More Understanding Through Brand Analysis – Gredi Brand Emotional Images Analyzed

Visual brand analysis ensures that a company’s visual communication is aligned with the company brand strategy, marketing and core competencies. The analysis has special focus on the “emotional images” communicated by the catalogs, fonts and graphic solutions used by the company. In practice this means the analysing of the visual brand elements and their perceived meanings in the company’s key communication channels, such as websites, advertising, and customer letters.

“At Gredi, we wanted to expand our own understanding and expertise in matters related to brand image, and we decided to make this journey accompanied with the help and expertise of Professor Janne Seppänen,” starts Risto Pasanen, CEO of Gredi.

“Janne has deep understanding of this topic. We wanted to find out how presenting and analyzing the brand image helps companies in brand management. On the basis of the emotional image analysis of the Gredi brand, several essential and concrete details related to the direction of our operations were revealed. They allow us to make sure that the emotional image we create is exactly the one we are aiming for! The analysis provided concrete insights of the current situation and the direction for our development work,” Risto Pasanen sums up.

Visual and graphic solutions of brands evoke a lot of emotional images

Brand analysis summed up that Gredi’s strengths are the humorous approachability, dynamic image and relaxed tone. They also differentiate Gredi from its competitors.

The analysis raised questions as to whether the current emotional image of the Gredi brand should support the company’s core competencies and the overall story even more strongly. The core of the more than twenty years old company’s story is built on creativity, reliability, understanding, good references, responsibility for customers and a strong position in the market.

“In the age of visual culture, the visual and graphic solutions of brands evoke a lot of emotional images and speak strongly to customers. However, doing an accurate and reliable analysis of these things is anything but simple. For example, brand awareness can be measured relatively accurately. But the emotional images it evokes are more difficult to measure and turn into numbers,” says Seppänen.

The visual emotions of the brand are also a challenge for market research. Understanding their impact requires knowledge of the target group. And also the ability to analyze the wider visual culture and society. The perspective of traditional marketing research is often inadequate.

The power of brands is created through customer experiences and emotional images

“It’s different to see a visual solution work than to understand why it works or doesn’t work,” Seppänen concludes. Understanding how a visual brand works is strategically important. Especially when thinking about brand renewal, personalization, or modification in general. According to Seppänen, it is naturally important that the brand is connected to both the products and the expectations as well as wishes of the customers. However, almost as essential is that the community easily identifies itself with the company brand.

“The power of brands is created through customer experiences and emotional images. This is also affected by how much the emotional images related to the brand rise from the company’s own core competencies and operations,” says Seppänen. Especially when building new brands, this connection is easily forgotten and the key strengths behind the brand image are missed.

“For example, a brand ambassador status cannot rely solely on memorized brand features, but on identification and familiarity with the brand. Then the brand is closely attached to the substance of the company. Its communication is intensified, and the brand gains more credibility,” Seppänen summarizes.

Ask more about this important and fascinating topic from Risto Pasanen at Gredi!

Professor Janne Seppänen is one of Finland’s leading researchers in visual culture and media society. He trains journalists at the University of Tampere and writes the popular Mediayhteiskunta blog. In addition to his main job, he consults companies and public administration organizations on issues related to brand building. Seppänen is currently building a visual brand analysis tool based on, among other things, his own research.