Muse recently completed an ambitious rebranding process. It was an exhilarating experience. It challenged our team to play both client and creative, to ask some serious questions about who we are and to reflect those feelings in a way that is both authentic and inspiring.
We regularly work with businesses and organizations to help develop and evolve their brand. It is central to what we do. However, the prospect of going through the same process for ourselves was not without its challenges. In order to fully explore the truth of your brand you must play anthropologist and sociologist. You must be part creative thinker, artist and engineer.
It begins with brainstorming (brandstorming), soul searching, asking and answering the hard questions, getting buy-in from the other team members and building consensus. This helps to form a clear picture of who we really are, who we would like to be, and asking ourselves why anyone would care. Muse always starts with “Why?” Simon Sinek has been a major influence on how Muse thinks, creates and communicates.
Pulling all of that together with some semblance of objectivity seemed a daunting prospect when we began our journey in August of 2017. But I am happy to report we made it through the process intact: reinvigorated and inspired to share our new look and language with the world. It has inspired us to set bigger goals and seems to be a hit in the marketplace, generating new opportunities right out of the gate.
So we thought it would be fun to share the story of our brand evolution with you.
Over the next six weeks, each member of our team will share their insights and perspective on the branding process. We have developed our own unique approach at Muse. We call it, “Uncover Your Greatness”.
Next week’s article will outline the processes that Muse employs to research and audit a brand. We elicit a collective response by developing word clouds and images that inevitably inform the brand truth. This helps to inform colour, sound, feeling, mood, and communication styles: your brand personality. Whether you work at a creative agency or at a business or organization that is contemplating a rebranding project, we hope that you will find it interesting and helpful.
Branding is a journey, not a destination.
~ Judy Boswell
