Finding the right venue, sourcing speakers and marketing your event are all important but having an identifiable brand will definitely set your event apart.  We caught up with Ellen Chesterman, Senior Account Manager at Brand Transformation Agency, Mobas to get her expert opinion and some tips on how to create a brand for your event. 

Event branding could arguably be one of the most important aspects of your planning. There are several advantages that should be considered, from consistency, ownership and uniqueness to creativity, to name a few. But, many wonder where to begin with the process. Here, we look at four top tips for getting your branding underway.

Firstly, it’s important to note that branding encompasses not only the visual look and feel of your output, but also the tone of voice, personality, values and the overall message that you’re trying to convey. This applies when you are using your corporate branding alongside a creative concept/theme or creating a stand-alone brand for your event. In pulling all of these elements together, you improve your customers’ interaction with the brand and, in turn, build trust as they begin to know what to expect when they receive communications from you.
 

Where to start

To start, you need to consider your target audience and determine the best way to house your event objective – whether this be a brand in itself or a concept that sits behind your existing brand.

This decision can be based on a number of influences. For example, if this is likely to be a series rather than a one-off event, it may be worth investing in creating a stand-alone identity that you can then use for all future instances. Alternatively, you may want to consider creating a concept that your brand can be associated with, but not led by. This decision should be related to the reach and strength of your corporate brand awareness in the current market and the equity it can bring to your event. If you’re using the event as a tool to build your company’s awareness, utilising the top-level corporate brand will be more appropriate.

Once you have agreed on an approach, you can then start to build a complementary visual representation which can be created in-house or with an experienced partner.
 

Develop your coordinated look

The creative method needs to be clearly identified and relatable to those you want to attend in order to generate your target interest. This can be achieved through the use of colours, fonts and possibly imagery or graphics styling that ties in with your corporate brand. Consistency is crucial when interacting with existing or new clients, as it enables you to manage how individuals perceive the brand and your associated events. If there’s an element of brand recognition, it connotes reliability, authenticity and security – which are very strong personality traits to have and will build long-lasting relationships.

Introduce your creativity

The messaging and theme are where your creativity and uniqueness can shine. Although this can be highly dependent on the subject matter of your event, you should look to package all components together as it will strengthen your positioning. This will impact on how attractive and memorable your event will be, especially in comparison to others that are taking place. You want something that will stop and intrigue your audience immediately, so they won’t question attending the event. It also allows you to offer a quick snapshot of what you can expect from the event – and when many are time-poor, this can really work in your favour.
 

Make it ownable pre, during and post event!

Ownership is another key advantage of branding your event. This means any output in association with your upcoming activity is distinguishable. Your creative therefore needs to be flexible across all platforms. So, during the development phase, consider how your identity or concept will rely on digital marketing tools such as social media channels, email marketing and website assets, through to printed ads and imaginative giveaways. In doing so, you’ll be able to develop a full event marketing plan, including all touchpoints pre, during and post event.

 

Mobas is a leading UK strategic marketing agency and our purpose is to transform any marketing challenge into success. We have the strategy, the creativity, the people and the communication tools to excel in brand, identity and campaign development. If you have an upcoming event and wish to discuss your requirements, please get in touch by calling the team on 01223 841699 or email say.hello@mobas.com.

Image by Damien Vickers Photography for ISER XII

 

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