On the edge of glory. How a brand has stood the test of time.

When we developed the edge brand little did we know that it would become so well known and respected in its field. After ten years the edge logo has evolved and shaped itself to compete alongside some of the biggest names in specialist equipment hire. Today we are proud of how the logo has held its own and as not dated in any way and we can potentially put that down to a number of things. Was it the foresight of the design team? Was it that in a sector where brand is not necessarily taken too seriously its ability to cut through was down to its name and graphic approach?

It may even have been down to the brave and courageous steps of owner Billy Cooke MD who wanted to create a brand that was clearly different to all of his competitors. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that the edge logo still stands up today and continues to enjoy the success and recognition it deserves.

I’m often asked about this brand and many others we work with.  “Is the brand a logo?” Or “is personality or my logo more important?” And even, “Am I the brand in my business?”

My answers vary based on the brand itself and the type of business it is and also how established or young it may be. But there are some common traits to how we’ve established, maintained and grown brands like edge.

Brand for us is made up of two things:

It’s appearance - the logo

It’s personality - the essence of the brand and how it sounds

When you combine both of these things together and get them right then the success of your brand is not defined on a logo alone. It’s defined by a combination of a memorable graphic mark and the story you tell about it. 

So how does a brand start to take shape like edge?

Again, that normally depends on if it’s a start up or an established brand. And for a while in a start up scenario you are the brand. You have to be. You play every role and customers know you and your name personally. That’s the trust factor they have with you, not your new company logo. But as time evolves and that logo is exposed to the market and new customers the owner must be aware that logo should now become more than him or herself.

That the logo is now starting to gain traction, win customers, deliver on its promises and establish itself. It is then that the business has started to create a brand. Something tangible, believable to its customers and staff and therefore has a story to tell.

The story is the next part of defining the brand as being different. Some brands separate themselves on really clear USPs with regards to product or services they may offer to differentiate. Others may not have that opportunity and need to create a ESP, an ‘emotional selling point’ that will try to set them apart. So the story may be more important than you realise when telling your customers what you do. And how you go about delivering it.

How you look is very important, it’s telling your customers that your logo is something they should look for when thinking of choosing to work with you. The way it appears could be technical, soft and laid back, arty or even so different visually it disrupts the way people think. This was very similar to what edge did and wanted to disrupt the market when it entered the arena.

But don’t forget about how the brand sounds, how does it feel to its customers, it’s values and promises.

Billy at edge set off knowing that he for a short time was the back bone to his logo, the business and his customers. But over time Billy has learnt to realise that the brand is now bigger than he is. Yes, he will always be a very important part of the machine, the custodian, the director, the steerer of the ship. Even the original brand maker. But edge now has the challenge to let its customers know via its story how it evolved, how it continues to shape itself and offer the trusted and credible services it offers today. 

The staff at edge I know for a fact live and breath how Billy set out for his business to be sold to its customers. He’s allowed people to grow in the team and sell his vision. That team have helped shape more than a logo. It’s now an established brand with a enviable customer base that’s built of quality, expertise, consistent delivery, peace of mind and above all trust to support a client no matter what the challenge. 

So look past the logo, look deeper into your brand and see what story it now has to tell. edge have done this for ten years now and the story has only really just begun. It’s up to the team to make sure that story is told for the next ten years. Why? Because the reasons, values and differences on why they set out to build such a great brand should never be forgotten. It could be the one story that sets them apart, the story could be the thing that continues to drive success for them. One thing for sure is that edge have done a fantastic job in evolving its story.

The logo the business started with has become a brand. But a brand is nothing if it doesn’t have a story to tell. Otherwise it’s not believed or loved. For us at YoySayTomato a brand needs emotional substance, a hook, not just its products or services but a real element to its personality. Those things can’t be defined in products alone. It needs words. It needs to express itself.

Or even still, think of your brand as a person. He or she has an appearance, a look. But that person also has a personality or persona. We wouldn’t buy from a person that looks smart if we knew nothing about them or where they had come from. And much like people, brands have the same qualities that are needed for continued success.

A lot of other factors like brand equity, established brands vs start ups, re-brands, a brand that may have been damaged by a bad product or even a merger or alliance of two brands affect how we tackle talking about those specific challenges. There’s way too much to cover in one article.

edge is one of many businesses that we have worked with and we continue to help shape the brand as it grows. But if you’re looking at your brand, logo or personality then remember the two key ingredients edge have employed over the last ten years. This amazing brand they have shaped will help them turn the pages of the next chapter in what is a true success story.

My next 'brand insight' will continue with Brand insights 2 - ‘established brands” please follow me for that article. Alternatively please do get in touch to discuss your brand and the challenges it may be facing.