A large proportion of those who have not been able to diversify have sadly been stung viciously by the effects of Covid-19, and as a result, many businesses have understandably been through an immense struggle this year.

On observing the businesses who have thrived, it is clear that those who have been able to add additional strings to their bow or amend their offering, for example, shifting to eCommerce, have been amongst the ones to succeed (or at least cope) during this time.

In order to adapt in such a way, it is crucial that company branding is able to be flexible. Branding should ultimately be created to showcase company values– aspects of a business that ultimately should never change despite the growth or struggles it is going through. Often branding is simply positioned as something aesthetic without deeper meaning or understanding – absolutely fine until you come to add another venture for which this suddenly this longer makes sense.

By identifying a strong brand architecture early on in the business journey it makes it relatively easy to progress through transitional phases. Everyone is on the same page as to how the company will be structured and how it will proceed. This automatically makes the business more likely to sustain through periods of varying successes.

Bringing through current identity and branding to a new project gives the new venture immediate strength through recognition. Whether it is a new website or a new product, the established brand will carry weight on the new venture, people will trust your offering if they have had a good experience of your brand previously – regardless of trying the new venture.

However, this trust is not something that builds itself. Brand mission statements and visions are becoming ever popular and often fall into a very generic category of vague words including nods towards ‘sustainability’, ‘putting the customer first’, and ‘high-quality goods/services’. What makes a brand stand out is not simply popping these on paper but injecting them into all that they do and taking physical action.

A great example of this is the American clothing company ‘Patagonia’, with the mission statement “We’re in business to save our home planet”. They feature an ‘activism’ section on their website and are involved in numerous large scale projects to help reduce their environmental impact, to speak for what they believe in politically, and to support the community, amongst a number of other initiatives.

Ultimately, when the foundations of a business are structured correctly, the values and branding will fall hand in hand, flexibility will be taken into account as well as the future progressions of the company. A clear tone of voice can be mirrored across all platforms in a succinct way to tie everything together – new, old, and everything in-between.

Of course, there will always be hurdles, but with clear guidance and a strong set of brand guidelines, the process will naturally be so much smoother.

CuCo can help you along this journey, whether you’re setting out, looking for full branding guidance and creatives, or whether you’re a business looking to diversify your offering. We’re always here to help.