The Complete Guide On Brand Pillars
A Step by Step Guide to Creating your Brand Pillars
In this post, we'll delve deep into brand pillars and how they fit into your larger brand positioning strategy.
Keep in mind that these elements, while crucial, are just parts of a larger picture that extends beyond basic branding pillars—encompassing brand mission/vision, purpose, personality, tagline, and messaging, all of which synergize to forge a triumphant outcome.
Our team is here to address any inquiries you may have regarding the establishment of these core components and to offer a straightforward blueprint for formulating them within your venture immediately.
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What are brand pillars?
Brand pillars are the foundation of a company’s brand.
They are key components of the brand that define what it stands for, what its customers can expect from it and how they should be treated.
A brand pillar is one of the most essential parts of any brand, they are directly related to your key brand messaging and are an integral part of a successful marketing campaign.
Your'e companies brand pillars will help you communicate with your prospective and existing customers in the same way that they want to be communicated with.
What are brand pillars by definition?
Brand pillars are the core values and beliefs that your business stands for.
These are the fundamental building blocks that guide your business decisions, shape your marketing messages, and help create an emotional connection with customers.
A strong set of brand pillars helps you to stay focused on what makes your business unique and communicates a clear vision of what you stand for.
Understanding the difference between brand pillars and brand values is important.
Brand pillars provide the foundation from which your brand values spring forth.
These values are more specific and should reflect how you want customers to feel when they interact with your business.
The key to successful brand pillars is making sure they’re reflective of the essence of your company, products, and services.
Once you have clearly defined your brand pillars, they should guide your decision making and act as a reminder of what you stand for.
This will help ensure all the marketing efforts you undertake are consistently reflective of who you are as a business.
By defining your brand pillars, you’ll be able to create authentic experiences that customers can relate to and become more invested in your brand.
It’s important to remember that your brand pillars should be consistent and enduring, as they are the foundation of your company.
They will guide you through different phases of business growth and evolution so that your mission remains clear.
Building strong brand pillars will help you create a memorable identity for your business and ensure customers know exactly who you are and why you do what you do.
Different types of brand pillars include: brand messaging pillars, brand content pillars, product pillars, and customer service pillars.
Brand messaging pillars provide the basis for all of your external communications, product pillars define how customers interact with your products, brand content pillars determine what content you create, and customer service pillars specify the level of customer experience you strive for.
Each type of brand pillar plays a role in helping you to communicate who you are and what you stand for.
By firmly establishing your brand pillars, you can create a powerful message that will resonate with customers and help to create an emotional connection between them and your business.
Your brand pillars should remain consistent across all platforms and make it easy for customers to identify who you are as a company.
It’s important to remember that your brand pillars should be flexible enough to adapt to changing markets and customer needs.
How do you use Brand pillars?
Brand pillars are used in a number of different ways.
Brand pillars are used for internal and external branding and marketing.
Your'e brand pillars will influence all future branding and marketing decisions, in conjunction with other aspects of your brands positioning.
One of the most common applications is for developing marketing campaigns, as well as creating messaging and content that aligns with your brand values and appeals to your target audience.
Brand pillars can also be used to help define your company culture and ensure that all of your employees understand what it means to be part of your brand, this is an example of the internal branding and marketing applications.
Who needs Brand Pillars?
Any company that wants to build a successful brand can benefit from developing brand pillars.
Whether you are an established business looking to strengthen your existing marketing efforts, or a startup looking to create a strong foundation for growth, creating and implementing effective brand pillars is key to building a successful brand.
How do you choose Your Brand Pillars?
There are a few different steps that you can take to help choose the right brand pillars for your business.
The most important thing is to spend some time really thinking about what your company stands for, what its key values are, and how it wants to be perceived by customers.
You should also consider your target audience, and choose pillars that will resonate with them and help you connect with them in a meaningful way.
Some other key considerations include competitor analysis, industry trends, and the overall market landscape.
Brand Messaging Pillars and Content pillars
Brand messaging pillars and content pillars are two of the key components that make up your company’s brand.
Brand messaging is the overarching theme or message that you want to communicate with your customers, while content pillars are the specific channels, mediums, and formats through which you will deliver this messaging.
Together, these two pillars help ensure that all of your marketing and branding efforts are aligned and focused on achieving a common goal, while making sure that you are constantly engaging with your target audience in the most effective way possible.
Overall, brand pillars are an essential component of any successful brand, helping to define what your company stands for, what its customers can expect from it, and how they should be treated.
While having branded assets is critical, there is much more to branding.
Marketing has shifted since the start of the digital age.
We’ve come a long way from billboards and ads in the newspapers.
So, it’s no surprise that the medium today to get your message across is through a digital content marketing strategy and branding.
Giving your company a personality is the goal in today's digital age. If you think of all the global brands out there, they have a spark of personality to them.
Think of Wendy’s, the fast-food chain – their online persona is disruptive in their industry. It makes them stand out, helping them tell their brand story. How do they do this? They stay true to their pillars: food, people and footprint.
You want to create an authentic relationship when building a business with your target audience through your brand pillars.
This is how you build trust and secure the longevity of your business, too.
Today, we’ll go over the 5 P's of brand pillars and provide a few examples. We’ll also provide you with insightful questions that will ignite your very own brand pillars.
This blog post will be the complete guide on brand pillars just for you.
Crafting a brand pillar is the perfect way of starting a business.
It’s brand-building at its finest.
This guide will go over everything you need to know. It is the complete guide on brand pillars, after all.
Let’s get started!
Understanding Brand Pillars
Brand Pillars have a few different meanings and within each separate definition there are different uses and applications.
Content Pillar meaning is the core of your content strategy and your brand messaging pillars are the fundamental values and beliefs that define you.
At the most basic level, brand pillars refer to the core values, beliefs, and mission of a company or organization.
At a more advanced level, brand pillars are also used to describe the specific channels and mediums through which a company communicates with its target audience.
This includes things like content marketing strategy, social media presence, website design, and more.
So, what are the 5 key components that make up a brand pillar?
These include things like competitive analysis, industry trends and market landscape, brand messaging and content, customer experience and insight, and more.
It is a combination of the brand personality and brand values that help to shape and mold your brands essence.
Brand pillars are what you communicate to your target audience, but it’s also how the public and how your audience perceives you.
Almost like they have a hand in defining your brand.
We’ll get into this in the perception pillar later on.
Brand pillars assist in showcasing the important points that set you apart from everyone else.
That's why brand pillars are needed during your brand-building stage.
In theory, you’d want your brand pillars created at the beginning stages.
But if you haven’t created them yet or your company goes through changes, brand pivoting will be the next step.
Brand pillars are critical information that you want your audience to understand quickly and hopefully connect with.
This leads us to the 5 brand pillars…
The Five Brand Pillars
Create your brand identity through the 5 P’s that are easy to remember.
The brand pillars are Purpose, Personality, Positioning, Perception and Promotion.
Brand Purpose
First up in our 5 core brand pillars is the concept of purpose.
The purpose is the why of your business.
Ask yourself, why does your brand exist?
Think of the main reasons you put in work daily.
It will answer the question of what you are trying to achieve.
This brand pillar should be well thought out, and it should connect to your personal brand goal. You want it to resonate with you.
The business will flow better that way.
The purpose is the core of your business.
Make sure it connects to your brand vision.
Brand Personality
Your personality parallels your identity.
When we think of a brand personality, we think of the voice, the tone and how the personality is seen by the public.
Of course, the brand identity is more than how you communicate with the public but it is an integral part of who you are as a brand.
Your personality should be memorable to a point people can pinpoint your brand colours, your style of voice and anything else your brand publishes even before they see your brand name.
People like to build connections with brands because purchasing is an emotional decision.
It's not just about the products or services that you provide.
Make sure your brand personality is presented properly so that your brand story is heard correctly.
Brand Positioning
Brand positioning is another important brand pillar core.
Positioning is how you insert your brand in your specific niche of expertise.
Brand positioning is how you differentiate yourself from your competitors.
You want to stand out from everyone else, right?
Find ways to describe your unique value proposition in a way that gets people to always choose you.
This brand strategy is an integral part of your brand development.
Here’s a tip: position yourself as the expert, as the best in your field, as a brand that knows their stuff.
Brand Perception
Brand perception is very much related to positioning and the identity pillar.
Think about it this way.
The perception pillar is owned by the public and your specific target audience.
It is how they interpret you.
So, pay close attention to it.
Here’s a tip for when you’re just starting your business: Write down personality traits and characteristics that you want your audience to associate your brand with. It will help you visualize how you want to be seen.
Or, if you are already on your way to building your brand and would like information on how you are perceived, the best thing is to communicate with your audience.
Ask them how they view your brand.
Evaluate that and see if you need to make changes in your brand strategy.
Your role then is to help guide that perception.
How? Always relate it to your vision and purpose.
Another tip: your company departments like customer service, HR, and marketing should be informed about who you are as a brand.
They have a huge impact on these brand pillars.
Remember, they are important brand ambassadors.
Things change, and business is business, but sometimes your customers are the ones leading your brand story when they talk about you.
That’s why it’s important to pivot when necessary, plan accordingly and understand your marketing strategy.
Your brand integrity matters.
Brand Promotion
Experience is how you promote your product and services.
There are two kinds of promotions to support different kinds of experiences: sales promotion and brand promotion.
A sales promotion focuses on the now. It’s the discounts, giveaways, and all the short-term initiatives to make a quick sale.
Brand promotion is the opposite.
Brand promotion focuses on the long-term goal.
It is the effort to strategize building brand loyalty in hopes to create a community of people who will always choose your products and services.
People like to use products and services when they like their experience with a brand. How do you get them to choose you?
Well, you need to create a positive experience where you’ll be memorable and stand out from your competitors.
How To Create Brand Pillars
Creating brand pillars for your very own startup business or small business can take some work.
But if you know who you are and what you stand for, you are already halfway there to your brand-building foundation.
Here are some insightful questions about your brand so that you can create your brand pillars for your business.
Purpose
Why does your business exist?
How did you get to your reason for brand existence?
What do you want to accomplish?
What is the motivation behind your purpose?
What value are you offering to your audience?
Keep it centralized to your brand identity.
Personality
What is your point of view?
What is the mood of the brand?
What tone of voice do you use to communicate?
What are the keywords you use when communicating?
What are the behaviours that define your brand?
What is the workplace culture? How would your employees describe it?
A quick example would be “friendly” or “bold.” Then dive into it a little bit more.
Positioning
Who is your target audience?
What is the marketplace like?
What niche is your brand competing in?
Where are you in that marketplace compared to your competitors?
Where do you want to be in that identified marketplace?
How do you stand out against your competitors?
How do you keep your promise to your target audience? How do you prove it to them?
What is your long-term goal?
What is important during your interaction with the audience?
Remember to provide why the customers should choose you.
Perception
How do you want to come across with your audience?
What do they perceive your value to be?
How do they describe you?
How do you change their perception of you if they aren’t fully grasping your brand?
Remember that perception influences the purchase of intent and the customer’s decision for support.
Promotion
What experiences do you provide to your customers?
What makes your customer experience better than others?
How are customers interacting with you online and offline?
Where can your audience or customers find you?
Who are your brand ambassadors?
What are your employees' experiences like?
What is your elevator pitch to potential customers?
How do you handle bad experiences?
This pillar will impact your reputation immensely.
Need some successful brand pillar examples?
Let's look at the next segment!
The Complete Guide on Brand Pillars: Examples
House Brand Example
Disney Example
Innovation: We strive to create unique, imaginative experiences for our guests.
Authenticity: We prioritize authenticity in our products and services.
Community: We bring people together to share magical moments.
Environment: We are committed to conserving the environment and protecting wildlife from harm.
Family: Our core value
We had to include some examples to make this the complete guide on brand pillars. Brand pillars give a guiding light for interaction with customers, and these brands have successfully done it.
Look Optometry
The Branded has helped Look Optometry with its brand pillars.
They communicate their expertise to their audience signalling their position within their field. Look Optometry makes sure to stay innovative which connects back to the perception pillar of them wanting to showcase that they keep up with innovative technologies. It helps guide their target audience to who they are.
Their service core relates to the promotion pillar. They make it known that their customers come first. You can tell by their copy online and tone of voice that they keep up a professional personality, too.
Traditional
Traditional is a client of ours. They have positioned themselves to provide the cleanest and most innovative cannabis products.
They’re a great example of representing all of the 5P’s. Their passion, inclusivity, quality and trust pillar relate to their brand promise of being the best in their field.
Saint Perry
We helped Saint Perry with their brand pillars, too. Their brand pillars were part of their brand bible.
The thing with Saint Perry is that they are a brand that knows its worth. They’ve guided their perception well with their target audience and beyond.
Originality is tied to their purpose and personality.
Passion communicates the experience they provide. It’s how they promote themselves.
Quality relates to the positioning and perception pillars where they insert themselves as a leading luxe brand.
Accessibility is also speaking to the promotion and perception pillar.
It’s all making sense now, right?
Patagonia
Patagonia knows their brand pillars and repeats them in every campaign and other initiatives they announce and introduce. Through repetition, their brand promise remains clear, honoured and honest.
Here is a list of their core values:
Build the best product
Cause no unnecessary harm
Use business to protect nature
Not bound by convention
In each core value of theirs, their purpose using business to protect nature is present.
They have positioned themselves to build the best product and cause no unnecessary harm. Their promotion is in their fearless ways to not conform to convention.
They look for new ways to do things.
Their perception and personality are evident in their branding as well.
We see that through their global recognition.
How does your brand pillars play into your social media strategy and social media marketing?
Thoughtfully created brand pillars provide a foundation for your social media content.
When determining what to post, you can refer back to the questions you asked when creating your pillars and ensure that all of your posts match up with your brand identity.
What are some Social Media Branding Ideas?
Thoughtful, well-crafted social media campaigns can help you stand out from your competitors and ensure that your brand is top of mind for users.
Here are some ideas to keep in mind when creating social media branding:
• Utilize visuals: Photos, videos and graphics are essential for capturing the attention of users on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.
Best Practices for Creating Content for Social Media Posts
Tailor your content to the platform: Depending on which platforms you are active on, choose the type of content that will best showcase your brand.
For example, you might use YouTube for video tutorials or Instagram for product shots and behind-the-scenes looks at your business.
Be consistent with your messaging: Your brand pillars should be reflected in your content to the platform: Depending on which platforms you are active on, choose the type of content that will best showcase your brand.
For example, you might use YouTube for video tutorials or Instagram for product shots and behind-the-scenes looks at your business.
Be consistent with your messaging: Your brand pillars should be reflected in every post.
Make sure you have a consistent look and feel across all platforms as well as a unified tone of voice.
Include calls to action: You want to drive customers back to your website or other channels where they can learn more about what you have to offer.
Include calls to action such as “Click here” or “Learn More” in each post so viewers take action.
Treat Customers as Brand Advocates: Encourage customers to share their experiences with your brand and reward them for doing so.
This will help strengthen relationships with existing customers and encourage new customers to engage with your brand.
By following these tips, you can use social media to effectively communicate your brand message and reach a wider audience.
Creating strong brand pillars ensures that your messaging is consistent across all platforms, giving users a unified look at who you are and what you have to offer.
Brand Pillars in Action
There you have it, the complete guide on brand pillars.
Are you curious about how to achieve a level of recognition within your marketplace, too? Check some of our clients: Sneakertopia, Look Optometry and Saint Perry.
Their brand pillars live in their brand bible, but it is manifested within their communication, marketing and overall presence.
Your brand pillars are impactful. Think of it this way: it can be specific words your customers can say to others when they spread the word about you. Free advertising for you.
Remember to keep it simple, but always stay true to your brand vision. That’s one way to get your brand building off the ground!
Final Thoughts on Brand Pillars
Brand pillars are the way to success.
Because the truth is your service or product, whatever you have, will only take you so far.
How you build your brand, craft your narrative and implement marketing strategies is the key.
Your brand pillars touch all of those points.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate and send your questions.
We would love to create more content to help you and your business.
Here are some very specific step by step branding guides for: Real Estate, Lawyers, Accounting, Doctors, Dentists, Optometrists, Jewellery, Makeup & Beauty, Skincare, Pet Food, Fashion and Construction.
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