Why Create Purpose-Driven Content

In the world of brand marketing, Simon Sinek’s well-known adage, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it,” has become a mantra for marketers and business leaders. However, despite its ubiquity, this concept is still relevant and has become increasingly vital in today’s ever-evolving consumer landscape.

 

Traditionally, consumers sought products and services that addressed their immediate needs. They made choices based on convenience, quality, and price. But the landscape has shifted, and modern consumers are no longer content with mere functionality. They now seek something more profound—a sense of purpose and a connection with brands that resonate with their values and ideals.

 

In the realm of brand marketing, a “why” or a sense of purpose should be the heart of your business. If created and used, it infuses your brand with emotion and, in turn, gives it life. Successful businesses are those that have a purpose that extends beyond profit margins and competition. They are driven by a deeper cause that strikes a chord with their audience. Patagonia for example, is widely known for its strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility. Patagonia’s purpose is to “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

 

What sets Patagonia, and other businesses apart is their ability to effectively communicate and embody their purpose. By doing so, they not only demonstrate an intimate understanding of their audience but also cultivate trust by showcasing their adaptability to changing and evolving needs.

 

A key outcome of this approach is the strengthening of brand loyalty. When your brand forges a connection through a purpose that resonates with your target audience, it can significantly boost customer loyalty. This connection is more than just transactional; it’s emotional and enduring. Customers who genuinely embrace your brand’s purpose are not merely one-time buyers; they become steadfast advocates who continue to invest in your brand.

 

So, what should you think through as you delve into the realm of purpose-driven marketing?

 

Consider this: How does your brand, product, or service make a meaningful difference in the life of the person using it? This question should be at the core of your brand’s “why.” A genuine purpose is one that resonates deeply with your customers, enriching their lives in a way that goes beyond the product or service itself.

 

Peter Drucker a management guru said, “Profit is not the reason for a business to exist; it’s just a test of its validity.”

 

While profitability is essential, it is your purpose that infuses your business with authenticity and meaning.

 

In the ever-evolving world of brand marketing, one thing remains clear: a compelling “why” is not just a trendy catchphrase but a powerful force that can breathe life and longevity into your brand. It’s the essence of your business, the driving factor behind your audience’s loyalty, and the key to your success in the modern consumer landscape.

Brand Purpose: Average vs. Intentional Infographic

How to Create Your Brand Archetype

In brand marketing, understanding the significance of a fully-fledged personality is just the beginning. We touched on the ‘why’ in our previous article, but how do we go about creating one and using it? So why should brands spend the time, money, and resources to create one?

 

Starting at the Core: Your Brand’s DNA

The journey towards a distinctive brand archetype begins with an intimate understanding of your brand’s DNA. What fuels your company? What values drive its existence? What is your mission and vision? This self-awareness should be your launching point.

 

Navigating the Archetypal Universe

Once you’ve got your brand’s essence determined, explore the different characteristics of each archetype within Carl Jung’s framework. Each has positive qualities however some should resonate and feel more authentic than others.

If you find yourself wanting to fit within a specific archetype but it doesn’t feel natural, try listing all of the traits of an archetype on a sheet of paper without their respective archetypal headings. Start by crossing out the traits that don’t feel like you or feel like a stretch. Then on the second round circle and draw comparison lines to figure out if there are any overlaps. From there, narrow down the traits to a final 3 or 4 and see which archetype you naturally fall into. Have several individuals in the company take this same test and your authentic archetype should organically emerge.

 

Integrating your Archetype into Content

Once you’ve determined your archetype, it’s time for a deep dive into its defining traits. Say your brand aligns with the Hero archetype; think through how you can seamlessly weave qualities like courage, resilience, and a quest for excellence into your content creation.


Through the art of storytelling, visuals, messaging, and design, infuse your marketing content with the very essence of your chosen archetype. Authenticity is your guide. Your voice should ring true and consistent, creating a genuine emotional connection with your audience.

 

The world of brand archetypes is about crafting a persona that aligns with your brand’s very essence and resonates with your audience on a deep level. Infuse your marketing with your archetype’s voice, and personality, and ensure your design and visuals match. With consistency, your audience will grow and drive long-term revenue through loyalty.

brand archetype wordle game

Why a Brand Archetype Can Shape Your Personality

In the world of branding and marketing, having a brand personality is a vital brand pillar that guides content creators in their marketing efforts. But how do you develop and employ a brand personality in a way that resonates authentically with your audience?

 

The starting point is a thorough understanding of your company’s culture and purpose. This understanding serves as a fundamental building block. Yet, to truly connect with your audience, your brand personality must come alive.

 

Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, introduced the concept of archetypes which are universally recognized symbols, characters, or themes that represent fundamental concepts, stories, or ideas. Jung’s belief was that archetypes shape our thoughts, behaviors, and dreams, offering a window into understanding the intricacies of the human mind.

 

In branding, this concept of archetypes can be an empowering tool. Brand scientists and marketers employ Carl Jung’s archetypes to create a framework for building a brand personality. By aligning with a specific archetype, the process of crafting compelling content becomes not only easier but more effective.

 

Why does this matter? Nike as an example boasts a rich history of infusing its branding and advertising with heroic themes. “Just Do It,” their iconic tagline, isn’t merely a catchy phrase—it’s an invitation for individuals to embark on their own heroic journeys. It encourages them to overcome obstacles, challenge their limits, and aspire to greatness.

 

All of Nike’s characteristics are associated with the Hero archetype. Nike’s brand personality aligns seamlessly with the universal attributes and qualities attributed to this archetype. It’s an appropriate example of how a brand can use archetypes to speak to the innate aspirations and desires of its audience.

 

Here’s a practical exercise to consider: Take a closer look at the stories your brand tells. Do they follow classic narrative structures, like the hero’s journey or the caregiver’s nurturing narrative? These narrative patterns can offer valuable insights into your brand’s archetype. They provide clues that help you understand the essence of your brand personality and how it resonates with your audience.

 

While the concept of a brand personality may appear elusive at times, it needs to be far from nebulous. It should be deeply rooted in the universal symbols and themes that Carl Jung’s archetypes illuminate. By aligning with a specific archetype and crafting content that taps into its universal characteristics, your brand can come alive, creating genuine connections with your audience that shape their perceptions and build long-term loyalty.

 

 

The 12 Brand Archetypes:

12 Brand Archetypes. Creator, Citizen, Caregiver, Sage, Sovereign, Outlaw, Magician, Lover, Jester, Innocent, Hero, Explorer

There is Only One You

In today’s world, with the inundation of content and information as consumers, we have stopped paying attention to the ads that scroll by on a social media feed or follow us around as we visit websites. Brands have a difficult challenge of grabbing their audiences’ attention and retaining it for longer than a millisecond. In this fast-paced landscape, where rational decisions take a backseat to emotions, crafting a relatable and distinctive brand personality becomes crucial in cutting through the noise and resonating.

 

It is a well-known and hard truth that consumer decisions are rarely, if ever, purely rational. Emotions steer our purchasing decisions and the way in which individuals perceive and emotionally connect with a brand influences their purchasing behaviors. Beyond the transactional aspect of commerce, a brand holds the potential to embody certain feelings and values, serving as a conduit for emotional resonance.

 

At the heart of this endeavor is the creation of a brand personality that is not only relatable but also distinctive. The brand personality acts as a catalyst, eliciting the desired emotions within the audience. It is the instrument through which perceptions are molded, and behaviors are influenced. In essence, it is the narrative thread that weaves the brand into the fabric of consumers’ lives, rendering it more than just a product or service but a key aspect of their identity.

 

From a strategic perspective, a well-defined brand personality functions as a pillar for content creators. It provides a clear roadmap, delineating the brand’s voice, style, and messaging objectives. This guidance streamlines content creation, ensuring that every piece consistently echoes the brand’s essence, reinforcing the emotional connection with the audience.

 

Disney, is relentless in delivering a consistent personality.  It’s brand personality is rooted in enchantment, storytelling, and nostalgia. This isn’t a mere marketing façade but a profound strategy. It is the very essence through which Disney captures the hearts and minds of its guests, building a loyalty that transcends generations.

 

However, it is important to recognize that crafting a brand personality is not a sprint but a long-term investment. Success hinges upon thorough research and an understanding of the target audience. When executed properly, it should be a pillar of the strategy for sustained brand growth, allowing the business an opportunity to adapt and evolve while preserving it’s core identity.

 

In the milieu of digital media, a brand strategy that includes a well crafted personality as one of it’s pillars will provide a roadmap for content creators ensuring emotional connections are made with the target audience.

a shining diamond in the rough

Why develop a Brand Voice?

At A8ency and Modern8, we perceive brand voice as the amplifier of your brand’s identity. In the dynamic landscape of content creation, your brand’s voice is an indispensable element that distinguishes you from the competition. Despite its significance, the brand voice often remains overshadowed in the strategic considerations of branding and marketing.

So why should brands spend the time, money, and resources to create one?

 

The Overlooked Essence of Brand Voice

While visual aesthetics play a vital role in branding, the brand voice is the subtle force that gives life to your identity. Developing and consistently employing a well-defined brand voice ensures that your messaging resonates deeply with your audience, establishing trust and fostering a lasting bond.

 

Elevating Perspective and Connection

A brand voice serves as a lens through which your brand’s personality is projected. It adds layers of depth to your marketing content, allowing it to shine and leave a lasting imprint. Every interaction with your audience should create resonance, memorability, and emotion which ultimately will drive the performance of the brand.

 

The Unseen Goal: Relatability and Memorability

Beyond captivating visuals, your brand’s voice is a conduit for cultivating relatability and memorability. By infusing your voice with distinct qualities, you create a relatable narrative that goes beyond the visual appeal. The ultimate objective is to make your brand a part of your audience’s story.

 

Brand Advocacy Through Voice Connection

When your audience connects authentically with your brand’s voice, they become ambassadors.  They proudly sport your logo, echo your taglines, and organically market your offerings and grow your audience. 

 

Internal Cohesion and Streamlined Communication

Beyond its external impact, a meticulously defined brand voice serves as a valuable internal compass. It streamlines content creation and guarantees consistency in every communication—be it within your organization or directed towards external stakeholders. It fosters a sense of unity that transcends boundaries.

 

A Symbiotic Fusion of Voice and Product

In the words of Lisa Gansky, “A brand is a voice and a product is a souvenir.” Your brand’s voice infuses meaning into your product offerings, transforming them into cherished souvenirs of your identity. When the voice resonates, your product becomes an embodiment of your brand’s essence.

 

In a world inundated with information, a well-crafted brand voice serves as your beacon— drawing your audience toward your unique identity. By strategically weaving your voice through every piece of content and communication, you create an indelible mark that lingers in the minds and hearts of those you seek to engage. Use the power of brand voice as a transformative tool that elevates your visuals, fosters connection, and resonates with the essence of who you are and your audience.

Let your brand voice speak its mind

Crafting a Memorable Brand Look and Feel

Crafting a strong brand encompasses a memorable look and feel powered by thoughtful design and aesthetics, but what does this look like in reality? Here’s a closer look at the  “how” behind creating a brand that drives credibility and professionalism while building an emotional connection that resonates with your audience.

 

Understanding the Essence

The first and most important step in creating a compelling brand design starts with understanding your brand’s essence. Define who you are, what you stand for, and the emotions you wish to evoke in your audience. This foundation will serve as the emotional strategy, the heart, of your design decisions, ensuring that every visual element aligns harmoniously with your brand’s core identity.

 

Know Your Audience

A pivotal aspect of successful branding lies in creating a genuine connection with your audience. Dive deep into understanding your audience’s preferences, aesthetic inclinations, habits, and aspirations. This knowledge empowers you to curate a design that resonates with them, capturing their attention and cultivating a strong engagement.

 

Creating the Visual Language

When it comes to brand design, the elements you choose should support your foundation and help convey emotion to your audience.  Colors, typography, and imagery need to appeal to your audience, and their preferences, and most importantly resonate and be memorable to them. 

 

Consistency

Beyond the logo, consistency in your brand elements helps make identifying you easy. It’s not just about a recognizable logo; it’s about a seamless visual experience across all touchpoints. Ensure that your color palette, typography, and design elements are consistent, reinforcing your brand’s identity and making it instantly recognizable.

 

Iteration and Refinement

Brand design is a dynamic and ever-evolving process. Regular evaluation is crucial to determine how your design supports your brand’s current and future goals. By iterating and refining your design choices, you ensure that your brand stays relevant, resonating with your audience as it grows and adapts.

 

Visual Storytelling

In brand design, imagery is an important storytelling tool. It has the capability to tap into the emotions of your audience, creating an unperceived connection. Use visuals that align with your brand’s narrative, enabling your audience to resonate with who you are and the story you are telling. Use it.

 

Gathering and Implementing Feedback

Though sometimes uncomfortable, seeking feedback from your audience is an enlightening step. These insights provide valuable guidance on whether your design aligns with your audience’s expectations and whether adjustments are needed. Feedback should serve as a litmus test, ensuring your brand design supports your aspirations and future goals. 

Crafting a brand design that truly captivates requires a blend of strategic and emotional thinking and creativity.  By understanding your brand’s essence, connecting with your audience, and creating and using consistent design elements, you can create a visual identity that shapes and transforms your brand for tomorrow ensuring future thriveability.

With Some Feeling Now Geometric 3 color illustration of a dart board and a heart at the center

That Design Feeling

How Brand Design Builds Credibility and Emotional Connections with Your Audience

 

In today’s competitive business, good design and a good brand is just good business. “While design was once largely thought of as a way of making products more attractive, it is now a way of thinking: a creative process driven by the desire to better understand and meet consumer needs,” says McKinsey and Company in a late 2018 study. At the heart of a strong brand lies a carefully crafted look and feel, powered by thoughtful design and aesthetics. Brand design plays a vital role in influencing the credibility and professionalism of a company through the emotional connections it creates with its audience.

A strong brand is more than just a name and a logo. 

A strong brand is an experience. The look and feel of a brand beyond its identity are what make it stand out in the sea of competitors. When your audience can easily find you, remember you, and feel a connection with your brand, they are more likely to become loyal customers. Design is the tool that enables you to create a visual identity that resonates with your target audience, leaving a lasting mark in their minds.

 

Consumers buy on emotion and justify with logic. 

Human decision-making is driven by emotions, and brand design has a profound impact on how people feel about a brand. When customers feel an emotional connection with your brand, they are more likely to choose your products or services. Emotions are largely controlled by design and aesthetics, making it essential to invest in creating a visual language that speaks to your audience’s feelings and desires.

 

Brand design conveys professionalism and credibility. 

You only have a few seconds to make an emotional connection and impression, and your marketing content is often the initial point of contact with potential customers. A well-designed brand and marketing materials convey professionalism, competence, and attention to detail. When you invest in design, your audience is more likely to associate el of quality with what you offer, building trust and credibility in your brand.


In the digital age, attention spans are shorter than ever. 

You have only a few seconds to grab your audience’s attention before they move on. Design is often the first thing people see, even if they don’t consciously realize it. It’s the visual hook that pulls them in and compels them to explore further. With well-crafted and intentional design, you will connect and maintain your audience long enough to share your message about why they should choose your product or service and not your competitors.

Effective communication is the foundation of any successful brand. 

Good design can enhance the experience of your audience and make your messages more accessible and engaging. Clear and well-structured design elements help convey complex information more effectively, creating a seamless and enjoyable user experience.

 

Design as a Visual Language. 

Renowned designer Saul Bass once said, “Design is thinking made visual.”


Visual elements are the entry point to how we respond to the world around us. Whether it’s a logo, a website, or a social media post, design is the language that communicates your brand’s story and values to your audience.

 

Investing in design is not just about aesthetics; it’s about building credibility, making emotional connections, and leaving a lasting impression on your audience. A well-designed brand and marketing content create a compelling experience that captivates your audience, fosters trust, and sets you apart in a competitive market. Let your design be the visual storyteller that speaks on behalf of your brand and sparks a meaningful relationship with your customers.

How to Create a Newsletter Strategy

In our last post, we discussed our opinions on why newsletters are low hanging marketing fruit, but how do you utilize this platform as part of a successful strategy? There are many benefits to sending newsletters including strengthening your customer relationships, creating brand loyalty, and boosting sales, but how to you create a newsletter that someone will want to open? 


Identify your Goals

The first and most important part of your newsletter strategy will be to identify your purpose and goals. 

To establish the purpose of your newsletter strategy, you may want to consider what you are hoping to gain from this form of communication with your audience. Are you hoping to build a community around your brand, or drive traffic to your website? Your purpose should provide a framework and filter for every newsletter campaign you create. 


You may have several different campaigns you want to run, and each one may have a different goal or objective. Each goal should lean into your purpose, and always indirectly aim to boost sales. But to build long term loyalty and revenue, not every newsletter should have the goal of a direct sale.


Make it Visually Appealing and Consistent 

We may be biased, but design, layout, typography, and your artwork are all important whether you realize it or not. We make quick decisions based on how something makes us feel and that is largely determined by how it looks.

Find a newsletter template (or better yet, create one) that has opportunity for imagery, a clear format for content, and has a professional look and feel. Your newsletter should be an extension of your brand so keeping the design consistent with your website and marketing assets is critical. 


Create a Hook

A subject line can make a big difference if your user decides to open your newsletter or not. Keeping the goal of your newsletter in mind, create a subject line that encourages and teases your reader to want to know more.

Your subject line should be short, and catchy, and most importantly be in your brand voice

And if you’re stuck, try A/B testing to see which subject lines get the highest responses.


Provide your Readers Value

Once you have identified your newsletter’s goal, created a visually appealing template, and written a catchy subject line, the meat of your content must be created with thoughtfulness and intention.

The content going out to your readers must be useful and relevant to your audience, and MUST provide value. Your user’s inboxes are flooded with all kinds of emails and it is up to you to create content that is compelling enough for them to open and read.

Knowing your audience and what their needs and interests are beyond just of your product and service will help to build community and loyalty around your brand. 


Keep them Coming

Regular communication with  your audience whether it be weekly, monthly, or quarterly is important to keep you top of mind when the need arises.

Your product may have long gaps in between customer purchases, or you may provide a service that may only arise for someone under unique circumstances, but with frequent reminders of the value  you offer, you may have the opportunity to build a long and trusted relationship.  

By creating a newsletter strategy and fulfilling on it regularly, you will have the opportunity to communicate directly to your audience with content that is useful, compelling, and memorable, and provide you a ROI.

Newsletter topics: Company news & updates, thought leadership, upcoming product or service teases, team spotlights, industry updates, customer success stories

Why A Newsletter Strategy is Important

From prospecting to purchase, modern technology has provided us so many opportunities to access and connect with our customers throughout the sales funnel process. Marketing, is an essential piece of the process, but often, those endeavors can be costly, with ROI’s that are not always easily measurable.

Newsletters are a simple and cost effective solution to raise interest in your brand and deliver timely marketing messages to your audience. Dollar for dollar, few marketing tactics deliver more value than newsletters. While they shouldn’t be the only piece to the strategy, they are a low hanging fruit of the mix.

So what are the advantages of newsletters beyond being cost effective?

Strengthening the Connection
Your subscribers have already shown interest in your product or service at least once, so staying in touch with them by delivering regular and useful content to their inbox will continually keep you at the top of their minds when the need (or want) arises. 


Providing Value
Most potential customers don’t want a hard sell. Hard sales are focused on the product or service, and not the customer. There will be times when this tactic is appropriate—more on that later, but this approach does not provide the opportunity for a relationship to be built on trust. Providing engaging and valuable content is the best way to connect on what the customer is actually looking. It will also keep the competition at bay, because you understand them on a deeper level. You know what your customer’s preferences and interests are, so you can address these topics without overtly asking for a sale or contribution. Again, building on that trust.

Customer Insights
Many newsletter platforms also provide an eyeful of useful information to any newsletter sender. By regularly monitoring campaign clicks, and conversion, you will gain insight on your customers’ preferences and motivations, and have the information for future marketing and business strategies.


Removing Pain Points

Relate to and take the pain away by speaking to legitimate industry pain points. Come from a place of empathy and understanding, and don’t be afraid to take a stance. Your audience wants to align with your brand because you see the world in a similar way, so talk about issues that they are facing. And to make it come full circle, you should be sure to mention and connect how your product or service’s capabilities help resolve said issues.


Upcoming Events

And lastly, to occasionally tease your customers about an upcoming release or sale will result in an immediate sale if you have done a sufficient job at consistently resonating and connecting with your audience. After all, you are a business and selling matters. But remember if you have promotions and sales regularly, your audience may never purchase at full price, and your brand may never gain long term value.

Now might be a good time to look at your current marketing strategy and determine if a newsletter tactic might be the low hanging fruit you should act on. 

It’s a Site for Sore Eyes

A face for the future

We’ve revamped our website and clarified things. Just as we believe it is important for our clients to renew their website and reevaluate who they are, we believe it for ourselves. We wanted to rebuild and re-examine how we are communicating and representing ourselves visually to the world.

Loud and clear

Hear—well, read—all about us. We’ve crystallized our point of view, our why, our everything clearly. We want you to know we’re forward thinking, and we want you to discover our process, our goals for you and our work, and more. We’re comfortable with you knowing all about who we are without even meeting us—although, we’d very much like to.

Run, don't walk

See the website for yourself and discover what could be. We’ve been here for over 20 years, so we know a little something about thriving and designing for the future.

PORTFOLIO SPOTLIGHT