We develop brands. Typical scenario: A start-up comes to us with a new product or a company under pressure to innovate and asks if we can (quickly) help develop a brand from this.
This is how many romantic relationships start at ZENTRALNORDEN. But as is usual with relationships, at some point it gets down to the nitty-gritty: Are we actually talking about the same things? Do we have a similar understanding of values? Do we meet as equals? At this point, some relationships break up and everyone goes their separate ways more or less happily. We are interested in long-term relationships! That's why we look for customers with whom we work together over longer periods of time, maintain a good relationship and share common goals. This results in brand management that makes clients and agencies happy.
How do we shape the process of brand development?
Woher kommen die Puzzleteile, die das große Ganze ergeben? Wir sind uns sicher: Aus dir bzw. euch selbst! So geht es im ersten Schritt immer um die Werte der Menschen, die das Geschäftsmodell maßgeblich mit aufgebaut haben. Wofür brennen sie? Was hat sie letztendlich dazu bewogen, ihr Business aufzubauen? Haben sich „Bullshit-Werte“ eingeschlichen, an die keine:r mehr recht glaubt und die in ihrer Beliebigkeit komplett austauschbar sind? Wir meinen: Hinter jeder langfristig erfolgreichen Marke stehen einfache, glaubhafte Werte. Jede erfolgreiche Marke wurde von innen heraus entwickelt. Diese Grundlage bildet zugleich einen großen Benefit unseres Tuns: Wir arbeiten Kernwerte heraus und fördern dadurch intrinsisch motivierte Mitarbeiter:innen. So entsteht eine Marke mit Bestand, die von den Mitarbeiter:innen getragen wird – und von ihren Kund:innen verstanden und geliebt.
Where do the pieces of the puzzle that make up the big picture come from? We are certain of one thing: from you! So the first step is always about the values of the people who have been instrumental in building the business model. What are they passionate about? What ultimately motivated them to set up their business? Have "bullshit values" sneaked in that no one really believes in anymore and that are completely interchangeable in their irrelevance? We think so: Behind every long-term successful brand are simple, credible values. Every successful brand has been developed from within. This foundation is also a major benefit of what we do: We develop core values and thus promote intrinsically motivated employees. This creates an enduring brand that is supported by its employees - and understood and loved by its customers.
Sounds like a lot of mental work. And it is. But fun is an essential part of being creative. That means we try to find methods, whether digital or analog, that allow us to laugh so that we don't cramp up. This includes a generous portion of animated gifs, good food and great coffee. When it comes to purely digital workshops, we sometimes send the participants a small care package with snacks, drinks and a suitable Spotify playlist. In this setting and through strategic signposts or creative techniques, surprisingly simple but convincing core values are often born.
Once the core of the brand has been found, the team expands and then color and form finally come into play. Art directors help to translate the abstract values found into the first graphic elements. We believe that the basic things should be worked out together at a very early stage, i.e. as a team of agency and client. We feel comfortable with a kind of "participative design". Even if it demands a lot from us and our clients. There are more coordination loops and room for discussion. The end result is a design that has substance and is sustainable.
This article is from our BAM Magazine. Find out more about it here.
Mit einem Hintergrund aus Design und Tech hat sich Sören viele Jahre auf Konzeption und Beratung konzentriert und für große internationale Marken gearbeitet. Seit 2021 ist er Geschäftsführer bei ZENTRALNORDEN. Er liebt absurde Fragen in unseren Weeklys, hat eine umfangreiche Sammlung alter Nintendo Spiele im Schrank und bastelt an Beats in seinem Schlafzimmer.
