The full version of this article was first published at: Avoid Brand Fails: DIY Your Startup’s Anti-Brand Mood Board
This post was contributed by Ty James Largo, Owner + Creative Director at AWE Collective. So, you’ve created your startup’s DIY brand mood board. Great! Now it’s time to be more critical of your industry, products, brand and personal influence. You’ve started to define what the brand is, but it’s equally essential that you identify what it isn’t. Again, all you need is a clear wall or board, a printer, tape and maybe some other visual sources, such as magazines or other clippings. And it’s totally fine to use Pinterest! Just make sure to print the images and and pin them on an actual, tangible space near your workstation. Create a Nah-Nah Board OK, hear me out — you’ve gotta do this. We wholeheartedly believe that every startup should create an anti-brand board! Establishing a narrow, focused road for your brand is a must, but it’s also great to define where the cliff is. It’s the old “do’s and don’t’s” approach, and it will keep you trekking along the right path while avoiding common pitfalls. Industry white noise. A modern pizza restaurant wants to introduce their chic, fresh new take on brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night dining. Great! Their nah-nah board might include cliche Italian visuals such as red, green and white colors, checkered tablecloths, wine-bottle decor, black and white imagery, and so on. The bottom line is that you want your brand to stand out, rather than blend in, with the competition. Competitors. Take a look at other brands…
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