Focus Lab

Many people casually lump the terms “marketing” and “branding” together into a common definition, but they are not the same. 🙅 Some go so far as to openly question things: “Isn’t branding just a marketing exercise?" "Shouldn’t the marketing budget determine how much we allocate to a rebrand?” Branding and marketing share the same space and similarities, and both can struggle for relevance under the weight of the amorphous definitions. In many cases, they complement each other so closely that one rarely exists without the other, but it is important to understand that they are different, and what that means for a branding effort. Bill Kenney 👋 expertly lays out the intricacies of the relationship between brand and marketing in his book, Conquer Your Rebrand. 🚨 Major bonus: The first chapter is now free to download → https://hubs.la/Q02ML6VS0 #b2b #brandingbook #rebrand

We won't sugarcoat it, rolling out a rebrand amidst a merger (or acquisition) takes a ton of coordination. 💥 At a time when community and culture can still be in a bit of flux — leaders have to remind themselves and their colleagues of three things: be inclusive, be thorough, and be bold. That last note — be bold — you’re ready for it. 💪 In the final part of our three part M&A blog series, we're looking best practices for brand rollout. It’s time for the big swing. Let’s get to it. ⤵

Huge shout out to John Rougeux ⛰️ for connecting the importance of brand to a Formula One race in our latest podcast episode. 🏎️ "If [your brand] is treated trivially, then it can be dismissed just as easily. The work doesn't have the potential of hitting the same value and impact." We have absolutely nothing to add to that statement, except a big +1 to John. 👏 Tune in to the full episode (with even more insights): https://hubs.ly/Q02NBcPd0

The squad over at Odi, our early-stage agency, delivered a top-notch rebrand alongside the talented team at Customer.io — and we would be remiss to not put a spotlight on it. 🔦 Who: Customer.io leverages data and powerful automations in order to offer the only platform that product-led companies need to engage their audiences with the communications people actually want. Why: To reintroduce Customer.io to the world with a brand story that captures its core mission and distinction, and in turn, allow the company to grow and expand its platform and portfolio. How: → Brand Insights Evaluation → Verbal Identity → Visual Identity Huge props to both teams on a spectacular rebrand and 10/10 rollout. 👏 Check out the full case study today → https://hubs.la/Q02MvBVV0 --- 💥 Be sure you're following Odi to keep up with their latest case studies + startup news.

What's your brand archetype? 🎨 🪄 🧠 🧭 🧑🎤 Archetypes define your brand’s personality traits. They can help us better understand your brand and determine how we might capture the hearts and minds of your audience. That's why our team put together this quick + easy quiz, informed by the work of psychologist Carl Jung and the book Archetypes in Branding. It works to uncover your brand’s primary archetype, bringing greater depth, context, and meaning to its identity. ✨ Take the quiz today and let us know what you get: https://lnkd.in/gKEaFfcv #brandstrategy #brandarchetype

Passionate about people and problem-solving, Elastic Path came to Focus Lab to build a brand with empathy, enthusiasm, and a vision for the future of commerce. 💫 Composable commerce’s modular approach allows companies to pick and choose the best solutions (shopping carts, payment options, product catalogs, etc.) to customize their commerce systems to better serve their customers. With more than 20 years of experience, Elastic Path had become a bona fide expert. But in a crowded landscape with well-known competitors, the company needed a brand that looked ahead, stood apart, and amplified its superior products and service. We were beyond excited at the opportunity to collaborate with their team to differentiate their brand. 💥 Scope of Work: → Brand Strategy → Verbal Identity → Visual Identity → Brand Support → Web Design Check out the full project: https://hubs.la/Q02JsP-b0 --- #b2b #rebrand #composablecommerce

NFL who? 🤷 College football officially kicked off this past weekend and we're aiming for a slam dunk* with our latest blog. Our talented brand writer, Wade Livingston, took a deep dive into the college football fan experience that’s as varied and vast (some would say illogical) as, well, our B2B landscape. Let’s talk about how and where we can infuse the energy and emotion of Saturdays in the fall into our own brands. Read the full blog at the 🔗 in the comments. —- #b2b #collegefootball #EAsports #b2bbranding *It's a good thing our social media manager didn't write this blog, because she sure doesn't know how to make an appropriate football reference. Do us a favor and go read Wade's blog, he's way better at the football jargon.

Have you ever been part of something that suddenly changed? 🔄💥🤔 Hear us when we say this: a shake-up isn’t an inherently bad thing. It can be a stressful thing. And a little disorienting, even. But it can also be exciting. Fresh. Full of opportunity. This is how a shake-up transforms into an awakening. And after a merger or acquisition, brand — particularly employer brand — shines the light that welcomes new dawns. ☀️ In part two of our three part M&A blog series, we examine brand’s ability to rally workplace communities and culture in times of great change. Check it out today. ⤵

We've got a brand new podcast episode you won't want to miss. 🚨 Join us as we chat with John Rougeux ⛰️ — founder of Flag & Frontier, a company that specializes in narrative design and execution. In this episode, John sat down with Bill Kenney 👋 and hit on so many valuable topics we don't think it's possible to touch on them all in a single post: → High-level break down of category design strategies → How to find c-suite alignment without taking away autonomy from your team → What the right mindset is when approaching a big brand change And so much more. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or creative we think you'll find some valuable insights from John! Full episode is live now: https://hubs.la/Q02M1dWc0 #b2b #brandstrategy #brandnarrative #categorydesign #branding

Ready to dominate your #B2B rebrand? 💥 Download the first chapter of Conquer Your Rebrand today and get a (free) sneak peek into the ultimate playbook for your rebrand journey. If you're just hearing about Conquer Your Rebrand, here's what you can expect: → Learn the "why" of B2B branding + actionable details of "how" → How how to prepare and what to expect in your rebranding journey → Learn to recognize and avoid common pitfalls → Discover what matters most in your agency partner → Learn how to plan for your brand rollout And so much more! It's time for your brand to propel you forward, not hold you back. Let's get started. Download the first chapter today: https://lnkd.in/gXptb2ja