Believe:

Innovation changes our expectations of an industry. Such change is often disruptive, which means that the communication of a new idea must be clear, unique and delivered in a way audiences can easily comprehend and celebrate. Groundbreaking ideas take time and talent to create, but they live and die by the clarity with which they are communicated. That is why the orchestration of brand voice and visuals is now a fundamental tenet of successful global business strategy. Innovation Protocol has built the proprietary process for the definition and communication of innovative ideas. Our methodology is called Strategic Brand Development, and we are the protocol for brands that innovate.

Contents

03 Do & Know 04 Philosophy 05 Dont 06 Why Your Audience Should Believe in You 07 The Services of Innovation Protocol 08 Discovery 09 Brand Platform 10 Brand Architecture

11 Brand Naming 12 Visual Expression 13 Brand Execution 14 Brand Alignment 15 Brand Extension 16 How We Work 17 Philanthropy & Our Earth  Conscious Promise

About The Authors

The entire Innovation Protocol team prepared the document you are holding. We hope you: See a new way of thinking. Feel empowered. Practice what you learn. Share what you come  to understand.
InnovationProtocol.com Innovation Protocol. All Rights Reserved.

Abstract branding practices are dangerous. Emotion and subjectivity influence hasty brainstorms that can hazardously and impulsively define an organizations present and future. Our processes are deeply rooted in the business strategies they support they are informed by research and strategic insights that guide tangible recommendations. The result: Revolutionary yet grounded solutions to the most sophisticated brand challenges.

Know:

Brands are highly valued business assets both on the balance sheet and in the minds of those in the market. Our approach actively involves our clients leadership, invigorates their partners and empowers staff to be a part of the brands development, before we bring the story to market. This requires a profound understanding of all parties both inside and outside the organization: Customer needs, leadership desires, advocate interests, analyst expectations, partner priorities and employee dogma. Our relentless examinations draw forth from under recognized truths about our clients and lay the foundation for brand stories that the world can truly believe.

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Philosophy:

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Strategic Brand Development is the foundation from which all effective brand communications should originate.

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Dont advertise. Dont market. Dont publicize.

Dont communicate until you know exactly who you are and why you matter. First, build a brand strategy from which all facets of your communications can grow consistently and with character. Then, tell the world.

Heres why an audience should never forget why they believe in you.

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ADVERTISING influences
an audience through brief, repeated communication.

MARKETING influences an
audience through direct, detailed communication.

PUBLIC RELATIONS influences

an audience through trusted third parties.

Think TV commercials or billboards on the highway.

Think brochures or websites.

Think press releases or speeches to industry experts.

BRANDING defines exactly

why an audience should trust and remember your advertising, marketing and public relations.

It answers the questions of who you are, why you matter, what makes you different, what you stand for and why an audience should never forget why they believe in you.

The Services of Innovation Protocol

All components of a brand strategy must begin from a common ground and work together as an integrated whole. Whether applied to regional start-ups, national non-profits or global conglomerates, the following services strategically address each stage of a brands development in order to minimize risk and maximize audience appeal.

Discovery
The comprehensive immersion into every facet of a brands business.

Brand Platform
The brand messaging system from which all other components of a brand are built.

Brand Architecture
The formation of a brands portfolio of offerings.

Brand Naming
The shorthand method for verbal and written identification of a brand.

Visual Expression
The visual assets that communicate a brands personality and perspective.

Brand Execution
The implementation of a brand strategy through communication devices across multiple channels.

Brand Alignment
The union of employees, investors, advocates and other internal stakeholders around a common set of practices that informs how they communicate on behalf of a brand.

Brand Extension
The identification and analysis of market opportunities to create new brand offerings.

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1.2

1.3

1.4

1.1

C-Level Executives Employees Industry Audit Board of Directors Investors Customers Existing Potential Past Management

Discovery
This phase leverages unique, well practiced research methods that are specifically designed for Strategic Brand Development. Our programs include direct and indirect competitor audits, industry analysis, and identification of the most impactful methods to gain exposure to target audiences. The Innovation Protocol Discovery process remains one of the most intense research practices in the industry and is a prerequisite for all other services. Such extensive pre-work enables the Innovation Protocol team to objectively assess a brands true state before offering advice. Our team members can then conribute as highly informed third parties, whose interactions are more productive through their rich understanding of the business. This practice results in an unbiased, broad understanding of a brand and its unique market opportunities. Its why Discovery has been the basis of our services since the founding of Innovation Protocol.

Primary Research

Focus Groups / Interviews

Secondary Research

Identity Presentation Communication Audit Web Marketing Competitive Audit Direct Competition Sales Indirect Competition Retail Communications Print

Upon completion of this stage you will:

 Understand your competitive market position.  K now what influences your brands perception, both internally and externally.  F eel confident that recommendations made from this point forward are informed by a comprehensive understanding of your brands business.

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension Step 1

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

Brand Platform
At the heart of the Brand Platform is positioning the story and tone that collectively reflect a brands unique place in the market. Additional Brand Platform elements include mission and vision statements, brand personification and the articulation of permanent core values. In short, this stage establishes how the brand should be communicated, both internally and externally. The Brand Platform inspires synchronous communication and ensures a strong, consistent and memorable brand experience.

Brand Attributes

Brand Pillars
Personality Traits Mission

Brand Positioning

Vision Summary Statement

Brand Messaging

Internal Tagline External

Upon completion of this stage you will be able to communicate: Who your brand is. Why your brand matters. Why your brand is different.  Why your audience should believe in your brand.

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Brand Architecture
Brand Architecture distinguishes and clarifies a brands products and services, while defining how these components ultimately relate to one another. It ensures that audiences can easily find, recall and differentiate a brands offerings. In this phase, offerings will be assessed, positioned and branded based on organization- and industry-specific factors. Considerations may include cross-product ingredients that should be leveraged for audience benefit, as well as brand integration models for acquisitions. Brand Architecture also helps manage changes that will undoubtedly occur within any business. It addresses such questions as how to migrate audiences from one offering to the next and how to position a new sub-brand so audiences understand its unique value and association with the master brand. Through proprietary, customized Brand Architecture management models, Innovation Protocol enables organizations to maintain portfolios of branded offerings in an efficient and integrated manner.

Indirect Competitive Audit

Architecture Audits
Current Portfolio Mapping

Direct

Research Metrics

Portfolio Strategy

Portfolio Management

Visual Identity Architecture

Implementation Worksessions

Sub-Branding

Information Architecture

Ingredient Branding

Architecture Training

Endorsed Brand Co-Branding Independent Brand Platform Brand Common Element Brand

Upon completion of this stage you will be able to communicate: What your brand offers. Why each offering matters.  H ow each offering is unique and related.  Why your audience can believe that each offering should only come from your brand.

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

Brand Naming
The most effective brand names succinctly reflect an aspect of a brands story in a distinctive and memorable manner. Despite their apparent simplicity, names are very hard to create, and require extensive exposure before they become loved. BMW, Apple, Dell and Accenture have each lived as brand giants, yet each of these names exemplifies completely different naming approaches:

Name Development

Testing

Globalization Regionalization

Program Planning

Naming Criteria Naming

International Relevancy Trademark Audit

Translation

Trademark Pursuit Web Legal Counsel Support

Worksessions

Strategy Long List Short List

Contextual Testing Web Audit Print Voice Domain Acquisition

Final List

BMW: Acronym Name

(BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke [Bavarian Motor Works].)

Because the Brand Naming process at Innovation Protocol is as robust as our other services, it requires the same level of competitive analysis, audience assessment, market positioning and industry command. Our procedure eliminates emotional and personal naming preferences to focus on objective measures such as long-term value, clarity, association, trademark security and audience acceptance. Testing is the final, critical phase of the Brand Naming process. It ensures that a name can be translated, appreciated, trademarked and easily pronounced by audiences.
Upon completion of this stage you will know: What your brands are called. Why each brand name is appropriate. What each brand name means.

Apple: Abstract Name

(Apple was inspired by the apple which fell on Newtons head and is meant to connote knowledge.)

Dell: Founder Name

(Michael Dell founded the company while making computers in his dorm room.)

Accenture: Fabricated Name

(Accenture combines the phrase Accent on the Future.)

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

Visual Expression
Integrated visual systems reinforce a brands identity by design, while delivering relevant visual cues to aid in recognition and recall. Through extensive, client-involved worksessions, the Innovation Protocol creative team builds graphic systems that help audiences quickly recognize the visual character of a brand. In this phase, fonts, photography style, color schemes, shapes and icons are developed to complete a brands visual system. The brands logo is then prepared as a brief visual signature, informed directly by the brands design language. This phase provides organizations with durable, differentiated visual assets to produce efficient and consistent branded communication tools.

Research

Identity Explorations

Logo Design

Audience

Worksessions

Touchpoint Audit Industry Audit

Execution Mock-Ups

Themeboards
Competitive Visual Audit Image Collection Visual System Design Elements Image Treatment Colors Fonts

Upon completion of this stage you will be able to: Visually differentiate your brand.  Consistently communicate your brands visual system.  I nform a brand experience across a variety of touchpoints.

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

6.1

6.2

Templates Product Brochure Corporate Brochure

Brand Execution
A brand lives day-to-day in devices such as sales presentations, product packaging and digital media. The strategic synthesis of these efforts enables a brand to easily defend its competitive position, improves audience awareness and retains customer preference. The Innovation Protocol team authors brand messaging by using the Brand Platform elements as a foundation for language and tone, then builds communication tools that leverage the design systems developed in the Visual Expression phase.

Sales Sheets

Marketing Tools

Direct Mailers

Website

Intranet Extranet

Brand Experience
Packaging

Corporate Identity
Environmental Design

Tradeshows

Multimedia Point of Purchase

Business Cards Letterhead Envelopes

Graphics Booth Collateral

Upon completion of this stage you will be able to: Present a unified brand experience.  Leverage branded communication devices to reinforce your brand value to each audience.  Communicate your brand story through tools that are optimal for your industry, market and customer.

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

7.1

7.2

7.3

Brand Alignment
Brands must be developed with internal audience advocacy as a priority. These key stakeholders ultimately sell the brands offerings, help recruit its employees, promote it in the media and espouse its reason to be believed. Innovation Protocol provides the tools, guidelines and training expertise required to unite internal audiences around a brand strategy. Our practices ensure that the success of a brand is everyones responsibility, not just the marketing team. Brand Alignment programs range from face-to-face seminars delivered to staff, agency and partner constituents to fundamental media training for executives engaged in public speaking on behalf of the brand.

Verbal Brand Guidelines Visual Brand Guidelines Presentation Delivery

Brand Guidelines
Executive Training Brand Messaging

Worksessions

Marketing Training De-Positioning Sales Training the Competition Selling in a Branded Way Train the Trainer Brand Management Brand Tools Brand Equity Surveys

Brand Ambassador Training

Upon completion of this stage you will be able to:  P rotect your brand from internal misunderstanding.  E nsure stakeholders know and believe your brand story.  E mpower internal audiences to leverage and promote your brand consistently as a team.

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

8.1

8.2

8.3

8.4

8.5

8.6

8.7

Brand Extension
Research
Identification of Key Audiences Product Brainstorm Product Screen Viability Score Extension Opportunity Definition Equity Audit Brand Attribute Audience Alignment Interviews Competition Key Audience Collateral Segmentation Product Explorations Market Demand Filter Licensing Prevalence Distribution Channels Product Development Extension Guidelines Co-Branding Licensing Messaging Category Explorations Brand Alignment Filter Portfolio Complement Sub-Brand Strategy Identity

The Innovation Protocol strategy team identifies and evaluates opportunities to extend an established brand into new markets without compromising its current equities. Our process ensures the delivery of prospects that provide new mind share while simultaneously reinforcing brand strength. The Innovation Protocol Brand Extension process filters prospective extensions through market viability analysis and audience desire studies to ensure brand cohesion.
 Protect your brand from overextension.  P redict competitive actions in evolving markets.  I dentify, rationalize and pursue new brand opportunities.  P roject a reinforced brand identity while growing market share. Upon completion of this stage you will be able to:

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Discovery / Brand Platform / Brand Architecture / Brand Naming / Visual Expression / Brand Execution / Brand Alignment / Brand Extension

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Innovation Protocols infrastructure is built to support the innovators we serve. Our team is dynamic and unique to our industry, with talent ranging from seasoned management consultants and analytical minds to creative artists and boundless strategic thinkers. The construction of our office space is customized to heighten team interaction and creativity while also enabling unparalleled client-oriented service. Innovation Protocol is dedicated to providing secure and accessible communication to each of our clients. We employ email-based fax systems, globally accessible web-hosted corporate email, remote-hosted companywide file sharing and a triple-secured client extranet. Each of these benefits ensures timely response to client requests.

Philanthropy
Innovation Protocol proudly and regularly offers its services to not-for-profit organizations. Our employment contracts state that each of our employees must dedicate 10% of his or her work day to a non-profit project. In its first five years of business, Innovation Protocol delivered over $1 million in no-fee services to non-profit partners worldwide. Beyond altruism, we enthusiastically engage with non-profits because we believe that they are the most challenging and rewarding brand development programs in the business.

Our Earth Conscious Promise

We do what we can, where we can, to operate as a sustainable business. Every bulb in our office is compact fluorescent. Clients are provided digital documents whenever appropriate. Employees are reimbursed for using alternative transportation. Office furniture, building materials and paper used at Innovation Protocol (including the pages of this brochure) are made of recycled or renewable resources.

Think With Us

To learn more about Strategic Brand Development, please contact us: info @ InnovationProtocol.com

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