In the world of branding and design, there are few names that are as well known as Jacob Cass.
The visionary behind JUST Creative, Jacob has cemented his reputation as an exceptional brand designer, strategist, and educator. His approach combines practical design with innovative branding strategies that have proven to be effective for many businesses across just as many industries.
And if you’re a brand looking for ways to stand out in a crowded marketplace the same way JUST Creative’s mascot, the flamingo, stands out in the wild, then Jacob Cass’s branding strategies might be exactly what you need to up your game!
Today’s blog is bringing you the best Jacob Cass branding strategies to help your brand stand out, get noticed, and be the “flamingo” it was always meant to be!
Who is Jacob Cass?
We’ve written about Jacob Cass before, but in case you need a refresher …
Jacob Cass is a prolific brand designer, strategist, educator, and business coach, known for his speaking engagements, design and branding workshops, and projects with big-name clients like Red Bull, Disney, Jerry Seinfeld, Nintendo, and Netflix.
He is the founder and CEO of JUST Creative, an award-winning branding and design consultancy that doubles as an industry-leading blog.
As a speaker, he has shared his insights and experiences on global stages, including podcasts and Ted talks, aiming to inspire the next generation of designers and help businesses succeed by taking a page out of the pink flamingo’s book and “Standing the Flock Out.”
8 Jacob Cass Branding Strategies Your Brand Must Try
So, is your brand ready to “Stand the Flock Out?”
Here are 8 branding strategies taken from Jacob Cass’s visual branding insight, designed to boost your visibility, strengthen your brand identity, and engage your audience like never before!
1. Personalize Your Brand
Personalizing your brand is more than just a snazzy logo or a catchy slogan.
Shape and personalize your brand to be perceived exactly the way you want your audience to perceive it.
This means you’ve got to use your design elements, brand voice, content, everything, to create an identity that really resonates with your audience and is a source of inspiration and solutions for them when they need it most. Position your brand as a well of valuable information to your audience and they’ll be more likely to trust and engage with your brand.
This approach will build up your reputation, position you as a solutions provider, and, over time, will open doors and create opportunities for you that weren’t possible before.
“We do not own our brand. Our brand is shaped in the minds of our customers, friends, and peers but we have to do our best to craft the right perception. For this reason, it is vital that you pay attention to everything you say, do, and do not do, as this shapes your personal brand. Ask yourself, what do I want to be known for?”
– Jacob Cass
2. Be Consistent
In order to build up a memorable and instantly recognizable brand identity, it is imperative that you be consistent.
This goes for not only your visual elements like your color palette and your logo but everything about your brand from its tone of voice to your values and the message you want your audience to hear.
Develop a thorough brand style guide to help you maintain consistency at every touchpoint that your audience may find you, whether it’s social media, email marketing, your website, mobile apps, and more.
It’s also important that everyone in your organization understands these brand guidelines and the importance of consistency to keep everyone on the same page and make sure that everyone is working to create a unified brand experience that builds trust and recognition for your audience.
If you need some assistance creating your brand guidelines, check out our branding guidelines services page. We'd love to help you out.
3. Use Colors Strategically
Choose your colors strategically.
The right colors can significantly impact your audience’s perception of your brand so make sure the color palette you use is appealing and communicates the message you want to send out to your audience.
Different colors and shades can also evoke certain emotions in your audience as well. Read up on color psychology to see how certain colors can evoke feelings of trust, exclusivity, urgency, and trustworthiness in your audience.
And once you have your color palette, be consistent because your colors are a perfect way to increase your brand recognition!
4. Be Authentic and Original
Above all, you want your brand to be unique.
If it’s not, how is your audience going to differentiate you from your competitors?
So, the next step would be to ask yourself what makes your brand unique?
Is it an interesting origin story? Certain challenges and victories you had along your journey? A very unique value proposition that your audience just can’t get from your competitors?
Whatever it is, use it to create a genuine connection with your audience. Be open about your processes, your sourcing for materials if you have a physical product, and your brand values. Showcase real stories, case studies, and reviews from satisfied clients and customers to add authenticity to your website, landing pages, email marketing campaigns, and social media channels.
Today’s customers value honesty and transparency from brands they’re loyal to, so give them what they want.
5. Innovate and Adapt
It’s important to never stop evolving as a brand.
Be sure to keep yourself up to date with industry trends and monitor your data regularly to catch on to shifts in consumer behavior. If you do that, it’s much easier to pivot and adjust your marketing strategies, your messaging, and even your design elements to stay relevant and appealing to your audience.
Be open to change as well. Have a platform where your customers can leave you feedback and use it! Adjusting your offerings, marketing, and messaging to your customer’s preferences is the key to staying relevant and staying ahead.
Do you have a large and diverse team?
Good! Encourage them to bring new ideas to the table and be sure to foster a company culture that values each other’s ideas and embraces change!
6. Show Your Value
What makes your brand different from your competitors?
What can your target audience get from your brand that they just won’t be able to get anywhere else?
Whether it’s innovative tech, the best customer service, or unforgettable unboxing experiences, you must clearly articulate what makes you stand out and why customers should choose you above all others.
This is a great place to use your case studies, testimonials, and (if possible) user-generated content to show, not tell, your audience about the tangible benefits they can gain by choosing your products and services. Focus on the great ways that your brand solves customer pain points and generally improves the lives of your customers!
7. Educate Your Audience
It’s important to show your audience not just your products and services, but to focus on how valuable your brand as a whole is to them.
Make your socials, website, and email marketing a valuable resource that educates your audience with how-to guides and tips about your products and your brand and updates them with any relevant industry news as well. You can also engage with your audience through educational events and showcase content like blogs, podcasts, and webinars to position yourself as a thought leader in your space.
The more people who view you as a source of valuable industry knowledge, the more your credibility grows, which works to enhance your brand’s overall authority, influence, and trust.
8. Build a Strong Digital Presence
If your brand isn’t visible online, it’s going to be very difficult to draw in new customers consistently.
We hear it everywhere, but SEO and content marketing are invaluable for increasing visibility and attracting organic traffic. Invest in some SEO software like SEMRush of Ahrefs to research trending and competitive keywords and use them strategically in long-form content like blog posts, case studies, product descriptions, and FAQ sections.
And you don’t have to be everywhere at once! Start small and build up from there. You may have to be patient, but be strategic about your content and you’ll see yourself climbing those search rankings in no time!
“If you don’t have the resources to be everywhere at once, that’s alright. Put your focus somewhere, whether that’s Facebook or email marketing, wherever your audience may be. Build up loyalty on one platform and then build from there.”
– Jacob Cass
Benefits of a Strong Brand Identity
These strategies, of course, are designed to help your brand stand out. As in, have a strong and memorable brand identity.
Here are some ways having a strong brand idea can elevate your brand:
- Increased Recognition and Awareness — A strong brand identity, including a memorable logo, distinctive colors, and consistent imagery, makes your brand more recognizable to potential and existing customers. This familiarity increases the chance that customers will choose your products or services over those of your competitors.
- Customer Loyalty and Trust — Consistency in your brand's messaging and visual representation helps build trust with your audience. Trust is a critical factor in building customer loyalty, as consumers are more likely to make repeat purchases with a brand they recognize and trust.
- Differentiation from Competitors — A strong brand identity helps you stand out in a crowded market. By highlighting what makes you unique, you can differentiate your business from competitors and better attract your target audience.
- More Credibility and Higher Perceived Value — A professional and memorable brand identity can improve your brand's credibility and perceived value in the eyes of potential customers. This perception lets you charge higher prices for your products or services and improves your overall market positioning.
- Clearer Communication — A strong brand identity reflects your brand's values, mission, and what customers can expect from your products or services. This helps to communicate your message more effectively to your audience.
- Emotional Connection — Effective branding goes beyond just visuals and messaging; it creates an emotional connection with your audience. This emotional connection can influence purchasing decisions and turn casual buyers into cheerful brand advocates.
- Supports Marketing Efforts — A strong brand identity provides a solid foundation for your marketing campaigns, making it more likely that all materials are instantly recognizable and aligned with your brand's overall message.
- Attracts Ideal Customers — By clearly communicating who you are and what you stand for, a strong brand identity helps attract your ideal customers—those who are most likely to appreciate and engage with your brand.
- Supports Brand Expansion — With a solid brand identity, it becomes easier to introduce new products or services. Your existing customer base will be more open to trying new offerings because they already trust and recognize your brand.
- Boosts Employee Pride and Satisfaction — A strong brand identity can also have internal benefits. Employees often feel more connected and committed to a brand that has a clear identity and purpose, leading to happier and more productive employees.
<div class="c-blog_comp-cta cc-component-1"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-wrap"><img src="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/6369722e59155470b6840033_Potential-clients.png" loading="lazy" alt="" class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-img"></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-right"><div class="c-blog_comp-content"><div class="c-text-wrapper cc-mb-32"><div class="c-title-4 cc-bold"><strong>Want to save money without sacrificing the quality?</strong></div></div><div class="c-text-wrapper"><div class="c-text-2">Say goodbye to traditional, expensive agencies and unreliable marketplaces. Say hello to Designity.<br></div></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-wrapper"><a href="/pricing" target="_blank" class="c-button cc-primary cc-inverted w-button"><strong>Get Your 2-Week Trial</strong></a></div></div></div>
Looking for a Partner to Help You Stand Out in the Crowd?
Could your brand use some effective branding techniques to elevate your digital presence?
If so, you’re already in the right place.
Designity is made up of the top 3% of vetted, US-based creative talent, including the graphic designers, copywriters, web designers, branding experts, and marketing strategists you need to create the brand identity you’ve always envisioned.
Choose one of three flat, subscription pricing tiers and gain instant access to a powerhouse of creativity and strategic minds to make sure your brand stands out and is positioned as the solutions provider your audience wants to see.
Designity follows the brand identity principles and innovative branding solutions Jacob Cass stands by and if they work for his clients, then Designity can make them work for you too.
Take a look at our portfolio and if our style vibes with yours, then why not reach out and book your demo call today?
Try out our many, many services for a two-week, no-obligation trial and see for yourself how high Designity can elevate your brand.
