We’ve been an industry leader in branding, advertising and marketing for over fifteen years now. And, if you’ve landed here, you’re probably wondering just how we do it. Well, get comfy, and we’ll tell you a quick tale. We might even reveal a Swim secret or two …
How it all began
David Sadowski, Swim’s Brand Director, began creating our unique approach to branding before he’d even stepped foot through our doors. Back then, David was working in the industry as a designer, and had noticed a disturbing trend:
“I found that a lot of my clients back then couldn’t define who they were and what made them different,” he says. “They didn’t realize that a strong brand was a crucial part to running a successful business.”
David took it upon himself to dig into the research on brand development, including deep dives into positioning, promise and personality. He even took a detour into philosophy and psychology, pulling from Plato, Carl Jung and Star Wars to find fresh, insightful and bulletproof ways to define a brand. By the time he came up for air, he was one of the region’s foremost brand development experts, with a unique approach to branding ready to be put to the test.
Which is where Swim comes in.
How it took off
The foundation of any brand development process is an understanding that each brand is different and unique. Each business has their own specific brand promise and positioning and the job of brand development is to identify, clarify and amplify that.
“Which is why Swim’s become such a leader in the field,” David says. “What’s unique about how we work isn’t just the process, it’s also the people. Our broad, deep experience, our ability to look at things from a fresh design and creative perspective — all without losing sight of the way a business needs to function most effectively and profitably — that’s really the Swim Special Sauce.”
Swim’s team-centered approach to branding unites your business model and your creative executions, helping them both work together. And that means never losing sight of The Three Pillars.
The Three Pillars of a strong brand
Internal Culture
This is the behind-the-scenes stuff that your customer never sees. How happy are your employees? How much do they understand what you’re trying to do? How much buy-in do they have? What’s your hiring process like? Your onboarding process? Your review and raise process? All the things that go on behind the curtain in the day-to-day operation of your business is a crucial part of your brand. If you’re pitching service with a smile, your employees better believe it.
Customer Experience
This second pillar is why the first pillar is so crucial. Because, if your employees don’t believe in your brand, they won’t be giving service with a smile. Which means that your customer won’t walk away with the experience you want them to have. A strong internal culture and belief in your brand radiates outward into the customer experience, validating and deepening all that hard work you’re doing in the third, and final, pillar.
External Marketing
Here’s where most businesses throw all their time, money and effort. But, if you haven’t taken the time to build your brand from the inside out, your marketing might get someone to try out your product or service, but it won’t be enough to get them to return.
How to get started
The best brands in the world are built on these three pillars. But it’s not enough to know them. You need to know how to build them, change them and gather insights from them. Thankfully, we’ve been doing this a long time.
If you’re ready to build your own bulletproof brand, give us a shout.