“Because it goes far deeper than the colours of your logo or the look of your website.”

In Fitzgerald Power’s interview series, we’re speaking to people, with different perspectives, who feel they can offer more to the workplace – from the water cooler all the way up to C-Suite.

It was university that got Niall Corcoran, Managing Director of CI Studio (formerly Creative Inc) interested in branding. But not in the way you might think. “I have a degree in Biochemistry and Genetic Engineering and was Country Manager for Lexmark in Ireland, but I knew I didn’t want to be a scientist or work for a multi-national,” he says. “I would have been rubbish. So, when the opportunity to help found a design and brand agency presented itself, I jumped at it. In the studio, I’m surrounded by right-brained creative people and seeing the profound impact that design can have on business got me hooked on the power of brand strategy. I can only hope that my left-brained bias helps act as a good counter-balance.”

On the outside, a business’ brand may seem like it consists simply of shapes and colours, but one’s brand is actually the entire identity of one’s business – giving personality and providing vital difference. With the right branding, you have the chance to get some control over how people perceive your business, so not overlooking this is hugely important. ”In all honesty, one of the most crucial pieces of advice I’d extend to any business owner embarking on the journey of naming a product or company is to get out of the way, figuratively speaking,” Corcoran shares. “Selecting a name is far removed from choosing a piece of art or item of clothing simply based on personal preferences. It transcends such subjective inclinations and assumes a role that is fundamental to your business. It’s less about liking a name (albeit that’s always a bonus) and more about whether it has the inherent capacity to serve its purpose effectively.” Some of the questions Corcoran suggests to pose are; Does the name help position the brand correctly and distinguish it from competitors? Does it align with the overarching company strategy and allow for potential growth and future diversification? Is it commercially sound i.e. can we potentially trademark it and therefore own a space, and domain availability? “Getting it wrong can be incredibly costly, and there are many examples of this.”

In the face of economic challenges, it’s worth noting that brands do better in tough times compared to unbranded products. Brands outlive product cycles. And in this cost of living crisis, great brands are still being built. How best to ensure that your brand does well? “The key to an effective brand strategy lies in the triad of Targeting, Positioning and Objectives,” Corcoran shares. “Targeting entails a profound understanding of your audience while Positioning is being clear on how you want to be perceived by them. [What I mean by] Objectives is achieving consensus on your overarching goals and aspirations. There’s no better way to achieve success than by cultivating a loyal fanbase that not only shares a sense of community but also feels an inherent belonging to a collective of kindred spirits. Brands, whether we like it or not, are often symbolic or representative of this commonality. Our choices of brands, or in the case of companies, the ones we forge partnerships or collaborations with, significantly reflect who we are and how we envision ourselves.

Brewdog (the hugely successful, if not slightly contentious UK craft beer) is an example of a brand that expeditiously forged a community by clarifying its positioning as a rebellious force armed with a punk attitude and a social conscience. It used this profound understanding of its audience and leveraged against its more sizable corporate rivals, effectively illustrating what it consciously chose not to be. This helped Brewdog build a vast and hugely loyal community, by offering a space in which its customers could express who they are and identify in a different way to the mainstream. Names like Airbnb, the CitizenM hotel chain and many others have established like-minded communities which have been instrumental to their success.”

When completely overhauling a brand, one’s first consideration should always be to understand the motivation and reason behind it, Corcoran says. Particularly with regard to any existing equity. “I can remember the CEO of a very large non-for-profit organisation we were working with, trying to convince me to change the organisation’s name as he believed there was a stigmatisation associated with it. This was an organisation that provided services to over 10,000 people in Ireland and the UK and had existed for many decades. A complete rebrand including a name change, while sometimes necessary, is a huge step that should never be taken lightly. As we conducted our research and began to engage with key stakeholders, both internally and externally, it became apparent that the real issue was not the name, but how the brand was perceived. Its brand architecture was also flawed with lots of sub-brands having little or no connection to the core. We ended up restructuring the organisation from a brand perspective and bringing clarity as to what the brand stood for and how it benefitted everyone.”

Similar consideration must be taken when it comes to naming in an international sphere, Corcoran insists. “One of the best-known examples of this is Mondelez, which was formed when Kraft Foods divided its business in two, with its global (non-American) snack foods business renaming to Mondelez. At the time, Kraft explained to investors that the new name (pronounced mon-da-leez) was a newly coined word that evoked the idea of “delicious world,” – ’Monde’ deriving from the Latin word for world and ‘delez’ a fanciful expression of delicious. However, in Russia, Mondelez sounds like an act of oral sex. So even the big brands can get this wrong. When researching a name, particularly a global brand that needs to work in different markets and cultures, it’s incredibly important to look at the linguistics and any negative connotations it may have. We often employ translators when working on names for global markets.”

Building trust is one of the greatest advantages of brand development. Big brands in the world, such as Apple, Nike and so on have built their brands over the years. It is the reason why people will queue to buy the new iPhone; they know what they are going to get. “A brand essentially constitutes any thought, feeling, or emotion that individuals experience upon encountering it. These perceptions are intangible, residing within the realms of people’s consciousness – your customers, staff, and more. They forge connections with a brand, ascribing qualities and values to it. But, what constitutes the origins of these perceptions? Undoubtedly, they stem from people’s interactions with the brand, be it its product or service. Yet, they are also nurtured by the narrative and backstory they come across, which helps shape their framework of understanding. The coherence of this narrative across all touchpoints and its resonance with your target audience play pivotal roles. Generally, the more consistent the storyline across these channels and the more it strikes a chord with your audience, the greater the likelihood of your brand occupying a prominent place in their minds and being favourably regarded. In essence, we are all drawn to a good story.”

In terms of the best advice Corcoran can give, few things stand out more than the mantra his work, CI Studio, lives by. “On the wall, we have a sign that says Design Makes Things Better. At the heart of design is problem-solving and solution-making. What business couldn’t benefit more from this?”

For more information on Niall, as well as his thoughts on branding, check out his LinkedIn page here.