Choosing the Right Branding Agency

If you’re reading this, it is likely that you’ve decided to embark on a branding journey. Which means the next big question on your mind is: Who should I work with? 

We hope to help you find the answer to that question in this blog. 

What is a branding agency? 

A branding agency is a professional services firm that specialises in creating and activating brands. 

Sometimes we get people who ask us to do branding but end up only talking about making content for social media or advertising online, in which case they are better off consulting a marketing agency or a production studio. 

Of course, there are agencies that do both branding and marketing (like us!) but even if that is the case, it is good to determine what your goals are first. Are you looking for help with social media and conversion rates or something more long-term like building a legacy? 

If it’s the latter, let’s move on to how to find the right brand agency for you. 

What to look for when prospecting branding agencies 

CONSULTANTS & TEAM CREDENTIALS

Now that everything has moved online, a lot of agencies and freelancers have been popping up all over the place, offering professional services from marketing and content creation to graphic design. It might seem any of them might do the trick. 

But don’t be fooled. A website builder is not going to do your branding (not as well, anyway). When it comes to building a sustainable brand, only a professional brand consultant with the relevant credentials and experience can guide you through the entire branding journey from start to finish. 

DIVERSE CLIENTS 

You might be tempted to go with the agency that specialises in your industry, but an agency that has collected a diverse portfolio of clients over the years is not just worth your time, but possibly an even better option. 

Agencies don’t have to be experts in your business, they have to be experts in branding. An agency that has experience with different types of clients, companies and industries demonstrates that they have a solid methodology (more on that later) and the ability to work with people. 

There is more to branding than helping a company sell products. It’s about crafting an identity and narrative that will speak to your audience. 

So if you are a restaurant, don’t dismiss an agency for not working with enough food companies. A brand agency worth their salt will apply the same method they used to boost the business of a clothing shop to sell your dishes, and they will yield the same results. 

WORK PORTFOLIO

The next thing to look at is what the agency has done for their clients. The easiest thing to notice is the visuals – the logo they designed or enhanced, the fonts and colours they chose, and all the other guidelines as outlined in the brand book. Hint – the brand book alone is an incredible asset that will tell you about the agency’s capabilities! 

Then there is the system holding this new branding in place. Is there a solid strategy in place? Does the new imagery and language make sense for this company? Is the brand story convincing? Again, the brand book can tell you. 

This brings us to… 

METHODOLOGY

This might sound obvious, but a branding agency must believe in branding. What we mean by that is, they should believe in what they do. 

Every agency has a unique approach or philosophy to branding that they use to drive success for their clients. It is more than creating the perfect logo or tagline – it is building the strategy on which your entire brand system hinges upon. Whether they are strong in visual design or like to tell stories, you might notice a style in an agency’s work across the board that ties back to their overall outlook on branding. 

At Etereo, for example, we believe that every brand begins with a purpose, and that purpose is the driving force behind everything it does. When we work with our clients, we delve deep into the reason for their existence to discover their authenticity and bring that out to resonate with their audience.  

For more knowledge on the fundamentals of branding and to boost your confident in choosing the right agency to engage, read this.