The Real Timeframe of Branding
6 April 2021
Written by Acme Mag
It’s likely that you have the best intention when it comes to branding projects, however these intentions can quickly turn into delays. If you’re ready to start a branding project and you’ve got a tight deadline, let us share what it takes to keep it all seamlessly on track.
Best case scenario
Depending on what you’re including in a branding project, it can be done in 60 days. In this scenario, we’re defining a branding project as an entirely new brand that requires the visual identity, stationery, property marketing and a launch campaign. This does not include a website because let us tell you, that is an entirely different conversation.
Now for this to go down without a hitch and happen within 60 very short days, the following needs to happen:
1. You and the agency/business/designer you’re working with need to be on the same page from the beginning
2. Ideally, there should be an account manager involved (because they are amazing)
3. The project and subsequent communication needs to be prioritised
4. Ask necessary questions to be confident in the path forward
5. Ensure changes and deviations are clear, succinct and
objectively rational
6. Pay within the payment periods
Worst case scenario
Now that we’ve listed what’s required for the best case scenario, let’s have a look at the many ways this can go wrong and make branding projects a 12 month+ affair.
A real estate agent wants to start his own real estate agency. They don’t have any direction in regards to the visuals or a clarified understanding of the overall ‘essence’ of their new agency. The designer and the agent opt to move past this without discovering and articulating what the end result should emulate, which leads to brand concepts that the agent dislikes. Both parties then need to start again to get back on track.
Next, as there is no account manager the real estate agent and the designer are almost talking different languages. They’re both professionals but without an account manager to mediate and communicate the real meaning behind their words it takes time for them to truly understand what the other is trying to convey.
Communication is clearly key in these types of projects, however since there have been issues from the beginning the agent then decides to focus on things that have ‘higher levels’ of success in their day to day job, essentially leaving the designer ‘on read’. Since there is so much time between communication, changes become unclear and spread across several emails, calls and Zoom meetings. The project, after what feels like forever is finally complete however has not been paid in full. The designer then holds the files and rights to the project until paid in full, further extending the time between start to finish. If each issue listed above extended the project by 30 days, then you’re looking at at least 8 months until the branding project is complete.
In addition to ensuring that you and who you work with tick all six requirements for the best case scenario, you have one remaining decision and that’s which process path to take. Neither is better than the other, rather they depend on how you and the agency will best work together so we recommend talking about this from the get go:
Option One
Each portion of the project, such as the stationery followed by the property marketing component is organised one after the other. This allows for projects to have maximum focus, however if one gets delayed, this means that all the remaining project components get delayed too.
Option Two
All projects after the visual identity run concurrently. This enables projects to continually be on the move, especially if one component is running a little behind schedule. The downside however is that this can make an already overwhelming project a nightmare because you’ll have seven projects each with their own interweaving parts on your mind.
