SFCM
Branding
What
is
branding?
Branding
goes
beyond
having
a
cool
logo
or
the
perfect
name
for
your
ensemble.
When
a
person
or
organization
has
a
well-‐defined
brand,
it
means
their
audience
has
a
visceral
understanding
of
their
identity.
A
few
perfect
examples
include
Apple,
Dove
or
Barack
Obama.
These
brands
connote
specific
brand
attributes,
and
these
attributes
resonate
throughout
their
entire
organization.
A
brand
is
an
identity
and
a
promise
that
must
be
delivered
on.
Whether
or
not
you
realize
it,
your
brand
already
exists.
Take
some
time
to
identify
and
define
your
brand,
then
make
your
brand
resonate
with
the
way
you
act
as
a
professional,
and
the
content
you
put
out.
Three
simple
steps
to
defining
your
brand
1.
Define
your
mission
statement
Your
mission
statement
says
what
your
present
goals
are
as
an
organization
(individual
or
group).
2.
Define
your
brand
values
Choose
three
or
four
words,
or
short
phrases
that
reflect
who
and
how
you
are.
For
example,
Stephen
Colbert’s
brand
values
might
be
“spontaneous
wit,”
“exaggeratedly
self-‐absorbed”
and
“coy.”
Apple’s
brand
values
might
be
“user-‐friendly,”
“innovative”
and
“reliable.”
While
these
brand
attributes
are
inherent
to
who
these
organizations
are,
they
are
reiterated
through
all
of
their
communications
(ads,
social
media,
press,
website)
in
a
narrative
that
is
easily
understood.
Finding
your
brand
attributes
simply
requires
that
you
be
honest
with
yourself.
The
attributes
of
your
brand
should
accurately
reflect
your
character
and
purpose.
It
may
take
some
digging,
but
a
meaningful
and
well-‐
defined
brand
streamlines
your
communication
efforts
and
gives
your
audience
a
clear
picture
of
who
you
are.
3.
State
your
vision
Ultimately,
every
professional
is
contributing
to
a
greater
mission.
What
greater
goal
are
you
contributing
to?
Dove
states
their
vision
as
“a
world
where
beauty
is
a
source
of
confidence,
not
anxiety.”
Their
mission
of
being
“committed
to
building
positive
self-‐esteem
and
inspiring
all
women
and
girls
to
reach
their
full
potential,”
helps
them
contribute
to
that
vision.
Practical
situations
where
you
may
apply
your
brand
Make
an
effort
to
represent
yourself
consistently
through
your
entire
creative
and
communicative
output.
These
are
areas
where
you
can
apply
this
awareness:
• Website:
color
scheme,
simplicity
of
your
interface,
font,
spacing
between
letters
(kerning)…
• Photos:
lighting,
use
of
darker/lighter
colors,
overall
character
• Social
media:
use
a
consistent
voice
in
posts
on
Facebook,
Twitter,
etc.
• Business
cards:
elegant,
simple,
harsh…
how
are
you
trying
to
convey
yourself?
• Any
writing:
bios,
media
pitches,
and
press
releases.
Write
in
a
voice
consistent
with
your
brand.
Examples
of
classical
musicians
with
clear
brands
wild
Up
http://wildup.la
wild
Up
is
a
modern
music
collective
–
a
group
of
Los
Angeles-‐based
musicians
committed
to
creating
visceral,
thought-‐provoking
happenings.
Our
programs
are
eclectic
studies
of
people,
places,
and
ideas
that
we
find
interesting.
The
group
believes
that
music
is
a
catalyst
for
shared
experiences,
and
that
the
concert
venue
is
a
place
for
challenging,
exciting,
and
igniting
the
community
around
us.
Third
Coast
Percussion
http://thirdcoastpercussion.com
This
ensemble
represents
themselves
as
a
vibrant
and
energetic
ensemble
who
are
creative
in
terms
of
their
musical
collaboration
and
delivery.
They
reflect
these
qualities
not
only
through
their
performance,
but
the
appearance
of
their
website
and
press
photos.
Eighth
Blackbird
http://www.eighthblackbird.org
eighth
blackbird
\ˈātth
ˈblak-‐ˌbərd\
slang
(orig.
and
chiefly
U.S.)
1.
verb.
to
act
with
commitment
and
virtuosity;
to
zap,
zip,
sock
2.
adjective.
having
fearless
(yet
irreverent)
qualities.
3.
noun.
a
flock
of
songbirds,
common
in
urban
areas
since
1996.
Duo
Del
Sol
http://duodelsol.com
On
stage,
this
firebrand
duo
takes
no
prisoners.
They
harness
the
raw
energy
of
a
rock
band
by
wildly
stretching
their
instruments
beyond
any
traditional
limits,
mixing
and
engineering
their
unique
sounds
like
two
mad
scientists.
Their
instruments
become
irrelevant
and
what’s
left
is
evocative,
powerful
music.
