… And The Type of Branding Agency They Should Seek Out
By BRIGADE, an independent, woman-owned branding and design agency founded in 2005 that partners with top brands worldwide.
We spend a lot of time working with challenger brands and have gotten a good look at what makes them tick and how they operate. From the cheap seats, their marketing teams look a lot like marketing teams anywhere (same roles, same titles, same end goal). However, look a little closer and you realize that the mindset of the people making up these teams is different. Marketing professionals working for challenger brands have a tendency to be (even more) competitive, goal-oriented, driven, and most importantly, confident. They have to make difficult decisions, and in some cases, decisions that carry risk.
Additionally, these teams (traditionally) are managing a smaller budget than a market leader. They have to do more with less. They need to be creative and think outside the box to get from point A to point B successfully. And because of these things, they work best with a branding agency that does the following:
• They Have A Challenger Mindset.
A challenger brand needs a branding agency that’s nimble, pivots quickly based on ongoing learnings, approaches projects creatively so that money can go further, and offers creative solutions to challenges (cookie-cutter won’t do).
• They Prioritize Consistency.
Consistency builds muscle memory and stickiness, so any branding team working with a challenger brand needs to understand this. The ideal setup is a boutique agency with fewer than 25 people that will guarantee a consistent creative director and writer assigned to the work. Keeping the tone of voice and visual identity consistent is crucial.
• They Sweat The Details.
Challenger brands have lean teams putting money into marketing buys and experiences rather than overhead. These small but mighty teams need a branding firm that helps with the lift. From ensuring that work is on-brand to watching that brand assets are being used consistently in building the brand day to day. There’s a lot to do and keep track of, and every partner should be willing and able to contribute to the load.
• They Value Collaboration.
Good ideas come from anywhere. Working together on a shared goal can lead to faster, more succinct solutions. Many small ideas can turn into the winning big idea.
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If you want your brand to stand out and you are prepared to boldly challenge the front runners, you will want to invest in a partner that understands what it takes. Working with an agency that works hard and hustles can be a game changer when it comes to helping you get noticed.
At Brigade, we don’t just work with Challenger Brands, we are one. So we ask: Do you run a challenger brand? Are you on a marketing team at one? If so, we’d love to talk to you about how you can keep pushing the status quo with stand-out, detail-oriented, consistent creative at every touchpoint.
Here is one of our recent Challenger Brand case studies.
