Key branding trends in 2014

Brand Transparency

Brand transparency may be old news for some, but it will continue to stay among top trends in 2014. In the era of connectivity where information travels and spreads faster than ever it is essential to be as transparent as possible. Being honest and transparent about what you do and how you do it, admitting mistakes and accepting constructive critics are the key points in getting the consumers to respect you and trust you.

Example: Auto Zubak live streaming in their service stations

Unique experience

Building experiences that people would want to be a part of is something that many brands talk about, but only a few actually do it. Getting out of the convenient and obvious communication pattern and jumping into something fun, awkward and new will get the people talking and sharing.

Telling authentic stories

Going back to the roots and telling the story why you started the business in the first place, what was your vision, what were the obstacles that you encountered in the process – that is something people want to know when they buy your brand. Real people and real stories make a brand authentic and unique. That is something that is always in trend.

Example: P&G real stories of Olympians

Personalized

It’s important to feel that you know the person behind the brand. The biography and the movie about Steve Jobs have contributed towards the popularity of Apple. By feeling that you know more about the person behind the brand, you feel more loyal to the brand.

Emotion

Brand is a 100% emotion. If a brand is emotional in a smart not melodramatic way, it will do better in the market place. To illustrate that we can use the examples of emotions of well-known brands like Harley Davidson – freedom, Coca-Cola – happiness or Apple – think different.

Anja Bauer Minkara and Petra Despot, Brandoctor