Figment Design

Tag: branding

  • Is Your Brand in Need of a Freshening Up?

    Is Your Brand in Need of a Freshening Up?

    Your Brand - Brand Refresh

    Your brand is one of the most defining aspects of your company. A strong brand establishes your business identity, highlights your values, and distinguishes you from the competition. Although your brand includes your logo, it goes far beyond this single image and encompasses your packaging, product design, marketing collateral, and voice. A good brand forms a positive emotional connection with the customer.

    If your brand isn’t getting the reaction that you want, it’s time to take a closer look at how your customers perceive your company. You may find that it’s time for a light refresh or even a complete redesign. Updating your brand can transform the way your clients perceive you.

    Refreshing Your Brand

    A brand refresh is a gentle update that will give your brand a new look and feel while retaining its core elements. You’d typically keep much of your signature logo while adding small stylistic changes. Perhaps you’ll go for a more neutral color palette, or shift from a classic design to something more modern. You might adjust your messaging to try new key phrases, and update your voice for a tone that connects better to your target audience.

    A brand refresh will help focus your message and revitalize your image. It can also help you adjust your approach to align better with market conditions, or draw in a demographic that you’re not connecting with. Enduring brands like Coca-Cola are masters of the subtle refresh that retains all the beloved familiarity of a valuable brand while featuring sleek updates that keep things current.

    You should consider refreshing your brand if:

    • Your brand is older and you feel it needs updating for a more modern audience
    • Market conditions have changed in some significant way
    • Your products or services no longer align with your brand

    Just remember that it’s best to avoid going overboard with current trends that may change in a heartbeat. It’s very likely that you still have valuable brand equities at your disposal. The key here is to build on those equities with the goal of creating something that truly will connect with your target consumer.

    Below is an example of a brand refresh we did for a client’s direct mail campaign recently. You’ll see that the brand’s core features have been retained, while the design itself has been given a sleek, modern aesthetic:

    Redesigning or Rebranding

    A brand redesign, or rebrand, is more involved than a refresh. This involves a complete overhaul of your brand’s image. Rebranding is a very involved process, so you want to consider your needs carefully before you invest in a complete redesign.

    Redesign your brand if you feel it’s ineffective, or you’re targeting a drastically different audience. You may also benefit from rebranding if you’re making major changes to the core purpose and values of your business, or you’re approaching a merger. Consider redesigning/rebranding if:

    • Your brand is creating a strong negative response with your target audience
    • The market you’re targeting has changed fundamentally
    • You now have a completely different business model or product than when the brand was originally designed
    • A major PR disaster has occurred and your company needs to distance itself from the old brand

    If you rebrand well, you can distance your business from negative publicity and create fresh new associations for your audience. You can reestablish yourself after a major setback or send a bold new message about the ways you’re fundamentally changing your company.

    Unfortunately, though, rebranding comes with some risks. You may alienate or confuse your loyal customers. If your rebranding goes awry, as it did for Kraft Foods, you could go so far as to upset your buyers and generate public outcry.

    Doing it Right (with Some Expert Assistance)

    Expert advice and assistance are key when you’re refreshing or redesigning your brand. The idea is to give your business a fresh and consistent look and feel, and there’s no better way to do that than to bring in new eyes. With an experienced creative team on your side, you can identify and execute the best possible approach for your company, whether it’s a small facelift or a total overhaul of your brand.

    At Figment, our creative team is experienced both in brand refreshes and in complete brand redesigns. We’ll provide expert insight if you’re unsure of whether your brand needs a facelift or a complete overhaul.

  • Looking For A Better Balance Between Direct And OTA Booking?

    Looking For A Better Balance Between Direct And OTA Booking?

    Complete Resort Packages – Figment Design
    Looking For A Better Balance Between Direct And OTA Booking?

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    Looking For A Better Balance Between Direct And OTA Bookings? There’s no magic button that suddenly opens the floodgates to direct bookings. And while your striving to earn more direct bookings, how do you keep your market share of OTA business. Find out how we can help you adjust your revenue scale in a more favorable balance. COMPLETE RESORT PACKAGES, WEB/ONLINE PACKAGES, CREATIVE/BRANDING PACKAGES. Find Out More

    We Truly are a FULL Service Agency. At Figment Design we realize that clients are our partners and that we are an extension of their sales and marketing team. As a creative agency and marketing agency, we don’t just produce the work and walk away, we care about the results for our clients, and we work hard to ensure the results generate business.Whether it’s to develop your brand through new and exciting creative design, or to develop effective media campaigns that reach the right target, Located in Miami, FL (Coconut Grove) The Figment Design has a team that will focus on you and meet your needs. We pride ourselves in being hands on. This is an advertising agency that will actually listen to your needs, work diligently in collaboration with you, your thoughts, ideas and concerns, with the ultimate goal of generating powerful results. Though services are expansive and cover a lot of ground within this industry, the professionals at Figment have been working in their respective fields for many years successfully and can easily navigate our clients/partners through the various aspects of the advertising process. We are a full service agency offering all services from Creative Development to final production… we are A Creative Powerhouse. We offer our expertise in all aspects of advertising including: graphic design, web design, full service printing, direct mail, brochures, fulfillment and distribution. Additionally, we proudly offer photography, media planning and buying, promotional items, vehicle wraps and trade-show displays. And with an industry that is always changing and making technological advances, additional services are being added every day in order to better service our clients and their needs. (FIG-muh-nt) a mere mental invention, a creative imagination… isn’t this where advertising and marketing starts. We are the Creative Powerhouse that will take the time to learn your business and your competition, we then develop a business identity wrapped around you… and then the fun begins. Our creative team goes to work making you stand out from your competition. Once that is done, then the strategic thinking comes in and our marketing team figures out where your creative will earn you the best ROI. What is it worth if it doesn’t get to the right people and why waste money on the wrong people. We provide all services from start to finish, creative, web, marketing strategies, media buying and placement, even fulfillment and direct mail. Executive Offices – Coconut Grove (Miami, FL). Production – Doral, FL
  • Your Business: To Be or Not to Be Online?

    Your Business: To Be or Not to Be Online?

    Why Should Your Business Need To Be Online?

    global-smallGiving your small business an online presence means more than simply putting up a website with your address, email and phone number. It means setting up a virtual version of your business, the face and branding of your company and a social presence such as a Facebook page. In this digital era, more people search online for the products and services they need as opposed to searching through a phone book or browsing store to store. Ignoring this reality in marketing is like saying, “I don’t need any new business I’m making the money I want.”

    The Digital Age, A New Economy

    It’s no secret that the Internet has created a new economy. Since 1991 when the NSF first allowed commercial use of the Internet the world changed how it did business. Since then we changed our perception and the way we do business. Think of Jeff Bezos founder of Amazon. He set up his business in his garage. Now his net worth is worth $34.7 billion. There is no doubt that this was all due to his small business having an online presence. However, in order to be successful online, you don’t have to be a giant like Amazon or eBay. Many small and mid-size businesses succeeded in building online businesses quite lucratively. Small and mid-size companies will be the main growth force of e-commerce in the digital age.

    The Internet Is The Perfect Place For Business

    Where do you think more people enter the Target across the street or Target.com? In order to make a sale you need visitors to come to your store. Online there are no lines, no wait, no open and closing hours, no, well you name it. You’re a click away from customers. With proper marketing and a web design company to back you up your Internet storefront can have more buyers than you ever can get in a physical shop.

    Low Start Up Cost

    How much does a store cost these days? Building a website doesn’t require that kind of investment. There are many tools available for small business owners that won’t leave you hurting in the bank. Tools like WordPress can help your business get a boost online. With a good web design company, you can have a site build in a relative short amount of time. Not bad for opening your business to the world.

    Business 24/7

    Could you be at work 24 hours a day 7 days a week? Well you can if your store was online. The biggest advantage of online shops is that they are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Your online store never closes, never takes coffee breaks, doesn’t have vacation time, doesn’t take lunch breaks and doesn’t complain about pay. Your store is open while you sleep and you can sleep sound that you have a web team behind it, protecting it.

    Corporate Image

    Today everyone has a digital presence. We are all on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Even your Corporation has a digital image. Whether you sell a product or a service you have a presence on the Internet. Those that don’t have a presence on the Internet are under the illusion that they have a business when in reality they aren’t even in the sights of the competition. For example, if you have a company that sells electronics but isn’t online, how can it compete with the Best Buy and the TigerDirect down the corner? Most people don’t take you seriously when they ask you for your business’ website and you don’t have one. A nice corporate site definitely increases the image of a company, especially if it has great product or service related content to go with it as well as good SEO.

    www-fiPhysical Presence Anywhere

    Imagine being on your vacation on the beaches of Hawaii and knowing your business is running just fine. The Internet allows you to do business from any part of the world. Your physical location, except for few cases is not that important since you conduct your business online. Your portal to the world is on the palm of your hands.

    Provide Better Customer Support

    Business owners can’t control how good of a day an employee or a customer is having. When the customer visits the store and has a bad experience it’s mostly out of the owner’s hand. Thanks to the Internet, business can provide customer support and care more effectively. This means better customer satisfaction and increase of profitability. When connecting your site with your social media such as Facebook you can keep connected with your customer base. You’ll have more accurate feedback from the people you’re trying to attract to your business.

    Information Easily Available To Customers

    How can you give a present to a customer? In old times companies used to require days to deliver products or services or up to date information to their customers. This is not the case anymore. Now you can add or make any changes to your company and product related content virtually in a matter of hours. Publish on your site and share with the whole world the latest news to your customers.

    Reduce Costs

    Your online presence helps you streamline the business process. This allows you to cut costs in almost every aspect of your business. Companies reduce their maintenance, repair, and even the cooperation costs by using e-business solutions such as online shopping carts. No more slip and fall frivolous lawsuits.

    Global Presence

    If you open your pharmacy and they put a Walgreens and a CVS on each side can you compete with them? Thanks to the Internet, you instantly become a global player. You don’t have to invest large amounts of money opening up your business in every corner. Your business has a radius of action; the online world gives you a global radius.

    Have your business online before you are out of business.

    The longer you wait to have an online presence the harder it’s going to be for you to reach your customers. In the long run do you think more people are going to buy at the corner store or on an online company? If not you then think of the next generation who’ll be the consumer base of the future. Are they buying everything online now? How about 5 years from now? Take your business to the next level. Find yourself a web design and marketing company and give your business the advantage it needs.

  • Have a Dreamy Weekend

    Have a Dreamy Weekend

    Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
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  • What is Marketing? How is it different from Branding?

    What is Marketing? How is it different from Branding?

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    What exactly is marketing and why is it important to your business?

    Marketing is everything you do to place your product/service in the hands of potential customers and clients.

    It includes diverse disciplines like sales, public relations, pricing, packaging, and distribution.

    You might think of marketing this way. If business is all about people and money and the art of persuading one to part from the other, then marketing is all about finding the right people to persuade.

    Marketing is your strategy for allocating resources (time and money) in order to achieve your objectives (a fair profit for supplying a good product or service).

    Marketing – the management process through which goods and services move from concept to the customer.

    It includes the coordination of four elements:

    identification, selection and development of a product

    determination of its price

    selection of a distribution channel to reach the customer’s place

    development and implementation of a promotional strategy

    Marketing is based on thinking about the business in terms of customer needs and their satisfaction.  It is not concerned with the values that the exchange is all about. And it does not, as marketing invariable does, view the entire business process as consisting of a tightly integrated effort to discover, create, arouse and satisfy customer needs. Marketing has less to do with getting customers to pay for your product as it does developing a demand for that product and fulfilling a customer’s needs.

    What is the difference between marketing and branding?

    There is a spectrum of opinions here, Marketing is actively promoting a product or service.

    It’s a push tactic.
    It’s pushing out a message to get sales results
    This is oversimplification

    This is not branding

    Branding should both precede and underlie any marketing effort.

    Branding is not push, but pull
    Branding is the expression of the essential truth or value of an organization, product, or service
    It is communication of characteristics, values, and attributes that clarify what this particular brand is and is not

    A brand will help encourage someone to buy a product, and it directly supports whatever sales or marketing activities are in play, but the brand does not explicitly say “buy me.” Instead, it says“This is what I am. This is why I exist. If you agree, if you like me, you can buy me, support me, and recommend me to your friends.”

    Branding is Strategic. Marketing is Tactical.

    Marketing may contribute to a brand, but the brand is bigger than any particular marketing effort. The brand is what remains after the marketing has swept through the room. It’s what sticks in your mind associated with a product, service, or organization—whether or not, at that particular moment, you bought or did not buy.

    The brand is ultimately what determines if you will become a loyal customer or not. The marketing may convince you to buy a particular Toyota, and maybe it’s the first foreign car you ever owned, but it is the brand that will determine if you will only buy Toyotas for the rest of your life.

    The brand is built from many things. Very important among these things is the lived experience of the brand. Did that car deliver on its brand promise of reliability? Did the maker continue to uphold the quality standards that made them what they are? Did the sales guy or the service center mechanic know what they were talking about?

    Marketing unearths and activates buyers. Branding makes loyal customers, advocates, even evangelists out of those who buy.

    This works the same way for all types of businesses and organizations. All organizations must sell (including non-profits). How they sell may differ, and everyone in an organization is, with their every action, either constructing or deconstructing the brand. Every thought, every action, every policy, every ad, every marketing promotion has the effect of either inspiring or deterring brand loyalty in whomever is exposed to it. All of this affects sales.

    Branding is as vital to the success of a business or non-profit as having financial coherence, having a vision for the future, or having quality employees.

    Media & Marketing

    Your brand and message may be great
    …but who is seeing it?

    No matter how good your message is, if it doesn’t get in front of the right audience, then it is just a waste. Our CEO likes to say, “don’t advertise a pork chop sale to the pigs, advertise it to the pig farmers!”  Media & Marketing is a main focus here. We not only focus on your message, but that its getting to the audience that will respond and be interested. The days of throwing mud at the side of the building and seeing what sticks is gone, now it is all about the ROI. Let us show you what our media department can do for you: research, media planning, marketing, placement and management.

    Outdoor Media & Signs

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    Promotional Items

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    Window Wraps

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    Vehicle Wraps

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