Let's talk about context, baby

As a slight spoiler, I find this topic to be a bit tricky. We’ll talk about audience, competition, the world at large—and these are important tools for setting a tone that vibes with the right people. But also. When we create cool stuff that we ourselves simply love and believe in, that can attract people no matter how lab grown the visuals or activations are. All that to say, take today’s Discovery Series with a grain of salt. Or sugar. Or whatever is best for you, I’m not here to judge!

Who is your audience?

The worst target audience is “everyone,” and I think most of us know this. But we struggle to practice it. We’re scared that narrowing our focus will alienate people or make us irrelevant. I’m here to tell you this: your brand isn’t for everyone. Some people will hate it, and that’s okay. It’s pretty cool, even. Focusing on a specific group doesn’t necessarily put others off; it might even attract them. So what’s the game plan?

If you’re building your brand solo, imagine one or two fictional (or real) people who truly need and appreciate you. Jot down notes on the key points below.

A pause here: I’m going to be a little controversial and say that for the sake of branding, you don’t need to go as in depth here as you do for an actual audience- or marketing strategy. Why? Because if your brand looks and feels cool, humans will like it even if they’re slightly outside your target group.

If you’re stuck, return to your brand’s Why. Or—and hear me out—TALK TO PEOPLE. Be willing to ask questions, be vulnerable, and gather honest insights from those you’re building for. People believe in what they co-create, so as you work through this process, involve them: start the conversation!

Questions to help imagine your target audience members

• What is their age (or age range)?
• What is their career/profession?
• Are they introverted, extroverted, or somewhere in between?
• What platforms/tech do they use most?
• What do they do/watch/read/consume for fun?
• What problem are you solving for them?
• What keeps them up at night?
• What do they find annoying?
• What’s their favorite thing to do?
• What other brands, communities, or aesthetics do they find appealing?
• How do they prefer to make purchases?
• Bonus: find a photo or image that gives you an idea of what this person looks like.

If you’re creating your brand for this specific person, what does that look, sound, and feel like? Knowing who you’re talking to helps you consider your tone.

Who are you competing with?

Next, list a few brands in your space and study their visuals, tone of voice, how they show up in the world. Do you notice themes that form a baseline “language” for attracting people? Does anything feel off? Are they all bland, basic, and awful?

To aid this research, let these two questions guide you:

• What are other brands in your space doing well?
• What are other brands in your space not doing well?

If you’re creating your brand to stand out among your competitors while staying in tune with what your competitors’ audiences already appreciate, what does that look, sound, and feel like? Knowing who you’re competing with helps you consider your tone.

Who is on your team?

This one’s just for me, the guy who has to put all your 15 sponsor logos on the same rollup and thus create a monstrosity. No but in all seriousness, I do think it’s worth considering the brands and people with whom YOUR brand will co-create beautiful things. You can use the exact same questions as before, and it’s worth simply checking in and studying what they’re doing. If you are mostly collaborating with individual creators who all mostly have a bubbly, fairy-tale style of illustration, you might confuse people if you show up with the most corporate-looking website ever beheld, and vice versa. That said, you could of course create interesting contrasts between your brand and your collaborators, but I’m simply saying that taking them into consideration—and learning from them—is a good call.

If you’re creating your brand to mesh well with collaborators while still standing out, what does that look, sound, and feel like? Knowing who you’re collaborating with helps you consider your tone.

What’s the point of all this?

You might have guessed it already, but let’s make it clear: this work is essentially a vibe check. A brand looks different if it’s talking to people in their 20s versus in their 60s. It sounds different if it’s competing with Apple versus its local phone repair shop. It feels different if it collaborates with local artisans vs the world’s biggest football team. By taking this into consideration, you’ve taken another step towards differentiating yourself and carving out a super cool, cozy, confident space in the world. I’ll also add that these steps are ones to return to from time to time: checking in on your direction is important to help you fine-tune or change your approach.

What’s next? Let’s look at YOU! And some visuals. Next time on the Discovery Series.

I’d love to hear what thoughts this sparks for you. Leave a comment, send a DM or an email. Don’t be a stranger!