How to Have a Productive Branding Brainstorm Session
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The reality of building a brand
Look at those happy people brainstorming and collaborating with that clear white board and all the charts on their matching laptops. That’s exactly what it’s like at your company, right? Bueller? Bueller?
If you’re in the midst of building a brand, whether as a new company or in the throes of a rebrand, you know it’s not all rainbows and kittens. Everyone has a different idea of who / what / how / when / where your brand should be in the market. And no two opinions are the same. Best case scenario: nothing gets thrown, and everyone comes back to the office the next day.
Let’s make branding enjoyable
Did you know that branding can be fun? It can, I promise! I wouldn’t have built my entire career around it if I didn’t love (nearly) every piece of building a brand. It has everything: collaboration, design, copywriting, brainstorming, colors, fonts, imagery… and at the end of the day, you have this tangible creation that is the foundation of everything else that you build.
Not everyone feels the same as I do - that’s okay. Some people don’t belong in the entire process, especially if they can’t commit to the time and energy involved in making every decision or if the majority of the process is being managed by one specific team (usually the marketing department or an outside branding agency). But you may want or need them at one important meeting - the Branding Brainstorm.
So let’s talk about this very important meeting - it can be held on one day or scheduled as multiple meetings spanning over a couple of weeks. I’m a fan of a couple of meetings to avoid burnout and let people sit with ideas and come back fresh for a decision-making meeting a few days later.
Preparing for a successful brainstorming session
I have hosted a number of branding brainstorm sessions in my career - and now you can learn from my successes and mistakes.
Get lost
Host the event away from the office if at all possible. It feels too close to home to be in a conference room with work just outside the door.
Invite the people who care, not just the people who “matter”
Choose just enough of the right people to be in the room. Only a few. Only decision makers. Only interested parties. Bring in both creative and analytical minds to balance each other. You’ll be amazed by the ideas different people bring to the table.
Send a detailed invitation
Tell the invitees what to expect by giving them an agenda, list of attendees, what to bring and not bring (see #4) and potentially some questions to consider prior to the meeting. More on that in next week’s blog.
Put away the technology!
Put it away. Yes, your phone. And laptop. And tablet. Put. It. Away. Don’t get distracted by emails and text messages. There will be no heads buried in technology for this day - that’s a waste of everyone’s time, and you won’t accomplish anything. Have one person in the room responsible for taking notes and searching online for answers to any questions that come up.
Have a good moderator
The moderator doesn’t have to be a disinterested 3rd party or the majority stakeholder, but they do have to be able to control the room and lead the discussion in a productive, enjoyable manner (again and again).
Come prepared
Bring waters, snacks, a white board or paper easels, notepads and pens, magazines, sticky notes and sharpies. Make sure your guests are well fed and hydrated, and you’re going to need everything else for all those fun branding exercises you’re going to have.
Set ground rules
Listen. Speak up. Have an open mind. All ideas are valid. Not all ideas will make it to the finish line. Don’t hold too tight to any one idea. No technology except during breaks. Be nice but don’t be afraid to disagree. Use these suggestions (or this or this) to make your own set of ground rules. Include them in the invitation and repeat them early and often during your brainstorming session.
What Now?
Now you’re all set for a productive branding session - the groundwork is laid, and you know what you’ll need to be successful. Next week, I’ll cover branding exercises that will help you and your team develop an engaging, unforgettable brand you are all proud to call your own. And don’t forget - keep coming back each week for more in our Branding Basics series. Check out Umlaut Agency on DesignRush for more information!