The Importance of Branding in Business Logo More than a

By Nola Krajewski, Golden Chamber of Commerce

Long before the invention of social media, the internet, and even television, branding was an early tool used in identification. In fact, the practice of branding dates to as early as 2700 BC according to an article by the Smithsonian Magazine. In ancient and in more recent history, livestock farmers all had (and still have) a unique and distinct symbol that is seared into the hide of cattle and other livestock to help identify the animal’s owner. These symbols are unique to each farmer and is their brand.

In today’s modern world, every business also has a brand and thankfully, the process doesn’t have to involve searing anything!

So, what is a brand? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a brand (noun) as it relates to business is “a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer” and is also defined as “a public image, reputation, or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted”.

While this dictionary definition provides some clarity, we decided to ask local experts and Chamber members, that have assisted many businesses with their brand, to answer the question “What is a Brand?”

Andy Yates, Principal of Stone Strategy & Design, says “the simplest definition is that a brand is any product or service that is organized under a name.”

Katrina Kowalski, Creative Director of Branding Design Company elaborates on this by adding that, “a brand is a multi-dimensional construct consisting of all the things that differentiate your brand from competitors and make it memorable to its audience.”

Jen DeVore Richter, author of “Outsource Your Marketing” answered that “a brand is the promise you make to your customers, employees, and partners. A brand is the way you consistently show up and how they experience working with you. A brand starts with unique identifiers such as your logo, photography, messaging, and marketing platforms look and feel, but it should also include the customer service process starting on day one. A brand should include how people feel when they experience your business' service and if they feel part of an organization that values them.”

This past year, the Golden Chamber of Commerce has spent a great deal of time thinking about what we do as a business and our “why”. This process led us to have a deeper understanding of who we are as an organization, why we do what we do, and how we can be even more effective. Through that deep dive into our business, we discovered that it was time for our brand identity to change. But why is it important for a business to have a brand identity in the first place? Again, we asked our local experts and here is what they told us: showcase your brand:

Andy Yates shared with us that, “Brand identity is the visual and verbal representation of how a brand’s story and strategy come to life. Having a brand identity goes beyond a logo or tagline, it is the full representation of how a brand acts, talks, and navigates a given market.

1Determine the key attributes you want to be known for by your customers, employees, and partners

2Determine the positioning that will set you apart from your competition including your market dominating position

3Design your brand identity including the logo, social media handles, domain name, photography, fonts, colors, etc

4Create your brand guidelines which serves as the “rule book” for how your brand should be expressed in external and internal communications

5Map out your buyer’s journey starting on day one through their lifetime to include all touchpoints and experiences

6Build your marketing strategy and team

The importance of having a well-defined brand identity is to communicate your story with clarity and empathy—building value and equity over time in the hearts and minds of those engaging with your brand.”

Katrina Kowalski echoes Andy’s thoughts by adding “Strong brands create a sense of identity and belonging, which also builds trust and loyalty from customers. They often evoke emotions, memories, and reactions. A solid brand identity will support the success of the business through differentiation, recognition, trust, credibility, loyalty, and will even drive sales and revenue through price premiums because customers will be more willing to pay for a brand they trust and value.”

And George Riffel, owner of AlphaGraphics, reminds us that in its simplest purpose, “A brand is easy to identify to the public. Brand identity is critical to the survival and growth of any organization.”

After a great deal of work by our Board, staff and the amazing team at Stone Strategy and Design, the Golden Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to reveal in this magazine not only our new logo that was identified through this process, but our new overall brand identity. Having dedicated a significant amount of time working on our new brand, we want to make sure to use it effectively. And so we asked our experts, “what steps can a business take to showcase their brand?”

George Riffel shared that “showcasing your brand is a multi-channel effort. We suggest a mix of social media advertising, direct mail, vehicle branding, local Chamber engagement and volunteering in charitable community projects. All channels should carry a consistent message over a pre-planned period of time.”

We like that George recognizes local Chamber engagement as an effective way to support your brand. We couldn’t agree more!

In addition, Andy Yates reminds us that, “Where and how a brand shows up is dependent on the industry and market. Context and relevancy are always important, also having a clear goal in the purpose. From recruitment to sales or even just brand awareness, knowing what the desired outcome is guides the conversations a brand can and should participate in.”

And Katrina Kowalski adds “There are several ways for businesses to showcase their brand. Start with building the solid foundation of the brand strategy. That will set the blueprint for everything to build on top of it. Once the brand is established, consistency in visuals and messaging across all channels including websites, social media, advertising, packaging, collateral, signage, etc is key. Businesses should ensure their services or products meet or exceed customer exceptions in quality and service. Positive experiences lead to loyalty and referrals.”

Here in Golden we are home to some of the most recognizable brands in the world such as Coors, Ball, and Kong. We are also home to well-known brands like Yo Colorado, Spyderco, Holidaily Brewing, and Vitrazza. And locally, we are home to the brands that are essential to our Golden identity such as Buffalo Rose, Gold Mine Cupcakes, Baby Doe’s Clothing, and so many more.

Having a global brand, that has been a core part of Golden for 150 years, is remarkable and something to be proud of. We asked Lacey Golonka, Community Affairs Manager for Molson Coors, how has Coors kept their brand relevant for 150 years? She said, “From its early days as miner’s delight after a hard-day’s work, to surviving prohibition, to revolutionizing the industry with the all-aluminum can, to being a cultural symbol for renegades and rockstars. The true grit of the brand is something that has allowed us to stay relevant over time.”

Flipping through the pages of this community magazine, a wide variety of businesses are showcased. And while there are certainly many logos on display, there is so much more to a business brand than the logo. Behind every logo is a story, a purpose, an identity, a drive, and as stated above, “true grit”. Katrina Kowalski sums it up perfectly, “A brand isn’t just one thing, like a logo, or sign - it’s everything tangible and intangible; from your company’s values to the company organization, messaging, voice and tone, customer experience, visuals, smells, taste, feel, etc. Every element contributes to the overall brand and how people think of you.”

As a Chamber, we are so honored to represent so many wonderful businesses and their brands in the Golden community and we are proud to officially release our new brand identity and logo to the Golden community!

Our logo tells a distinct and unique story, and that story is our brand:

Just like the scenery around Golden, our Chamber of Commerce is unique and unrivaled. Mirroring the landscape consisting of diverse elements and features, the Chamber brings together businesses of all kinds to collaborate on a brighter future for Golden.

Thank you to the team at Stone Strategy & Design for their incredible work in helping us find our brand identity and designing a beautiful new logo!

Thank you to all of our local experts that contributed content to this article:

George Riffel, Owner, Alphagraphics

Andy Yates, Principal, Stone Strategy & Design

Katrina Kowalski, Creative Director, Branding Design Company

Jen DeVore Richter, Author, “Outsource Your Marketing”

Lacey Golonka, Community Affairs Manager, Molson Coors