The Rock Hound’s Guide to External and Internal Branding
Geodes are amazing rocks.
They look like something you’d toss in a wheelbarrow when tilling your garden. But if you crack them open you find something beautiful inside. (Bear with us – people who work in marketing LOVE metaphors.) Marketing done well is a lot like cracking that geode – you have to pay attention to what’s on the outside and inside. Or in other words, your external and internal branding
What is External Branding?
External branding is what people immediately see and recognize about your brand. It’s those exterior elements, such as your logo, storefront and signage. Of course, we hope those essential elements of your brand are a little more interesting than a cold, hard rock. If not, we need to talk ASAP.
You likely use your logo and other exterior branding elements, such as your tagline and brand colors, on the things your consumers regularly see and touch. You’ve got your logo on your product’s packaging, maybe your shipping boxes or shopping bags, and on your email campaigns and website. If you’re a B2B organization, your logo and branding is probably on your website, email signature, business cards and exterior signage.
Businesses and organizations typically spend a lot of time and money on their external branding elements. But the pieces of their internal branding? Not so much.
What is Internal Branding?
Internal branding is what you find when you crack open that geode.
Your internal branding is how your company works internally – the physical space, culture, mission and values, and inside-the-office things that make your organization what it is.
Your internal branding is for your employees – it communicates your organization’s values, the way you treat your employees and how you work together to get things done.
Back to Geodes.
Geodes are cool because of the contrast they provide – crack an ordinary rock and find an explosion of color and light inside.
However, this is where we’re going to stray from our geodes-external-internal branding analogy.
When it comes to branding, unlike geodes, you want your exterior to match your interior.
Brands that do exceptionally well are those that represent organizations that make sure their external and internal branding are in lockstep. The values they present to their consumers are the same as the ones they live with their employees.
They don’t say one thing and do another. It’s that kind of alignment that creates brand and corporate authenticity and transparency, which is what consumers are looking for in products and in the marketing of those products.
It isn’t just consumers – employees, especially those who are Gen Z and millennials, will jump jobs if they believe your organization is inauthentic or deceptive.
And when you fail to be authentic, this happens. Or this.
If you aren’t sure if your organization’s external and internal branding are on the mark, don’t wait for your consumers or employees to crack things wide open. The team at Vela Agency can do a complete brand review and make sure your external and internal branding efforts are in sync. Contact us today to get started.
related.
Business Plan vs. Go-To-Market Strategy (And Why You Need Both)
Strategy over everything. This is Vela’s approach to all that we do, and it’s why our work is effective. But smart marketing doesn’t stop at a single plan or strategy. For brands looking to create and sell a specific product or service, they have to dig deeper. This...
New Year, New Goals
You know the drill. With each new year comes new lists, new goals, new resolutions for improving your life, health, and happiness. This figurative transition—an arbitrary passage of time—is an opportunity for us to not only reset, but to improve. To aim higher...
What to Know About the Metaverse Right Now
The term Metaverse may sound futuristic, but it has been part of the English vocabulary for over 30 years. Science fiction writer Neal Stephenson coined the term in his 1995 dystopian novel “Snow Crash” in which users live, work, and play in the virtual realm. Sound...