People frequently describe themselves as right-brained or left-brained – meaning they’re either analytical and verbal, or creative and visual. A strong brand, however, must be all of these. The best brands are a synthesis of sound strategy (left brain) and unique creativity (right brain). That’s why your organization needs a brand manager to provide strategic direction, and a creative director to oversee your creative process.
Why You Need A Brand Manager
An effective brand manager is a great leader, serving as an evangelist to build enthusiasm and passion around your brand. They wear many hats – from marketplace research, to marketing development, to overseeing promotional activities, to analyzing pricing and sales. Your brand manager ensures that the brand is accurately defined in all internal and external communications. A clear brand message gives employees a sense of purpose, an understanding of the company’s mission, and the motivation to deliver on your brand promise. Your brand manager is charged with safeguarding your company’s reputation by ensuring that employee actions are consistently in sync with your brand.
Establishing the right strategic direction is crucial to the success of any organization – impacting every facet of a brand’s products, communications, and marketing. As the architect of your brand’s image, a good brand manager recognizes valuable opportunities to help your brand grow long-term. A proactive approach to growth prevents the brand from being defined by people outside your company. Check out this article to discover five things all successful brand managers do. These fundamental skills are applicable regardless of your product category, geographical location, or industry.
Why You Need A Creative Director
You might have a brilliant brand strategy, but if it isn’t in sync with your marketing efforts, you need a creative director. A good creative director sets employees free to do great work, by fostering an environment that attracts talented people. When you have a lot of talent on staff, there’s rarely a single best idea. Rather, there are numerous good ideas that simply happen to be different, and a creative director keeps that diversity of ideas alive. This influence extends well beyond the creative department – impacting the creative direction of the entire organization.
Great creative directors have been responsible for many iconic advertising campaigns. Lee Clow has created numerous memorable concepts, including Apple’s “Think Different” campaign, the Energizer Bunny, and the Taco Bell chihuahua. He is perhaps best known as the co-creator of the famous 1984 Apple television commercial – widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Here, a very young Steve Jobs introduces the commercial to an enthusiastic audience for the first time. Like Lee Clow, the best creative directors create a brand that is sought after by clients and proudly represented by employees.
Design isn’t art. Art is about creating things that are beautiful or thought-provoking, while design is a universal language that quickly communicates values to consumers through the use of imagery, color, and icons. The words ‘designer’ and ‘communicator’ should be interchangeable synonyms. The greatest designs are invisible. They are not noticed, but they are definitely experienced.