Collision 2019 Recap: Can Brands Be Better?

Last week, one of the biggest tech conferences in the world happened in Toronto. I had the opportunity to go with my company and it was an amazing experience. The room was filled with such excitement around technology and entrepreneurship that I've never seen before. I got to hear some of my favourite speakers, learn about upcoming startups, and network with people I wouldn't normally meet. The conference exceeded all my expectations and I already have my tickets for next year. That being said, between all the glitz and glam, the one thing that did stand out for me was specifically was the startup booths.

The way Collision is set up, in between all the different stages and partnership booths, there were hundreds of local and international startups showing off their products/services. Everyday, these booths would change over, so while the layout would be the same, all the companies would be different. My company Renga, went to Collision with the hopes of finding new clients and strengthen our network. In doing so, we found an overwhelming amount of business with the same 3 objectives: find investors, build partnerships, and hire top talent. These being the 3 main business objectives, we found an incredible amount of companies that did not take the time to properly invest in brand. When you're dealing with investors, new partnerships, and even new candidates, people are drawn to the whole package. Yes, a big part of it is if you have a good product or service, but majority of people want to know the whole story. Investing in your brand isn't just designing a nice logo, it is making sure that every touchpoint that someone experiences with your brand feels the same. So many of the companies we met had amazing products, but their brand and brand strategy was either not thought through or none existent.

After speaking with hundreds of business last week, it became apparent that proper branding is not something emphasised enough in the early stages. Once branding becomes reactionary, it is too late. If I have any suggestions for people attending Collision next year, or any conference for that matter where you're trying to meet investors, build partnerships, and hire top talent, start thinking about your brand proactively. Demonstrate that you have a story to tell, you understand who your brand is, and who you are trying to speak to. This could mean building out a strong brand identity, or simply having brand discovery sessions. Regardless of what you do, it starts with a changing the mindset.