The Branded for Success book was written in 2007 by my wife and 2 of our colleagues. It’s purpose was to highlight my wife’s graphic design talent that could be leveraged for a business to get a successful brand. It has allowed the three authors to gain authority as branding experts since they are published authors on the subject.
Understanding of branding has grown and evolved over the last 18 years. The principles in this book are still applicable but some updating is necessary. As we walk through this chapter, we see more of the focus on the visual aspect of branding. We will evaluate it to see that it is not outdated and irrelevant. This is our opportunity to update and supplement with necessary content that may have been missed when it was originally offered.
This next chapter is about the importance of creating a graphic identity. Note, to create a successful brand properly, there is much work to be done about brand identity before this issue is to be addressed. New content will be added addressing this before we get here when this is prepared for it’s new delivery. Since it is possible the repurposed content will be used for premium access content, I will provide summaries of the original text and the repurposed text. Also, after the repurposing process is applied, when the book is finished, the chapter divisions may not be the same, especially since this will not be repurposed into another printed book.
Summary of chapter 2 of the original text:
The chapter emphasizes the importance of investing in branding graphics to create a lasting impression and build customer loyalty. Key points include:
- Design as an Investment: Paying for professional design is a one-time cost that continues to generate returns over time.
- Brand Recognition: Strong branding ensures customers remember and associate quality products with a recognizable visual identity.
- Trust and Loyalty: A well-branded product encourages repeat customers and word-of-mouth marketing.
- First Impressions Matter: High-quality design paired with quality content makes a product memorable and valuable.
- Examples of Strong Branding: Iconic logos like NBC’s peacock, the Michelin Man, and Nike’s swoosh demonstrate the power of a strong visual identity.
Ultimately, branding graphics are the most critical design investment because they ensure recognition, build trust, and drive repeat business.
Summary of the corresponding repurposed text:
The section emphasizes branding as an important design investment because it provides long-term returns by increasing recognition, trust, and sales.
Key Takeaways:
- Branding is an Investment: Professional design is not just an expense—it continuously enhances credibility and drives profits.
- Why Branding Matters: Strong branding creates recognition, customer loyalty, and word-of-mouth marketing, making it essential for business growth.
- Key Branding Elements to Prioritize:
- Logo & Visual Identity – Consistent colors, fonts, and logo build credibility.
- Product Packaging & Labels – First impressions matter for physical products.
- Website & Digital Presence – A well-designed site boosts trust and conversions.
- Social Media Graphics – Cohesive visuals improve brand recognition.
- Marketing Materials – Business cards, brochures, and ads should reinforce your brand.
- Content Branding – Visually align courses, books, and digital products with your brand.
Branding is more than aesthetics—it fosters trust and customer loyalty. Investing in branding ensures your audience remembers you, trusts you, and keeps coming back.
Observations:
As you can see, the repurposed content has begun to pull away from the very high-priority visual branding elements were originally placed and is placing them in a more appropriate place in the full branding picture. The new content also provides a more current set of applications for the visual aspect of branding. Obviously, we will add new supplementary content, addressing the non-visual foundation of branding that the visual aspects are based upon.
Final Thoughts:
Repurposing content is not always a one to one process. You will find that content you have written in the past, which worked and was appropriately applicable, now had a serious need of updating and supplementing. Do not let that bring fear into repurposing your content. It is most likely that the foundational principle of what you wrote are still worthy of sharing. They just need a refresher.