Branding, the art of curating a vibe for your audience, of carving out a set space in their minds, is an ongoing one. And it is always happening whether you are aware and intentional about it or not.

There are, however, different levels of branding and they run the range from the shallow skin-deep practice of branding to the culture-redefining plays of true brand leaders.

These levels are not necessarily sequential, and you can combine different approaches, in fact, you should be active at each level. However, I’ve arranged the levels in order of their impact. The quality of brand leadership you have will influence what level you play at.

From the starry-eyed startup founder to the hundred-year-old company, everyone sits somewhere on the spectrum. So, what are these levels?

🎨 Level 1: Aesthetics-Focused Branding

This is the level most people start from. They understand the importance of aesthetics in their business and the need to give a great impression on customers. Looking good is good business. At this level, you are conscious about how professional you come across, and the need for consistency across your touch points – physical and online. You just want your brand to look nice and look appropriate for the business you are in.

If you do things well, then your logo would be on point, as well as the rest of your stationery and communications material. You look good and polished. Well done.

However, to be truly effective, you have to combine those looks with a strategic mindset – understanding what are you really trying to accomplish with your brand.

This is when you graduate to the next level.

🚀 Level 2: Mission-Focused Branding

At this level, you probably get a bit more educated around branding and what it really means. You get that it is not just about aesthetics but it is about a litany of concerns that come together to create an impression, an association in the mind of your audience.

You dig deep to unearth who you are, what you do, and the people you do it for. With an understanding of where you are as a company and where you want to go, you can align your graphics and aesthetics to push that agenda in every piece of communication.

Instead of just the pursuit of profit, your brand becomes a vehicle to create something authentic, impactful and ultimately more profitable. Your brand serves to push you towards your vision, the thing you are trying to do.

Your mission, vision, and goals are clearly defined at this stage. Your values become the compass to align your decision-making and operations by.

🧑🏽‍🦱 Level 3: Customer-Focused Branding

As a mission-focused brand, you will soon realise that you need to resonate with your audience. You know what you are trying to achieve. How can you get your customers to buy in? You have to understand them.

You have to dig down into who they are, what their needs, aspirations and fears are. In so doing, you craft messaging and offers that speak to the things they care about. In this stage, you are building connections, and communities and engaging in conversations with your audience.

You understand your customer so well that you can solve their real underlying problems. Problems they haven’t even thought to express yet.

💡 Level 4: Paradigm/Culture Shifting Branding

When a brand is aligned to its core mission, is resonating with its audience, and engaging in impactful ways, such a brand enters rarified air. A chance to actually change the game and upend the playing field.

This is the paradigm-shifting brand, the ones that come and change the way we work, live, play, and interact, for better or worse. Sometimes these shifts happen as a result of technological breakthroughs. Other times, they happen because of a change in attitudes or a rethinking of the status quo.

These brands not only cultivate loyal followings but they engender innovation and new terms of engagement in the marketplace. They change the course of history and alter our stories. This is the mark of the true brand leader.

Building a brand is not easy. It takes a lot of effort, years of building and a deft hand at the helm, but building a truly impactful brand is possible. And in your journey of brand building, you can keep an eye on what level you are on and seek to maximise the opportunities those levels bring while pushing towards the next level.

Happy Brand Building!