Managing Visual Identity Across Social Media Channels

A look at channel harmonization in the context of social media marketing.

Contents The slides contained in this presentation demonstrate visual identity management and channel harmonization strategies applied on behalf of various brands across the most popular and far-reaching social media channels.

Context While the importance of channel

harmonization and consistent brand management is well-established in the world of traditional media, the spectacular growth in social media has caught some brands off guard. Two problems have arisen:

First, where brands have been slow to move in the key social media channels (like Facebook), they have sometimes lost control of their identity in those channels.

Second, the rush to market has created the possibility for brand drift and failure to leverage across channels.

Basic Principles

1.  Controlling brand identity and maintaining consistency in user experience is no less important in social channels than in traditional media channels.

2.  Unauthorized "fan sites" created under the brand name are at the very least a cause for consumer confusion and at the very worst, a recipe for disaster.

3.  Brands cannot be lackadaisical; they need to take immediate steps to control their intellectual property on the key channels.

4.  The restrictions placed on your ability to customize and control profiles (not to mention user-created content!) can make managing identity a challenge.

5.  The channels are complementary and can support and enrich the user experience in different ways; each has their own strengths. It is essential to understand these strengths and to play to them. It is equally important to leverage your content across the channels.

Basic Principles

1.  Controlling brand identity and maintaining consistency in user experience is no less important in social channels than in traditional media channels.

2.  Unauthorized "fan sites" created under the brand name are at the very least a cause for consumer confusion and at the very worst, a recipe for disaster.

3.  Brands cannot be lackadaisical; they need to take immediate steps to control their intellectual property on the key channels.

4.  The restrictions placed on your ability to customize and control profiles (not to mention user-created content!) can make managing identity a challenge.

5.  The channels are complementary and can support and enrich the user experience in different ways; each has their own strengths. It is essential to understand these strengths and to play to them. It is equally important to leverage your content across the channels.

A Brand Approach

A Brand Approach

A Line of Business Approach

Basic Principles

1.  Controlling brand identity and maintaining consistency in user experience is no less important in social channels than in traditional media channels.

2.  Unauthorized "fan sites" created under the brand name are at the very least a cause for consumer confusion and at the very worst, a recipe for disaster.

3.  Brands cannot be lackadaisical; they need to take immediate steps to control their intellectual property on the key channels.

4.  The restrictions placed on your ability to customize and control profiles (not to mention user-created content!) can make managing identity a challenge.

5.  The channels are complementary and can support and enrich the user experience in different ways; each has their own strengths. It is essential to understand these strengths and to play to them. It is equally important to leverage your content across the channels.

Who speaks for this brand?

At least 8,235 people want to know!

But aren't fan-created sites a good thing?

While the enthusiasm of brand evangelists is a wonderful thing, uncontrolled, unauthorized fan pages leave you open for problems, like this comment found on an unauthorized Facebook Fan page:

Basic Principles

1.  Controlling brand identity and maintaining consistency in user experience is no less important in social channels than in traditional media channels.

2.  Unauthorized "fan sites" created under the brand name are at the very least a cause for consumer confusion and at the very worst, a recipe for disaster.

3.  Brands cannot be lackadaisical; they need to take immediate steps to control their intellectual property on the key channels.

4.  The restrictions placed on your ability to customize and control profiles (not to mention user-created content!) can make managing identity a challenge.

5.  The channels are complementary and can support and enrich the user experience in different ways; each has their own strengths. It is essential to understand these strengths and to play to them. It is equally important to leverage your content across the channels.

Is this who you think it is?

(In contrast, the Official Benetton Fan site has only 303 fans!)

Basic Principles

1.  Controlling brand identity and maintaining consistency in user experience is no less important in social channels than in traditional media channels.

2.  Unauthorized "fan sites" created under the brand name are at the very least a cause for consumer confusion and at the very worst, a recipe for disaster.

3.  Brands cannot be lackadaisical; they need to take immediate steps to control their intellectual property on the key channels.

4.  The restrictions placed on your ability to customize and control some profiles (not to mention user-created content!) can make managing identity a challenge.

5.  The channels are complementary and can support and enrich the user experience in different ways; each has their own strengths. It is essential to understand these strengths and to play to them. It is equally important to leverage your content across the channels.

Twitter provides the opportunity for the creation of a strong visual presence through the use of customized, branded wallpaper. The opportunity to present information is limited, however, as the profile is very restrictive (i.e., 1 URL + a 160 character bio!).

Twitter Profiles

Facebook Fan Pages

Facebook Fan Pages

Facebook Fan Pages contain room for the publication of a fair amount of information, plus the ability to add custom tabs and boxes. While customization options for the default profile are limited, custom tabs are particularly effective. Through the use of FBML you can control the user experience on these new tabs. You can also specify the landing tab for visitors to the Fan Page.

Flickr Pages

Flickr pages provide only limited branding and no customization. The Profile page allows you to publish more information, but again, with no opportunity for customization of the user experience.

YouTube Channels

YouTube provides only limited branding and customization of the user experience. Your best course of action is to skin it in line with your corporate I.D., then let your video be the voice (and face) of your brand.

Basic Principles

1.  Controlling brand identity and maintaining consistency in user experience is no less important in social channels than in traditional media channels.

2.  Unauthorized "fan sites" created under the brand name are at the very least a cause for consumer confusion and at the very worst, a recipe for disaster.

3.  Brands cannot be lackadaisical; they need to take immediate steps to control their intellectual property on the key channels.

4.  The restrictions placed on your ability to customize and control profiles (not to mention user-created content!) can make managing identity a challenge.

5.  The channels are complementary and can support and enrich the user experience in different ways; each has their own strengths. It is essential to understand these strengths and to play to them. It is equally important to leverage your content across the channels.

Cross Promotion

Raise awareness of alternative channels. Give your target audience their choice of touchpoints for interacting with your brand.

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water&stone is a full service digital agency located in Bali, Indonesia. We provide web and print design,

corporate identity development, search marketing and social media marketing.