A Burning Topic:Branding Your Library

Somer Newland 

Catherine Essinger 

Cody Gregg 

Donna Jackson

 

•Obey your thirst!•Soup is good food!•Have it your way!•The Breakfast of Champions•Melts in your mouth... not in your hands•Keep Austin Weird

FAMOUS SLOGANS/TAGLINE

A, B, C, D, E, …

Your public library has arranged these in ways that make you cry, giggle, laugh, love, hate, wonder, ponder and understand....

One More Slogan…

Know thyself -- Greek Proverb

DEFINED...Branding...embodies the tangible and intangible aspects of a product, service or entity. Branding is internal. It is what lies at the heart of those intangible attributes that define a product, service or entity. In contrast, marketing is external and is the process by which resources are brought to bear under situations presenting opportunities or threats. (Shaffer, 2002)                                

Shaffer, R. I. (2002). Using Branding to Make Your Mark(et): What Lessons Leaders Can Learn for Library and Information Science. Acquisitions  Librarian, 14(28), 81. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

What is a brand?

PERSONALITY...o Represents the personality of the library rather than its

mission statement (Keller, 2008)

IDENTITY...o A process of self-definition, of establishment of identity

SYMBOLISM...o Often includes a graphical, symbolic representation of

the organization: a logo, and a catch-phrase or slogan

Keller, J. A. (2008). BRANDING AND Marketing YOUR LIBRARY. Public Libraries, 47(5), 45-51. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

What is a brand?

 COMMUNICATION...o Quickly communicate the identity and values of the library

to its community (Keller, 200o Establishes and reminds the community of the value and

relevance of libraries

RECOGNITION...o Establish an easily identifiable representation of the library

that symbolically embodies the personality of the library

Keller, J. A. (2008). BRANDING AND Marketing YOUR LIBRARY. Public Libraries, 47(5), 45-51. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Why is a brand important?

CONSISTENCY...• Establish consistency internally with the service

philosophy and externally with the expectations of patrons

SELF-DEFINITION...o Establishment of an institutional identity

Why is a brand important?

 

This above all: to thine own self be true,And it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man.

-- William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Branding at South Texas College

Branding at South Texas College

OPPORTUNITY...• Change in leadership• New beginnings

• Who are we?

• What is our vision, mission, and values?

• How do our patrons perceive us, and how do we want them to perceive us?

• How do we communicate that ideal to our community?

Branding at South Texas College

• 2 ½ year process 

• New vision statement, mission statement, and statement of values

• Implemented Learning Commons and customer service oriented service model

• Inclusive process involving input from all staff and discussions at all levels

Branding at South Texas College

• Development of logo

• Shorthand representation of our own vision of ourselves

• Combines symbolism, school colors, and slogan

• Represents the cyclical nature of knowledge and education

• Collaboration with library staff & graphic design

Branding at South Texas College

Creating a Brand

RESEARCH... 

values & perceptions

Creating a Brand

CREATE... 

tell a story     

Creating a Brand

CONNECT... 

visually, emotionally, culturally 

Creating a Brand

 

Creating a Brand

STANDARDIZE... 

graphics, colors, fonts, taglines, logos 

Creating a Brand

INVENTORY... 

 

Creating a Brand

PLAN... 

implementation, assessment, adjustment

Creating a Brand

            

We had a logo

Creating a brandThe University of Houston Experience

           A new logo presented an opportunity to rebrand

Creating a brandThe University of Houston Experience

 Our brand should be... 

USER-CENTERED 

CUSTOMIZABLE 

FLEXIBLE 

PLAYFUL

Creating a brandThe University of Houston Experience

 

Creating a brandThe University of Houston Experience

Creating a brandThe University of Houston Experience

Maintaining a Brand

Maintaining a Brand

Houston Public Library Brand has been in place since 2008

Maintaining a Brand

And Everyday we work toward maintaining a strong Brand

EDUCATION

BRAND TOOLS

BRAND EMPOWERMENT

Maintaining a Brand

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A BRAND?

M

EDUCATE...

E

•Brand Manual 

•Brand Workshops 

Maintaining a Brand

BRAND MANUALS  A brand manual is a document

specifying the use of visual brand components and messaging. It can also include brand philosophy, organization goal and direction and other information that  help users understand and use the brand correctly.

Maintaining a Brand

Sample of Brand Manual

Most organizations have Manuals in one form or other

Sample of Brand Manual

Most organizations have Manuals in one form or other

Sample of Brand Manual

Sample of Brand Manual

Sample of Brand Manual

Sample of Brand Manual

• TANGIBLESo logo and logo useo fontso color paletteo taglineo imageryo collateral sampleso campaign samples

 

• INTANGIBLESo philosophyo misson and visiono goal objectiveso brand toneo brand position

Brand Manual Content

BRAND WORKSHOPS

Brand Workshops and Classes• Some libraries provide brand workshops or classes as a part

of the standard training for library employees.

• Others provide classes at intervals through the year. 

Maintaining a Brand - Education

BRAND TOOLS

Maintaining a Brand

•Intranet

•Templates

•Promotional items

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION...

• Intranet• Video or articles on brand• Templates, imagery, fonts, • Consistent and Quality Communication

 

Maintaining a Brand

Sample of Intranet

Sample of Intranet

Sample of Intranet

Maintaining a brand

BRANDTEMPLATES

 

Maintaining a Brand

Maintaining a BrandHouston Public Library Experience

Maintaining a BrandHouston Public Library Experience

Maintaining a brand

BRANDEMPOWERMENT– A brand cannot not grow successfully without the support

of staff and customers. Libraries must empower its stakeholders to own the brand and to share it with others while keeping it consistent.

 

Maintaining a Brand

Brand Empowerment

RESEARCH 

• Brand Trends • Audience • Community Trends/Society Trends

Growing a Brand

RESEARCH TOOLS 

– Suggested Website• www.trendreports.com• www.plunkettresearch.com

– Suggested Actions• Talk to customers• Talk to other library professionals• Study brands that you love

Growing a Brand

RESEARCH TOOLS 

Growing a Brand

EVALUATION 

• Review brand and organization goals and objectives  

• Decide to change direction or goals based on evaluation 

Growing a Brand