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Mark Artus is a design and branding pioneer who currently heads up expansion at European branding agency 1HQ.

#01
YOUR BRAND IS MORE THAN A LOGO
It’s the embodiment of your business. Think of it as a living thing that needs constant nurturing to ensure healthy growth. The Disney brand is far more recognisable than its logo. It’s known globally as a family-orientated company based on good and wholesome values.

#02
FIND THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE
Advertising is one way but there are many others. If you have a tight budget, be focused in your approach and creative in your thinking. Smart PR can be a cost-effective way to get exposure, and to generate word-of-mouth amongst consumers.

#03
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER
Mini is a great example of this. Through the decades (and changes in ownership), it has stayed in touch with its urban, forward-thinking audience and catered for their desire to have some fun when they drive.

#04
DO WHAT YOU SAY
It’s never been more important to walk the walk, as well as talk the talk. Perhaps the brand that has excelled is BP. Against all odds it has redefined its message and is seen to be a serious contributor to a healthier world. Its efforts to constantly improve the way in which it operates have been applauded, and as a result have pushed the brand forward.

#05
TAKE A DISTINCTIVE STANCE
Occupying the middle ground only leaves you open to attack from more angles. Dove went down the ‘Real beauty’ route that clearly differentiated it and built a billion-dollar brand.

#06
KEEP EXPANDING YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR CUSTOMER
Increasingly, 1HQ undertakes ‘real world’ or ethnographic research projects on behalf of its clients, learning by observing consumers as they go about their daily lives, rather than by asking them for opinions in focus groups.

#07
REMEMBER EMOTIONS
There will always be an emotional or irrational side to a customer’s relationship with your brand. It can’t always be controlled, but if understood it can be influenced. With multiple channels of communication consumers now have the power to influence brands both positively and negatively.

#08
DON’T ABANDON FOUNDING PRINCIPLES
Change is inevitable if your brand is to going to stay contemporary and relevant, but don’t be tempted by the latest trend. 1HQ recently gave McDougalls a new identity and packaging — but the brief focused on the same core promise that has been at the heart of the brand since it first appeared in 1864.

#09
FOCUS IS ESSENTIAL
Often we spend too much time on coming up with answers, and not enough on ensuring we’ve got the right question. What’s the One Hard Question your brand is facing this year? Kraft, since its takeover of Cadbury, will have to be asking some very hard questions, such as how it will maintain the brand and how it will keep it fundamentally British. Questions such as these are fundamental to global marketing.

#10
TRUST IS IN SHORT SUPPLY
Brands with authenticity, responsibility and integrity will prosper. M&S may be perceived to be conservative but it still holds a special place in all of our hearts. The financial institutions, on the other hand, will have to dig deep, but at the end of the day a behaviour shift will be necessary as consumer confidence in this sector has been shattered.

Visit 1hq.co.uk

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