Brand Architecture & Printing T-Shirts.
The idea of ‘branding’ permeates modern life. So much so that you may not really register it anymore. But it’s there and we’re all bombarded on a daily basis with it. And our industry, screen printing custom clothes and garment decoration, is no exception. Quite the opposite in fact because, if anything, we here at Fifth Column are more involved with branding than most people. As a consequence, how a brand is built, the brand architecture, is a subject of great interest.
Building a brand for custom clothing.
It might seem a somewhat obscure thing to say but printing t-shirts and brand architecture are closely linked. Not least because great designs for printed apparel are often the result of great brand concepts. So, having a really strong grasp of the core elements that define your brand can only be a good thing. And one that will only make printing your merchandise easier. Plus, it’ll make the whole process more enjoyable and potentially more profitable. Read on if your grasp of the idea isn’t that great. Because getting a handle on brand architecture is easier than it may appear at first glance.
Build a solid brand architecture and it benefits your whole business
What is Brand Architecture?
Okay, we know brand is important. After all, a trusted name inspires confidence. And that can be what makes a customer buy your product or service. And then come back and buy again. But how do you create a good brand? Well, it can be a happy accident. Something you love that grows and becomes a fully fledged business. Or it can be the result of hours of careful construction and back room brainstorming. Whatever the origin, successful brands present a complete picture to the world. However, getting that picture exactly right may require some thought. Even when it’s a product of your passion and born from love and intuition.
This is where brand architecture comes into play. Because it’s a plan, a blueprint, a way of harmonising everything that you do in connection with your label. There are lots of aspects to it. That’s to say, what you could call the building blocks. And they form a set of guidelines to follow when making decisions. Which in turn influence everything you do. The products and production methods, design and styling, marketing initiatives and target audience. In practice, the purpose of brand architecture is to ensure a consistent approach to your business. And that will help to win customers and increase the chances of keeping them.
Although proven to be incredibly effective, it’s surprising how few companies compile this type of document. And that’s big and small outfits. T-shirt printing is only one area where it can be useful. A well-conceived and coherent brand DNA can make a huge difference to the success of your new range of printed clothing or custom merchandise. But it’s helpful in all sorts of situations. But there’s no sweat if you don’t have one and hadn’t envisioned needing such a thing to get a few tees printed. You can definitely print tees without one. However, it doesn’t hurt to ponder what the real marketing pros do. Because printing t-shirts with a brand architecture behind the idea can work wonders.
T-Shirt printing and brand DNA.
As mentioned, not everyone needs be overly bothered about brand DNA. If you’re having your company logo embroidered on a hoody, most of the design legwork is already there. Plus, we don’t need to go through every possible question for creating a great brand. So let’s just look at some that might be relevant for printing fantastic t-shirts and killer custom merch.
Product and differentiation.
Ask yourself what differentiates your product or service from all the rest. Does it come across on the t-shirt? Has your design captured the essence of what makes you different? Think about that long sleeved Reaper tee we printed for Grindesign. The artwork of Rob Borbas is so distinctive that it’s an identity in itself. Simply printing it on a shirt is like signing the artist’s name.
The position and promise of a brand.
Where do you sit in today’s market? Because these days consumers face a mass of choice. So you want to have a strong identity. And if your brand makes a promise it has to keep it. For example, let’s say being fluffy and cute is at the heart of how you want to be perceived. Printing tees with a diabolical skeleton design is probably going to miss the mark with your customers. Simply because it breaks the promise that defines who or what you are.
Name and ID.
This may be established if you’re an existing business. But it’s still be subject to interpretation when you’re a start-up or young company. Think about what you’re called and the colours that tie in with that. How any symbols or logos fit into the mix. Do they come together to conjure the image you need to convey? All of it needs to be comfortable with your branded merchandise.
Brand character and personality.
These may sound like the same thing but there are definite differences. In so far as character can be seen in terms of values. For example, are you environmentally aware and active? If so it may not have a bearing on what’s printed. But it will affect your choice of base garment. Sustainably sourced, ethically sound, organic or recycled t-shirts are where you should be. Personality can be viewed as tone. Maybe how you come across on social media. Formal or informal for instance. Perhaps you want to strike a studious and serious note. Or be those folk who are always ready to smile. That’s not to say you can’t combine things. So long as it’s coherent.
Include emotion and experience.
Nowadays, appealing on an emotional level has become standard practice. And there’s a genuine place for it in most brand architecture. You may have qualms about emotion trumping intelligence and logic. But deal with it. Because your t-shirt needs to ring bells on an emotional level. When it does, the great customer experience and five star reviews will follow. If you need an example, think about one of the best selling t-shirts of all time. Namely, “I ❤️ New York”. Folk weren’t forced to buy that shirt. Sure, it was a memento. But it also resonated. They experienced something, felt an emotion, and wanted to share that feeling.
Quality and pricing.
If you’re aiming at up-market, sophisticated customers, you don’t want to be choosing cheap and cheerful blank t-shirts to print. It’s a recipe for disappointment. You need top quality plain shirts for your refined design to work. On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with being inexpensive. Everyone wants to beat their competition on price point. Just be sure it makes sense within your overall structure and fits where you want to be in the market place.
Brand architecture associations, credentials and message.
What’s that old adage? You can tell a lot about people by their friends. In tee shirt printing terms, this is about how you phrase what you want to say and the surface on which it’s emblazoned. The message is your own. Choosing eco friendly blank garments for printing or embroidery is a statement that associates you with a way of thinking. In the current climate, that may be credential enough in itself. Take care in promoting other endorsements, some credentials can come back to haunt you.
Let’s hold it there with brand architecture and printing t-shirts. It’s one of those topics that can be overwhelming. We’re lucky, here at Fifth Column. Being around for a long time has its benefits. Branding becomes more straightforward. We know who we are and we’re true to our roots.