decorate brick and mortar locations to remind customers that Christmas is coming and…it’s time to shop!

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In today’s world, people are paying more attention to social issues and brands are getting onboard. In fact, according to one study, two-thirds of consumers prefer brands that take a stand on social issues which can especially be effective for entrepreneurs looking to appeal to millennials.

But when choosing a social issue to stand behind, things can start to get scary. What if your customers disagree with what you stand for? Will they still buy from your graphic design company? What’s at risk? Here are some tips that may help you so that you can get behind a cause without alienating your customers.

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For over two decades, our founder Tom H. Lien and his handpicked design team have assisted businesses of all sizes in improving the sales of their products and services through innovative and effective graphic design. As a global leader in the packaging design industry, no project has been too big or too small for our team to tackle, and we do our best to seek out inventive, original ways to increase brand value—no matter the budget. We know the value of collaboration as it serves to inform on the client’s exact needs and desires.

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Written by ©2018 Lien Design

In a world that is so immersed in digital, it’s easy to forget how much actual, tangible objects can mean. In the world of marketing, having great web site content and social media posts can be effective, but modern business card design and letter heads can make for the extra special something that will really send your business over the top. Let’s find out how these mediums can be useful in this increasingly digital world.

Business Cards

Sure, email and messaging are great ways to make contact with prospective clients. But when you meet someone in person, it can be difficult to exchange information. Taking out your phones to exchange numbers is a possibility, but it can be time consuming, and once a person enters you in their contacts, who knows if they will even remember who you are!

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