With this new economy comes many different challenges. As a designer, I have begun to wonder what this means for brands. Will branding be seen in the same way now as it was a few years ago? Where does branding go now?
I feel these questions are important now because branding has always been a great tool for corporate America and small businesses. It helps the business send a clear message to consumers about their product/services.
With the recent trouble with wall-street I have to wonder if branding my find itself changing as well. Many people are now fed up with “big business” and see it as the reason for much of the financial troubles we all seem to be experiencing. With this, it seems, an appropriate response to branding might be one of disgust. Branding that has been used to show how great and corporate a company is, may loose its equity. While companies are being liquidated, that seemed at one point unstoppable, consumers will start to get wary of the big interpersonal logo. People may be more likely to respond to brands that reflect the idea of a start-up business rather than a large conglomerate.
Is this idea valid or is it overkill?
The perceptions of consumers are very much swayed by the economy. In a time when money needs to be stretched further, consumers may be more willing to shop at smaller businesses where they feel they get more for their money, or their money is going to a “better cause.” This “better cause” being a new start-up business that may be more concerned about keeping consumers interested than lining its pockets.
I am not an economist by any means. I am simply a designer with questions about how this economy may affect a relatively large portion of business. After all, as a designer it is my responsibility to be a problem solver and I may be needing to think more about these problems in the near future.
So, my question to the masses out in cyberspace:
Will this economy change branding and how it is used?
