Branding is a complicated topic, I get it. There is too much into it, even experienced people have troubles with project branding. There is a popular belief that big corporates know how to brand better than small start-ups, which is true to some extent. But, however small is the company, they all make some mistakes.
Since I got into branding I got a chance to work with both types of customers, I have things to say about my experience. Maybe not something pleasant, but those are the issues I singled out and wish were fixed. Maybe my humble opinion will help someone.
Small companies/startups
The main issue of small companies is the fact that sometimes they don’t even consider proper branding. There is a stereotype rooted in most people that it is only a prerogative of the corporations. This is not true, of course.
I’ve seen my fair share of businesses that don’t go farther than creating a logo. And even if they do create the brand identity — they simply do not know how and where to use it. Oftentimes they even forget they have a whole identity created, and just lead their business following the gut feeling.
Now, I won’t say that such startups are deemed to be unsuccessful — life shows it doesn’t work like that. If you’re still selling something people have the need for, they will be buying it. To some extent. However, if you want people to fall in love with what you do, to support and be loyal, to consider your goods as a token of success — you need to build a brand.
Another pet peeve of mine is that startups often hire different designers, without creating the identity and brand book/design system before. Hear me out, if your business does not have cohesive brand guidelines created, with all your branding elements structured, then all your designers will work in different directions. They can be the coolest people, with the highest skills, but they will also have their own ideas that can do nothing in creating a cohesive look. All your illustrations will look different, a cacophony of styles, shapes, colors. This is the right way to lose the brand style, and it won’t help to develop one either.
However, startups are usually very open to opinions and suggestions. They are quite flexible and easily go for risky ideas which pay off in the long run.
Big corporations
Working with big corporations can be quite tiresome too. I am sure everyone knows that feeling when you wait for feedback for weeks or even months? Since big companies have many management levels, the work gets confirmed and verified for a very long time.
Corporations are usually not especially flexible either — sometimes they need to take a more risky and bold step, yet they are super hesitant about it. They are also often too confident and won’t let themselves hear out some opinions that don’t match with theirs. I guess this is why they more often than not work with in-house teams, instead of out-sourced or freelance designers.
But having this constant core, an inside team also helps them to use their identity a lot more cohesively.
Those were my thoughts. What do you think? Do you find it easier to work with startups of big corporations? Let me know!
