The branding of a business of event can be the make-or-break of an event’s success. This module will be the cornerstone of your understanding of how consumers relate to the story, background and personality of event brands. These aspects allow brands to build trust, authenticity and loyalty between themselves and their customers, keep repeat-customer retention high, and deliver on the best possible outcomes for their users. Events come and go often, the ones that last are the ones who develop from an authentic beginning, and generate a loyal customer-base who trust the event to do what it says it will.

Module Objectives:

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Understand what branding is and how it applies to successful events
• Identify basic skills needed to create a brand
• Understand the creative and story-telling process behind event brands
• Recognise the importance of your branding materials, such as photography, videography, and online presence 
• Know what solutions there are to create a functioning website, and ensure traffic flows through it to give you the best opportunity to sell

Brand Building

What is a brand and how do you build a brand statement?

A company’s brand is a series of visual, ethical, social, and commercial behaviours and promises made to customers about what the brand will deliver when the customer chooses them. For example, Netball teamwear brand FLYHAWK promises to provide customers with elite standard, stylish and professional teamwear and equipment that is specifically female-focused. The brand is centred on the personality of those who wear it; the empowered, go-getting female.

Customers will build up an impression of the FLYHAWK brand through every interaction – from landing on their website and the quality of the products, to reading about a friend’s experience of the service on Facebook. Customers will ultimately be the judge on a company’s ability to deliver on their promises.  A strong brand will keep delivering on its promises and make customers feel so good that they come back again and again. 

Although branding might seem like it is fixating on small, superficial details, in reality it has a deep impact on customers and their willingness to part with their money for your products. Specifically, the series of thoughts and decisions it takes to acquire a customer.

Thought 1: The trigger

The subconscious brain thinks:
Competition season is approaching, we need new team kit.

Thought 2: Initial consideration

The subconscious brain thinks:
I could use the kit supplier from last year, who was adequate, or look around to see what else is available. I did see a team playing in FLYHAWK kit recently, which looked really smart. I saw the website advertised on the train. It looked like great quality and since it focuses on supplying specifically for high-level female sport, so it might be able to offer me something better.

Thought 3: Make a choice

My subconscious brain thinks:
The previous kit supplier’s website had stretched photos, so maybe they are not very professional and a bit outdated. Maybe their techniques would also be outdated and the products would be unprofessional. The whole experience could be disappointing.

But, FLYHAWK looks professional and efficient. The service team will probably be helpful and positive, and understand what our team is trying to achieve.

The branding magic is:
FLYHAWKS careful choice of words and images on the website evoked positive feelings and assumptions about their service. The clarity and consistency of their message made me trust them more on their promises.

Thought 4: Make an appointment

My subconscious brain thinks:
I feel like I’d have a good experience with FLYHAWK. I feel like they will deliver on my high expectations, so I’m going to go with them.

The branding magic is:
The strong positive emotions the brand created made me predict that I would be happier with the products they provide than with a different supplier. This is where feelings turn into custom.

Thought 5: Match the expectations to reality

Then I go ahead and try out their services, design my perfect team kit with our own logos and colours, get an upfront and accurate cost, and have it delivered to me within 4 weeks.  It was an all-round good experience and I’m very happy with the quality of the kit.

My subconscious brain thinks:
The service was professional, friendly and the experience was logistically easy. FLYHAWK can be trusted to deliver on their promises. I’d use them again and recommend them to a friend.

The branding magic is:
FLYHAWK communicated their expertise in a specific niche. Their messages, images and product quality caught my attention and stayed in my memory.

This means that when I was ready to buy, their name popped into my head. Since the impression they left was positive, I look to them to reliable deliver what I need.

How can you measure a brand’s strength?

The two pillars of brand strength are brand awareness and brand image.

Brand awareness:
How many customers think of your brand spontaneously and across how many product categories.

Brand image:
How positively and passionately customers feel about your brand.

For example, Glastonbury is a famously strong event brand. It is very well known across multiple product categories (music, art, culture, design). It has many passionately positive customers; people who save all year to attend, and those who schedule their days around ticket releases, to secure entry before any product details (stages, acts, food) even get released. 

Think of a brand you like, and then assess their strengths in the following categories:

Brand awareness and image.
What makes a strong brand and how is it measured?

Brand awareness: Depth

Many customers spontaneously think of your brand in a specific product category.

Brand awareness: Breadth

This is how many different product categories your product is remembered in.

Brand image: Positivity

This is how positively customers feel about your brand.

Brand image: Strength

The strength of a brand’s image is reflected in how passionately customers feel about the brand. This could be a positive or negative response.

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Please click the 3.1 Branding title below to begin.