There’s more to a good brand than design

I read with interest the article in last week’s issue, Searching for an identity, (DW 14 January).

Suggesting that all design groups should “position themselves as brand or corporate consultancies rather than just design consultancies” to take advantage of the current “brand trend” is extremely naive. Brand marketing and the design which communicates it is a combination of a very complex social science and a very particular type of design skill.

We have recently seen many design agencies “reposition” themselves to persuade clients they have the skills to be brand consultants. They often fail.

Brand consultancies are structured with both marketing and design consultants who understand brands, encompassing marketing, strategy and design. Brand consultants should be able to provide a holistic approach to making a brand succeed, which does not always include design.

If you want to evolve into a brand consultancy, I suggest restructuring or changing resources, not just repositioning.

Simon Massey

Director

NineYards Brand Consultants

smassey@nineyards.co.uk