When a new brand launches, most people see the final product: a fresh logo, a catchy tagline, a newly designed website. But what about everything that led to that moment? 

To us, a brand launch looks like a duck on the water. It’s calm, cool, and collected on the surface, but underneath those little feet are paddling a mile a minute. Weeks and months of preparation, planning, and problem-solving need to happen behind the scenes in order to introduce a new brand without a hitch. (Ideally, these things take place as far in advance as possible.) Here’s a look at the critical steps that we follow to bring a brand to life:

Understanding the client’s vision

Every successful brand begins with a deep understanding of the client’s needs and preferences. What story do they want to tell? How do they want to be perceived? What values and messages do they want their audience to associate with their brand? It’s not enough to simply ask these questions once and move on — getting to the core of a client’s vision requires collaboration, ongoing dialogue, and sometimes even uncovering ideas and perspectives they hadn’t considered. These discussions can be fun, and they can be challenging; but either way, this is an essential first step. 

Assessing needs and setting goals

Once we have a strong grasp on the client’s vision, the next step is identifying what’s needed to bring that goal to life. Are we rebranding an existing organization or launching something entirely new? Do they need just a visual identity, or are they also crafting the brand’s voice, messaging, and overall persona? Getting clear on these needs establishes the project’s scope, and serves as a guide for the rest of the journey.

Conducting a competitive analysis and research

Before any creative work begins, we do our homework. This means digging into competitive analysis, studying industry trends, and researching audience expectations. Sometimes this can include focus groups or stakeholder surveys to gauge public perception. It’s crucial to know what the client’s competitors are up to, what’s working in their industry, and what gaps exist in the market that this brand can fill. This research isn’t just a checkbox item — it informs everything that we do next, from positioning to visual design.

Embracing the creative process

While the creative phase is just one part of this nuanced process, it’s often the most collaborative. During this step, designers, copywriters, and strategists come together to craft a cohesive brand identity. But this stage involves multiple rounds of feedback, iterations, and refining before reaching the final product. The logo might be the star of the show, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. At this point, designers are also working on developing other brand materials like the color palette and typography — all elements that help create a brand’s visual language. Meanwhile, writers are drafting a comprehensive brand platform with everything from taglines to elevator pitches that capture the brand’s voice and tone.

Developing a website and wraparound materials

When launching a new brand, the visual identity needs to extend beyond just the logo. This is where wraparound materials come into play. Assets like business cards, social media templates, presentation slides, and email signatures all need to be thoughtfully considered and designed. If a new website is needed, this is another significant undertaking; development, design, and writing all align to establish a user-friendly, branded digital presence. When planning for a brand launch, we consider website development in detail, as this piece requires its own distinct steps and approvals. Quality websites take time, so it’s important not to rush this step.

Executing the launch

You know what they say: When the brand’s done, the fun has just begun. Weeks before a brand’s launch date, we consider all of the pieces that need to take place in a Gantt chart, as each piece directly impacts the other. This can be a careful planning process, with each task acting like a domino in a long line of deadlines. But with strategic and proactive planning, we approach launches from a bird’s eye view to ensure everything flows smoothly. 

Launching a brand is a journey that requires precision, patience, and a lot more behind-the-scenes work than the outside world sees. But that’s exactly how we like it. Your brand is more than a new logo or a website. It’s about creating an experience that aligns with your vision, speaks directly to your audience, and introduces itself to the world boldly and seamlessly. By managing every step long before launch day arrives, we help ensure that each element builds upon the last, setting your brand up for success right out of the gate — because we never underestimate the strategy that goes on beneath the surface.