As a branding and web design studio, one of the recurring themes that clients pursue is timeless branding. 

It goes without saying, most business owners desire to build a lasting, sustainable brand that will stay relevant for years to come. (That’s our goal too!) This can put a lot of pressure on the branding process.

However, by keeping these five key elements in mind, creating a timeless brand can be easier than you think.

Keep it simple (less really is more)

When you picture the most timeless brands you can think of, what do they all have in common? Regardless of industry, location, and pricing, the most timeless brand identities are relatively simple. (We are big fans of minimalism!) Some examples that come to mind are Levi’s, Chanel, Apple, Vans, Thankyou, and Aesop. Each of these brands has managed to stay relevant through the changing times, not least of all because of their approach to branding. 

The same goes for other aspects of your brand, such as your mission and unique selling point. If your mission statement is a paragraph long, you’re probably making it a lot more complicated than it needs to be. And your unique value proposition is something any layperson should be able to understand, unless your niche and target audience are hyper-specific.

Define and stay true to your values

A brand most likely will undergo some visual changes as time goes by, but its values, the qualities it stands for, should remain unaltered. Values are the foundation upon which a brand grows and develops an identity or voice that speaks to its customers. Smart brands will keep those values consistent, never compromising them over fads that will dwindle.

Rooting your brand in ethics and strong values also encourages more meaningful collaborations with brands who are wanting to make a true difference in their industries which is a win/win in our eyes.

Progress over perfection

Apply a ‘progress over perfection’ rule so you don’t get caught up in the little things.

Yes, it’s important that each touchpoint of your brand is consistent to build the “know, like, and trust” factor with your audience. However, holding your brand back by not putting yourself out there at all because you’re sweating the small stuff is even more detrimental than if your content isn’t pixel perfect. No one will notice but you so just get it out there!

Create a connection

One of the biggest mistakes you can make that leads to creating a brand that feels shallow is designing your identity without any consideration for your audience or the problem you solve for them.

This can lead you to design your brand with only trends in mind. Additionally, because you’re not quite sure of who exactly you’re serving, it’s easy to fall into the trap of following in your competitor’s footsteps and not coming up with anything new or innovative.

Getting a strong understanding of your audience also helps understand what types of trends and design cues they will respond to. By not thoroughly analyzing who you’re trying to target, you run the risk of attracting the wrong audience that won’t actually connect with your product or service.

Find your niche and stay in your lane

If you try too hard to be like everyone else, you won’t be able to define your own unique brand identity. (Remember, it’s your business so you get to create and operate it on your terms!)

Dig deep into what you are about as a company, your core values, what you want to achieve, the impact you want to have, and how you want to serve your target audience. Then determine how you want to communicate this with your tribe. 

By doing this, you define your own niche and have less chance of falling into the trap of following trends or comparisons. It also makes your ongoing content creation so much easier and more rewarding.

By following these five principles, you’re not only guaranteed to attract and connect with your ideal customers, but you will also build a timeless brand that you resonate with, are proud to promote, and will be creatively motivated to build and grow.