Managing brand fluidity. The new era of developing a brand

How do you develop and manage a unique brand when there is a constant need to re-new? With a fast-moving and evolving world, it is a task that has overtaken every organisation. Technological innovations, cultural trends, generational characters and consumer needs are ever and rapidly shifting. Brands that want to stay relevant are in between two opposites: mirroring the changes and keeping the brand consistent.

We put together a guidance sheet on how to stay ahead in this new era of developing a brand. As of the first and main uniting point, that is referred in the title, it is about – managing brand fluidity. Developing a brand is not anymore a “I did it once and it’s done” process. It’s a constant developmental collaboration with your branding agency of choice, outsource freelancers, or in-house strategists and designers. Take it as your organisation hygiene that never fails to make you look your best version. Bonethica work method and process states that we embody brands as an ever-growing living organism that needs to be nurtured. That’s the approach here.

Build brand core as a connecting unit

Having a strong core and setting boundaries is the primary task. When creating your brand strategy, at this stage, it is important to find and set your brand core as a connecting unit that is ‘unlocked’ to flow but maintain certain ‘red lines’ your brand is never set to cross. Those boundaries assure to avoid getting you lost and bringing chaos in your strategy when implementing fluidity. Creating strategy statements is one of the ways we realise this while collaborating during Bonethica brand development sessions.

Imagine your core as a big stream that connects with destined lateral smaller streams. Your core is a focus and connects as a unit to the same mission, vision and values. For example, here at Bonethica our core as a connecting unit is ‘nature-natura’ and business. Our goal is to develop positively impactful businesses that strengthen their connection to nature and innovate in symbiosis because we have a vision of a healthier planet. We then connect lateral streams to this, such as various brand development services, a JOURNAL for interconnected planetary, business and personal growth, a CATALOGUE of our locally grown cut-flowers designed to bring wild meadows to the urban life consumer. This way we don’t compromise our brand core but build around it fluidly.

Implement dynamic system

It is less about wanting to be and more about being open to flow. Now you see your brand as fluid. Build a base that has integrated channels for brand development. There should be an open gateway to engage. This system has to be available to your ins and outs – your employees and audience. Collecting feedback, ideation sessions, constant follow up on the new technology, trends, cultural phenomena and situationism. Having an insight to this data is your opportunity to pivot the stream of flow when it’s time.

Learn to adapt

Design to adapt. Turn your brand into an actress each time you perform, it changes character depending on the concept and the other character you engage with. Designing a single brand personality/character is practically impossible if you want to catch up to the new generation. Also, due to the number of various digital platforms and places it is met at. Your brand identity is especially fragile to this new system. It’s like colouring your stream of water different colours each time it reaches a different consumer.

So how to stay unique and not become invisible?

Don’t look for a type of person as your audience but seek expressions that resonate with your core. Form a clear brand strategy but be variated. That’s your mission and vision, values you stand by. Have a flexible set of design elements that represent your brand identity. Focus on essence, the feeling of your brand. There are many appropriate elements that can represent you in different situations. Reflect the situation and that will show your character. Focus on campaigns/projects individually that shape your presence in each. Then, take feedback notes, evolve the connection with your audience and continue to adapt again.

Turn the ‘blend mode’ ON and experiment

“Less than a decade ago, when I was studying in London, my bachelors was in songwriting. Once I got a comment from my teacher that my song sounds like it's a bit of an alternative genre but also a little bit pop, and that I have to choose which direction I’m going, and pick one genre. Now, mixing genres is normal and trendy among the world's most famous artists. The times have changed, and it's become acceptable to experiment”, Bonethica founder Rugilė shares a memory.

This is known as genre-blending movement in the music industry. The change was influenced by technological possibilities in music production and artists refusing to categorise their music, while streaming services encouraged this and audiences such as Gen Z completely normalised it.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Engage with your audience and find what they might be interested in beyond what you offer at the moment. Test those new ideas and see what you gather from this experience. Maybe you find that adding a new shape to the product that goes along with your brand core, might compliment the organisation and recall your audience needs. Turn the ‘blend mode’ ON because there is no concrete brand formula or a single brand category.

Be fluid

Let your brand burst out like a fountain and fill new pathways it can fulfil.