Brand strategy is a plan for brand management that answers all the big questions: who, where, why, what and when?
At Notepad, we believe that building a strong brand requires a continuous commitment to excellence and an understanding of the qualities that define the brand. A brand is not just a logo, it’s a consistent attitude and a carefully managed experience that meets or surpasses consumer expectations.
A well-crafted brand strategy establishes a unique feel for your business, distinguishing it from competitors whilst creating a distinctive voice, style, and presence in the market. Laying the foundations for your audiences, firstly, to remember you and then believe in your brand as it makes them a promise, with levels of emotional investment heightening as you resonate with their needs and values.
Once a solid brand strategy has been crafted, this also helps to align your teams internally by providing focus and acting as a guideline for your marketing efforts. In fact, a recent report from Marq found brand consistency can increase profitability by more than 20%, showing the overarching effect that brand strategy can have.
Of course, an effective strategy will help any organisation, but it arguably becomes even more important for tech brands due to the fast-paced, competitive, and innovation-driven nature of the industry, all making it more difficult to stand out and build trust in your offering.
As a bit of inspiration, or maybe you’re just interested to learn more about strategy, we’ve looked at 5 of our favourite examples of brand strategy for tech organisations, and just what makes them so effective.
Let’s get into the list…
#1 – Apple
An incredibly obvious place to start, but if we didn’t include Apple we’d just be doing this blog a disservice and just being edgy for the sake of it.
Apple’s brand strategy is simply one of the best out there because it combines a clear and consistent approach with a focus on innovation, user experience, and emotional connection. Their ability to maintain premium perceptions by communicating their seamless ecosystem and high-quality customer experiences truly is a lesson in brand positioning. (Well, with a bit of scarcity and product promotion thrown in but let’s not go too far into marketing!)
Apple’s brand messaging is consistent across all touchpoints as a result of their strategy, from advertising and product packaging to retail stores and customer service. This holistic and strategic approach has enabled Apple to build one of the most valuable and respected brands in the world.
#2- Grammarly
Grammarly’s brand strategy is a case study in addressing a market need and clearly communicating a value proposition.
Where previous spellcheckers offered users basic support, Grammarly helps users to write better by providing real-time grammar, spelling, and style suggestions. This is consistently relayed right across their messaging and expertly paired with Grammarly’s visual identity to show users exactly what their experience will really feel like.
Grammarly also resonates with a wide range of users in its positioning, from students and professionals to businesses and non-native English speakers. By catering to diverse needs, the brand expands its potential user base in a way that still feels authentic and targeted.
#3 – Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games have been responsible for developing some of the most iconic, successful, and at times controversial games of all time, most notably in the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series. Of course, Rockstar’s success has been down to their superior, industry-leading products, but really these products are a living testament to the beliefs and values found at the core of their brand strategy.
Rockstar pushes boundaries both in terms of innovation and their often edgy, mature content, completely unafraid of public backlash. Knowing that in many situations controversy creates a buzz, but more fundamentally their team are creating games that they would want to play themselves.
As they put in their mission statement, “Rockstar Games doesn’t see why only the kids should have all the video game fun.”
#4 – Canva
Canva’s brand strategy is built around empowering anyone to be a designer. In a world of complex design software, Canva offers a user-friendly platform with drag-and-drop functionality and intuitive tools, communicated throughout their messaging.
Their brand voice is approachable and encouraging, making design accessible to everyone, regardless of skill level. Offering a vast library of templates and resources, making it easy for users to create professional-looking visuals whilst also giving a supportive, community feel.
This democratisation of design resonates with a wide range of users, from small businesses creating marketing materials to students working on presentations (as this particular brand strategist with fairly limited artistic ability can attest to from my uni days). Canva expertly positions itself as the go-to tool for anyone who wants to unlock their creative potential. “So what will you design today?”
#5 – GoPro
GoPro’s bold brand strategy is all about capturing and sharing immersive experiences with the world. They target thrill-seekers and adventurers, as well as everyone following their passions, positioning their cameras as the essential tool for documenting and reliving life’s most engaging moments.
Their brand also actively cultivates a user community, encouraging people to share their adventures on social media, helping GoPro to build brand loyalty and authenticity, as real people become advocates for the brand.
Like Canva, who democratises design software, the GoPro brand also opens up the world of action-filming to people who neither had the expertise or resources before. That being said, creating professional presentations is a slightly different experience to recording yourself hurtling down a mountain at 40mph. The GoPro brand isn’t just about cameras, it’s about inspiring people to get out there and live life to the fullest.
Thanks for reading. If you’d like to define what sets your organisation apart and own that space, or just want some fresh perspective, you can book your free brand positioning audit with Notepad’s founder, Naeem by following the link below:
