What the @!#$? is a brand transformation agency?
As a brand transformation agency, we guide companies through defining moments of change. Our multidisciplinary team of experts can help you assess your business’ foundational/branding strategies, identify areas of improvement, and develop and execute a comprehensive brand transformation plan to drive brand equity and value with prospective clients.
You might not need transformation (or a transformation agency) right now, but you may someday. And when you do, working with an agency that focuses on redefining and reviving brands is essential. We provide the outside perspective, innovation, and expertise your company needs to achieve transformation. As an agency, we’ve spent nearly two decades honing our process with companies and brands, ranging from start-ups to holding companies to some of the world’s biggest brands.
Do you need a brand transformation agency?
That’s a good question; there’s a decent chance the answer is “no.” For many organizations, brand transformation is overkill. Perhaps a light refresh, new campaign, or bigger marketing budget can delivery your desired results. Slightly reframing the question might help you discover the answer: “Is your business experiencing—or needing—a major shift, aka a transformation? Is it at a critical inflection point?” If the answer is yes, then the same is true of your brand. And your business and brand need to make the transition together.
Inflection points for $500, Alex.
Working with CEOs, ownership, and leadership teams has helped us identify five critical inflection points that companies in transition often face. These inflection points are the ideal time—and we’d argue the critical time—to work with an agency to develop a foundation framework for your entire business to align.
Five critical inflection points companies in transition commonly face.
Ownership & CEO changes
Nothing rocks the boat like mixing things up at the top. This naturally occurs when your inspirational and directional force (typically a founder or co-founder) moves on. When they leave, they take a significant amount of passion and vision with them. We’ve found that it commonly takes a few years for their lack of presence to be felt, and when it hits, it hits hard.
A change in direction is also common when companies experience a shift in ownership (private equity, IPO, merger, acquisition, etc). New expectations, business challenges, increased resources, and changes in leadership require a unified vision, lest momentum and vision get squandered. Our agency combines organizational guidance with brand execution to help you facilitate a clean transition from the past to the future.
Portfolio definition
A funny thing happens when you launch products and brands successfully—you tend to keep doing it. It’s easy to end up with a house of brands or a collection of sub-brands with little strategic brand development or connective tissue. They might be cannibalizing each other, and marketplace confusion could be present. Whether your portfolio is comprised of completely different companies or a series of product identities, our agency brand consultants and identity specialists can help you develop an overarching brand story and a branding strategy for your entire portfolio as it experiences a transformation.
Directional shifts
Significant opportunities are often synonymous with complex challenges. This is the case with directional shifts, whether they surface from unwelcome external pressures, game-changing opportunities, or the discovery of whitespace. It’s an exciting time, but also a bit anxious. Your company is set for a change that will rock the entire business, from your purpose and direction to your products and brand. Sound familiar? Parliament excels as an agency in helping companies harness the power of organizational clarity to navigate transformation and change. harness the power of organizational clarity to navigate change .
Brand awakening
Our agency works with many organizations—big, successful ones—that are stuck in a rut. They keep going back to the same well and telling the same stories. Sure, they have a lot of market share, brand recognition, and presence. Unfortunately, slowly but surely, they are becoming a dinosaur as younger and scrappier organizations are willing to take more risks and connect with audiences in new ways. It’s probably a touchy subject. They sometimes notice that the new guard is trying to affect change and encourage transformation, and an old guard defends how things have always been done. Both probably have merit—which results in a stalemate. They’ve usually been dealing with internal disconnects and tension for quite some time. An outside perspective, guidance, and accountability are constructive for accelerating this kind of change; we’re just the agency to provide it.
Preparing to scale
You’ve been hustling for years. Everyone has worn multiple hats and done whatever it takes to get you to the next quarter. Now you’re on the cusp of an acquisition or cash infusion transformation that will land you squarely in the big leagues. Your team size is about to explode, and you’ll finally fill the roles you’ve been doing without. Everyone is stoked out of their minds, but you’re aware of the increasing pressure. Your crew, new hires, and old-timers must be aligned as you blast off. Our agency can help you create directional clarity, cultural consistency, and the scalable brand you’ll need to get from here to there.
The three-phase approach to brand transformation we use as an outside agency.
Our agency engagements typically include one to three of the following approaches: foundational frameworks, brand systems, and creative services. Beyond crystalizing and aligning your brand’s foundation, several key associated services fall under each phase.
Foundational frameworks
Our branding process begins by working directly with your CEO and leadership team. Our objective: unified, directional clarity for your entire business. An in-person workshop—ideally at your place—is the perfect way to kick it off, and from there, we’ll Zoom weekly to review, debate, and discuss progress. And, yes, we know you needed this work done yesterday, but organizational transformation doesn’t happen overnight. Our agency works diligently but prioritizes long-term impact, giving the strategic approach the required time. It takes anywhere from 5-22 weeks, but 12.6 weeks is the median.
Related: brand strategy development
Parliament helps businesses like yours create an effective brand strategy aligning with your mission, vision, and values. This involves assessing your business’s target audience and critical consumers, understanding their needs and preferences, and aligning on a brand personality and messaging that resonates with them.
Brand systems
For some organizations who use our branding services, a crisp foundational strategy might be all they need from us. Others require additional support. For those clients, we also typically define, update, or evolve a client’s visual identity and messaging systems. When appropriate, we offer internal creative teams templates and training to ensure consistency and executional standards are met. Once everything is fully worked out, our agency often delivers final deliverables as a brand book and style guide.
Related: brand identity & logo design
We can help businesses create a unique and memorable visual identity that effectively communicates your brand’s personality and values to your target customer base and audiences. This includes developing (or strategic transformation or evolution of) a logo, color scheme, typography, and other visual elements that convey the brand’s essence and differentiate it from its competitors.
Related: brand messaging
The next step in a Parliament brand transformation is helping you develop consistent and compelling brand messaging that communicates your unique value proposition and benefits to your target audiences. This includes developing a brand voice, tone, and messaging that resonates with your audience and articulates your brand’s positioning within the market.
Creative services
Once we have united on foundational strategies and brand systems, we can support your internal dedicated team or use our talented agency team to take the wheel, owning your brand’s creative executions from kick-off through launch.
Related: brand implementation and management
We help businesses implement their brand transformation plan and an effective brand strategy that drives brand
equity and value across all their marketing channels and touchpoints. This includes developing brand guidelines, creating content, designing marketing collateral, and maintaining brand consistency across all customer interactions. By partnering with Parliament, companies can differentiate themselves in the market, attract and retain customers, and achieve long-term business goals.
Brand transformation the Parliament way.
Brands are constantly changing; transformation is the only constant in the business world. Everyone will go through high and low points, times of innovation and growth, and times of struggle.
As a brand transformation agency, we partner with businesses to create brands, revitalize, and re-energize their brand identity. This can include various other agency services, from visual brand design to brand positioning and messaging.
Brand transformation is critical for companies looking to stay competitive in today’s rapidly evolving market. It involves assessing and redefining a business’s existing brand identity and communication strategies to reflect its values, goals, and messages in a more compelling, impactful way. However, the process of brand transformation is not an easy one. It requires in-depth market research and analysis, competitor evaluation, creative thinking, and strategic planning. That is why many forward-thinking companies choose to work with Parliament.
You don’t have to look for a full-service brand agency in New York or San Francisco; the best branding companies don’t always have real estate in major metropolitan areas. For example, Parliament is in Portland, and the results of our brand consulting can be seen all over the world. With our unrivaled understanding of business and brand strategies, combined with robust graphic design, logo design, and brand messaging, it doesn’t matter where our desks are located.
At Parliament, our agency consists of a director-level team of experts whose primary purpose is to help companies create, launch, and maintain brands that stand out in the market. We work closely with clients to understand their vision, brand values, and target audiences. By doing so, we create a comprehensive brand strategy and tactics that align with your company’s culture, voice, and business goals.
So, what does a transformation agency have that a traditional full-service agency doesn’t?
Not every agency is created equal, and when you have business challenges that are existential in nature, it helps to work with partners with the appropriate focus.
A case for calling in the brand wonks
A brand transformation agency can help companies like yours generate leads, shorten sales cycles, and increase revenues by crafting an impactful brand image and messaging. A clear, compelling brand identity design and message will connect with potential customers’ emotions and drive them to take action. Working with a branding agency like ours can benefit your company by helping your brand experience stand out in crowded markets and increase customer loyalty. In partnership, a foundational platform can help you reach your vision, manage your culture, maximize profitability, and successfully navigate any transformation.
Can your branding company do this?
Before you entrust your brand’s future to an agency, it’s a good idea to ensure they have a few critical skills and services on lockdown.
Key services for businesses and brands in need of transformation.
Brand analysis
The process usually starts by thoroughly analyzing your brand’s strengths, weaknesses, business challenges, and opportunities. This includes a deep dive into your brand’s messaging, target audience, and competitive landscape.
Brand strategy
Based on the analysis, Parliament will develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that aligns your brand with your target audience and the competitive landscape. This can include positioning, messaging, and brand architecture.
Visual identity design
From logos to color palettes, typography to imagery, we work with our clients to develop a visually compelling brand identity that captures your brand’s essence and resonates with your target audience.
Brand standards
To ensure consistency of brand experience across all touchpoints, we will develop a set of guidelines (or a style guide) that communicate how your brand should be portrayed visually and tonally. These standards include digital and print media guidelines, packaging, signage, etc.
Brand communication strategy
A communication strategy is essential to ensure your brand has a consistent brand voice and that messaging is consistent, compelling, and effective across all channels. This includes social media, email marketing, advertising, and PR.
Brand launch
Finally, top branding agencies will help you launch your new brand in a strategic and impactful way. This can include creating a launch campaign or coordinating a brand event to generate buzz and positive momentum around your rebranding efforts. In short, we provide a comprehensive, end-to-end brand agency solution for businesses looking to revitalize and reinvigorate their brand identity. From strategy to design to activation, these branding agencies help businesses navigate the complex world of branding and emerge more robust, competitive, and relevant to their target audience.
Congratulations—you aren’t a quitter if you’ve made it this far. You have a genuine interest in brand transformation. If you’d like to learn more about Parliament and our approach, let’s chat .
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