As a brand strategy firm, we are frequently approached by companies seeking media exposure for their leadership – PR. Similarly, we often receive RFPs, framed as requests for PR services, but are replete with requests for design and digital strategy needs – branding. While there are similarities between Branding and PR, they exist at different steps on the brand timeline. 

What is branding?

Your brand is the promise you make to your customers; it communicates what you want your customers to think and feel every time they see your logo or hear your company name.  Some people think branding is simply a set of tools or assets (logos, taglines, websites, among others). These assets, though, are a byproduct of branding. 

What does a branding agency do?

Brand Strategy firms consider all aspects of a business and not just advertising, promotions, or PR. Data, consumer insights, design, information architecture, physical space, and public and employee perception must all be coordinated because ultimately, your company’s brand is the sum of these parts. Brand strategy firms take all these parts into consideration as they work to align your business model (how you make money) with the consumer experience (CX). 

When should you choose a Branding Agency? 

The benefits of investing in brands has never been more evident. In the digital age, a carefully crafted brand will enhance revenue growth and increase profit. If you are experiencing a disconnect between what your customers think and feel every time they hear your company name and what you want them to think or feel, consider hiring a branding agency. 

If you’re not sure if a disconnect exists, ask yourself these questions. Ultimately, a good branding partner will be able to help you answer these questions and more:

  • How is my company or product unlike any other in the market?
  • Does my messaging effectively adapt based on a range of end consumers / constituencies?
  • Is my brand built to evolve as it grows and as my industry changes?
  • Does the image I project match the words I use (i.e. if you say disruptive, do you look disruptive)?

When should you choose a PR agency? 

Once you have built a strong brand promise – what you want your customers to think and feel every time they interact with your product, service, brand – it’s a great time to amplify the brand and hire a PR firm. By aligning your brand with the customer experience first, it will maximize your PR efforts because any new eyeballs on the brand created from PR won’t be lost in a poor user experience. 

A PR firm will help you:

  • Identify the appropriate channels to reach your target audience(s)
  • Elevate aspects of your brand narrative and align them opportunities for promotion
  • Build strategies for creating thought leadership opportunities for your team and leadership

Whitepenny is a Branding Agency

At Whitepenny, we’ve been perfecting our craft for 18 years. Our team builds brands in our own Haddonfield-based fabrication shop. Each brand is custom, yet our process is consistent, intentional, and informed by both research as well as our nearly two decades of experience. To this day, our founders remain hands on with projects, and we maintain one team of interdisciplinary experts who build every brand in-house. Our clients experience accelerated growth and enhanced business outcomes, which drive up company value.