In the United States, just over 56 million acres of land exist as Native American reservations, which is about 2.3 percent of the ancestral indigenous land that the country occupies. Despite its relatively small geographic footprint, the treasure trove of cultural richness and heritage found within tribal communities is undeniable.
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Color is simple, right? Black is black, red is red and white is white. Well, not always.
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Most business leaders understand the value of having a memorable business name and logo, but many don’t realize the importance of a visual identity, what it entails, and why protecting it is paramount.
Building a successful brand takes time, resources, and strategy. Typically, the brand’s foundation is in its mission statement, value proposition, and unique voice which are then expressed through the company name, logo mark, print and digital marketing materials and website. Those graphical components comprise the visual identity, or face of the business, at inception.
However, over time, a business’s actions and reputation become intertwined in the visual image establishing the business’s brand, which, done well, can become one of the business’s most valuable intellectual assets.
When starting a business, trademarking and copyrighting a logo helps to ensure a company will be the only one of its type selling a similar service or goods using the same business name. A visual identity that consists of an icon or wordmark can also be trademarked.
Purchasing a domain name that reflects the business name is another important avenue to stake claim to the business’s brand name online. Creating social profiles that secure the business name across all major social networks should be done as well, even if there is not an immediate plan to activate a social media program.
A company’s visual messaging effectively expands as it grows if it is implemented with consistency and a long-term strategy in place. Consistency is needed in the color palette, fonts, graphical style and tone to make it recognizable at a glance thus building the brand’s equity. This consistency put into a formalized document with a set of rules to control proper logo usage, font hierarchy, iconography and tone in any public-facing visual communication is essentially the basics of a brand guide.
An example of a brand that has withstood the test of time by making intentional choices and following a brand guide in its implementation of the visual identity is Absolut Vodka. Their bottle has reached iconic status because it hasn’t changed and was used for 25 years in their marketing campaigns. The main star of the visual creative was their bottle and their product name in the same bold font with a simple headline and playful imagery. A brand guide is essential in ensuring deliberate decision making regarding graphic design.
With growth and increased engagement, a brand’s story and personality further develop. The brand personality is tied consciously and unconsciously to the consistent use of a branded visual identity and adherence to brand guidelines. Apple has mastered this practice. As a result, the company is now synonymous with simple design and innovation.
As a company successfully delivers on its value proposition as it matures, it builds trust and brand recognition in the public eye. Its visual identity is no longer simply recognized: it’s preferred. When a brand is trusted, it’s able to expand and raise prices because people are willing to pay more for products or services from a company they trust.
Throughout a brand’s growth, if the visual identity isn’t protected by registering for a trademark, purchasing a website domain with the company’s name, securing branded social channels and possibly consulting with an attorney to protect intellectual property, the business risks eroding its brand equity. Worse, a copycat company with a lower quality product could use a similar logo design, social media strategy or online presence and not only dilute the work that has gone in to developing the brand but also tarnish the company’s reputation.
Another risk is that a new market entrant develops a strategic brand with a strong visual identity and is able to grow its reputation, build the customer’s trust and take market share. Even in commodity industries like insurance or consumer products like toilet paper, brands and visual identities help brands stand out and stand for something, like the GEICO gecko or the Charmin bear. One stands for 15 minutes that could save you 15% and the other stands for strength and softness.
Protecting a visual identity from the start is the best way to ensure a company’s resources aren’t wasted and safeguard its future success. The process is actually relatively simple compared with what’s at stake.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Felicia Watson is Director of Creative Services at (W)right On Communications. With a proven track record of success and more than 20 years of design and marketing experience, Felicia approaches each project with a commitment to create an impactful design that achieves results. Responsible for leading the agency’s creative services that integrate print and digital graphic design, online programming, videography, editing and photography, Felicia also oversees agency services including animation, motion graphics, and emerging technologies including augmented/virtual reality and holography as they may be integrated in strategic communication programs.
Everyone has a personal brand, whether they work at cultivating it or not. It’s worth it to spend some time thinking about your own and how to be more intentional about crafting an authentic personal brand for your professional self.
I recently joined Henry DeVries, Forbes columnist, author and founder of Indie Books International, on his podcast to talk about personal branding, especially for people sharing their expertise as authors. But the advice applies to everyone at every stage of their careers.
Crafting an authentic personal brand can help advance your career and professional goals, build your business and expand your network. Who doesn’t want that for themselves? There are a few key steps to success.
First is identifying your assets. Start with your product and service or its features and benefits. The point is to make sure your brand is marketable. Next, think about your most unique characteristics. What is it that your family, friends and coworkers say about you? What are your natural or standout characteristics?
The idea here is to differentiate yourself from others by emphasizing the things that really make you who you are. Maybe you’re boisterous and irreverent or especially thoughtful and kind.
Whatever your unique identifiers are, they must connect with your target audience on an emotional level. If they don’t, it’s not really a brand. A brand has to evoke a feeling in others and that’s what you’re aspiring to do by cultivating yours.
The secret behind the most powerful personal brands on the planet is the emotional connection the make. You can get there, but you need to be willing to take your special, authentic characteristics and turn them up to ‘11.’
Consider some of the best-known personal brands: Howard Stern, Elon Musk, and Oprah Winfrey. What do you think of when you hear these names? And, most important, what do you feel?
When your brand is based on who you really are, it’s sustainable. Personal brands that are based on a fiction fail. Many a PR scandal has broken when someone’s personal brand has proven false.
An authentic personal brand can take a setback. Just look at style maven and homemaker extraordinaire Martha Stewart who came out of prison and teamed up with Snoop Dogg to resurrect her brand.
So, you know what makes you stand out and how to maximize your personality capital. Now it’s time to come up with your origin story. Your parents might not have been gunned down in an alley and, to my knowledge, no one has ever been bitten by a radioactive spider but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a compelling story to tell. How did your core characteristic(s) evolve? What key events built the pillars of your personality? This is your opportunity to further develop your public persona into something that makes people want to turn the page.
Your origin story is something you need to tell again and again and on every media platform: earned, owned, shared and paid.
Earned media is when your story is told by others. This is the most credible source for your audience and the most valuable for building your brand. Owned media is when you tell the story. This includes your website, newsletter, webinars, video and other assets. This is where you have the most control over the narrative. Social media is how you engage people with your brand. It’s a great place to grow your audience and cultivate the vibe your story lends itself to. Paid media is the last, and least credible, platform but it has potential to reach the most people, depending on your budget, and the ability to target the audience that your message reaches with tremendous precision.
Proper use of the right media channels is the secret sauce of a successful marketing strategy.
Lastly, think beyond marketing copy and brochures. Think about how people experience you. That’s a personal branding opportunity. Maybe it’s how you sign off your emails, how you greet people or what appears in your Zoom background. Simple things. Or it could be more lavish and require a financial investment like an annual fundraising event you host or the furniture and art in your lobby.
People’s beliefs are formed by their experiences. So, make sure that your behaviors are consistent with the brand you’re trying to cultivate. As a career public relations consultant, I assure you that walking the talk is the most important thing you can do to create and maintain your personal brand. As Warren Buffet famously said, it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.
Build your reputation faster through personal brand activations. If that sounds like jargon, here are some examples of what I mean by that.
One of my professional colleagues has a strong personal brand. I would describe hers as an otherworldly passion for public relations and developing excellence in the next generation of communicators (good thing she’s an educator!) with a healthy dose of aloha spirit. One of the ways she consistently brings her personal brand to life is in her thank you notes. She never misses an opportunity to pen one when she feels someone has helped our her or her students. She also instills that as a best practice in her students. As a result, when she calls on her colleagues for help, we’re all absolutely willing to jump in because we know she appreciates anyone who takes a moment to share their passion with her, her program and her students or alumni.
Another example is a young student who graduated from her program, as a matter of fact. We met for an information interview, and I kept an eye on her career, noting that wherever she appeared online, she had a flower in her hair. It stuck with me and helped me to remember her. Now, when I describe the flower to anyone who has met this gal, they know exactly who I’m talking about! As someone just starting out, she didn’t necessarily have a calling card or a proven characteristic she knew was marketable, so she created one. Nice.
Crafting your authentic personal brand is a worthwhile exercise. While we can’t all take ours to the exaggerated extremes of the celebrity examples I mentioned, it does require dialing yourself up to 11 if you want to stand out from the pack.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julie Wright is President of (W)right On Communications, Inc., the award-winning integrated strategic communications firm she founded in 1998. With offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, B.C., her team handles complex communications challenges for B2B tech, cleantech and energy, healthcare, tourism and hospitality, not-for-profit and public sector organizations. Wright and her team elevate the agency experience through data-driven insights and measurable results for client partners.
Justin BeachJustin Beach brings over 25 years of expertise in web development, programming and technical support to his role at (W)right On Communications. As the agency’s Web Developer and Technical Resource, Justin ensures our client partners’ digital platforms are optimized for success and deliver seamless functionality and a compelling user experience.
Justin’s career spans leadership and entrepreneurial roles with experience building corporate websites, e-commerce platforms and electronic marketing campaigns for a diverse client base. His technical fluency extends across PHP, ASP, MySQL, CSS, JS and multiple database architectures.
Previously, Justin supported strategic SEO campaigns at Myers Media Group, creating platforms responsible for deploying over a million search-optimized web pages. He also led the development of an online shopping platform for Kodak subsidiary ENCAD, Inc., driving e-commerce growth through sophisticated web solutions and marketing integrations.
From guiding print marketing clients into the digital age to deploying hundreds of websites across various frameworks, Justin’s ability to blend design and technical expertise has benefited industries ranging from finance and bioscience to wellness and nonprofit organizations.
At (W)right On Communications, Justin’s creative problem-solving, deep technical know-how and passion for excellence power our clients’ digital strategies, elevating their brands in the digital space.
Blake BunchBlake provides (W)right On’s client partners more than 15 years of experience as a regional newspaper Editor, Copywriter and Digital Content Creator. Blake is instrumental in creating media relations strategies and results; optimizing website strategies and road mapping; developing creative, engaging, SEO-driven and data-oriented content across all platforms in brand voice; and keeping abreast of emerging digital, social media and website technologies. Blake has a strong understanding of cultural diversity and what resonates with audiences; is adept at delivering complex content projects under tight deadline; and leads analytical reviews to improve processes and recommendations.
A resident of San Diego’s coastal community, Blake holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the College of Charleston, South Carolina.
Claudia Askew, APRClaudia Askew, APR is based in Washington, D.C. and draws on her 30 years of experience in strategic communications to serve client partners in the energy, cleantech and B2B sectors. She led marketing and PR planning for the NeighborWorks America program for eight years helping low-income residents in all 50 states access down payment assistance through the Neighborhood LIFT program. She has a long history of volunteerism helping underserved youth and low-income women, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Wake Forest University and her Accredited in PR (APR) designation from the Public Relations Society of America.
Marsha KellyMarsha Kelly has dedicated her career to assisting American Indian tribal communities and businesses with strategies to diversify their economies through wind farms, solar arrays, EV charging infrastructure and other initiatives. Her tribal relationships include the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association with consulting to other tribes across California, Michigan, New Mexico, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin. She holds a Bachelor of Science in English and Communications from the University of Minnesota.
Tatiana MartinezTatiana Martinez leads Spanish-language media outreach and community relations efforts for the agency and its client partners. She acts as a spokesperson for Spanish-language media and business or community group outreach. Tatiana has provided translations, Spanish voiceovers and strategies for reaching Spanish-speaking stakeholders. A former journalist for Mexican and American media outlets, Tatiana has a journalism degree from the University of Arizona and communications degree from Mexico’s Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara.
Terry WhitakerA communications veteran with more than 20 years’ experience, Terry brings brand development and communication programs to life through strategic counsel and event activations across the agency’s client partners. He’s most at home developing and implementing fresh ideas and strategically integrated approaches for client partners’ complex communication needs that keep the agency at the forefront of our industry.
Before joining the (W)right On team, Terry was based in Sydney, Australia and represented client partners such as the USA’s National Football League, Visit California, Sydney Festival, Budweiser, Electronic Sports League, Holden, IBM, TEDx, Major League Baseball International and numerous others.
Terry’s past accomplishments include winning a Bronze Media Lion Award at the Cannes International Advertising Festival; helping three Australian startups be named to the Fast 100; and managing media relations for the Australian speaking tours of former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George HW Bush involving hundreds of journalists and raising millions for charity.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Terry enjoys family time with his wife and two young children, travel and team sports.
Julie WrightJulie Wright is President of (W)right On Communications, Inc., the award-winning integrated strategic communications firm she founded in 1998. With offices in San Diego, Los Angeles and Vancouver, B.C., her team handles complex communications challenges for B2B tech, cleantech and energy, healthcare, tourism and hospitality, not-for-profit and public sector organizations. Wright and her team elevate the agency experience through data-driven insights and measurable results for client partners.
Earlier in her career, Wright served at several public relations agencies and in-house as Director of Marketing for a financial institution. She began her career as a journalist, working as a radio news anchor.
Wright currently serves as a director and past chair of the San Diego North Economic Development Council and a director of CalTravel. Her previous community service has included director of the Los Angeles chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, board vice president of the La Jolla Village Merchants Association, trustee for the Tri-City Hospital Foundation and chair of the President’s Advisory Council for California State University San Marcos.
Wright was named a “Woman Who Means Business” by the San Diego Business Journal and a “40 Under 40” honoree by the San Diego Metropolitan magazine. She was also recognized with the annual Fran Aleshire Award for community leadership by Leadership North County and founded the LNC Alumni group, which is now 400 strong.
Wright holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of B.C. and a Master of Journalism degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of Western Ontario. She is a graduate of the Leadership North County program as well as the Corporate Directors Forum Governance Academy.
She lives in San Diego with her husband, has two sons in college, loves being outdoors in Southern California and Vancouver, and has a passion for elephants, frogs and Champagne. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook
Alex MikhailAlex Mikhail brings more than four years of experience as a communications & public relations professional to his role as a Communications Strategist with (W)right On Communications. Alex possesses a particular interest in media relations, having established and maintained relationships with myriad producers, editor and reporters from coast to coast. At (W)right On, he’s responsible for such strategic activities as content creation, media outreach, relationship building, client reporting, etc. A native of Southern California, Alex earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a minor in public relations from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Grant WrightGrant Wright has more than 30 years of senior management experience including external affairs and business development leadership roles for major American and Canadian corporations and their subsidiaries. With extensive skills in all aspects of communications including media, regulatory, governmental, community outreach and labor relations; he has also led major infrastructure project development, M&A due diligence and implementation management, marketing and brand development, strategic planning and business plan development for small through Fortune 500 companies.
As CEO and Managing Partner, Grant provides oversight and senior-level communications and business counsel for the agency’s client partners while also overseeing agency management and administration.
Grant holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and an MBA in Marketing and Finance. Professionally, he is formerly a Board Director of the San Diego Venture Group (now Connect San Diego – the region’s venture capital ecosystem). Grant is a two-time Finalist for the San Diego Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Awards, and currently is in his second year as Chair of the North American chapter of the International PR Network (IPRN) based in Brussels, Belgium. He is also one of five board directors chosen by its worldwide membership for a second year to lead IPRN globally. A resident of and advocate for San Diego, and with (W)right On being a prominent tenant in San Diego’s iconic Emerald Plaza, Grant also serves on the board of directors of the Downtown San Diego Partnership.
During his free time, Grant enjoys scuba diving, hiking and family time. He is also a commercial pilot licensed in both Canada and the U.S. and is the founding board chairman of the Southern California Aviation Association that has provided more than $500,000 in student scholarship grants since the organization’s inception.
David CumpstonDavid brings more than 22 years of communication experience to (W)right On’s client partners, currently overseeing the agency’s hospitality, tourism, senior living, wellness and education practice areas. He has developed and successfully led strategic communications for numerous prominent brands including JP Morgan Chase, Oakmont Management Group, Aramark, San Diego Tourism Marketing District, SEGA, RISE Healthcare Group, Horizon Organic, Visit Napa Valley, Stanford Children’s Hospital, Orbitz, Best Western, Walmart and Velodyne Lidar.
He is a two-time winner of Bulldog Media’s Best Response to Breaking News Award and earned a bachelor degree in Mass Communication & Public Relations from Texas State University. David cemented his love for travel early on and has visited more than 45 countries on six continents; he’s also passionate about dogs and, in particular, his Chiweenie mix, Dora.
Larry SmalheiserLarry is a strategic communications and PR pro who brings more than 20 years’ in-house, agency and independent experience driving brand visibility, supporting sales growth, and establishing executives as thought leaders in the B2B and B2C spaces. He has a track record of building, leading, and excelling on cross-functional global teams for emerging and established brands including Sony, Dell, VMware, RSA, Xerox, Virgin Galactic, Underwriters Laboratories, Purfresh, Radiant Logic, Sumo Logic and more. He regularly serves as mentor to business and community organizations and has earned two PRSA Silver Anvil Awards for his work over the years.
Larry most recently served as Public Relations and Analyst Relations Lead at Sony Electronics, where he worked closely with Sony Electronics North America President & COO, and the global team. He holds a Master’s degree, is fluent in Japanese and Spanish, and lives in San Diego with his wife and their rescue Morkie, Cookie.
Felicia WatsonWith a proven track record of success and more than 20 years of design and marketing experience, Felicia approaches each project with a commitment to create an impactful design that achieves results. Responsible for leading the agency’s creative services that integrate print and digital graphic design, online programming, videography, editing and photography, Felicia also oversees agency services including animation, motion graphics, and emerging technologies including augmented/virtual reality and holography as they may be integrated in strategic communication programs.
Through the course of her career, Felicia has created effective marketing campaigns for many notable domestic and international brands including the Motion Picture Association of America, Kirkland, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, bliss Skincare, City National Bank, Abbott Diagnostics, KB Home and more.
Felicia was named a 2023 San Diego Business Journal Leader of Influence in Advertising, PR & Marketing. Felicia holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of San Diego and enjoys keeping abreast of new creative technologies in the ever-evolving field of marketing communications.
Corie FiebigerWith more than 10 years of experience in prior marketing roles in the Santa Barbara and Los Angeles markets, Corie supports the (W)right On team in multi-channel digital marketing, client relations management, social media, copywriting and copyediting, research and analytics, media pitching and more.
Corie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of California Santa Barbara.
Brian WrightResponsible for communication programs research and analysis, Brian provides administrative and functional support to the agency’s program leads as well as senior management. With experience managing a retail store in the complex pool supply industry, Brian is a key contributor for social media programs, media relations, content development, vendor management, software programs oversight and other critical program aspects. He brings an innate sense of the agency’s GSD attitude to help ensure the agency remains at the industry forefront.
Brian holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, is an FAA-licensed Private Pilot, and is an accomplished musician and music producer in his spare time.
Shae GearyShae Geary is a seasoned professional with 20 years of experience representing world-class travel and hospitality PR clients. Formerly PR Director with Four Seasons Resorts and a consultant for a wide variety of resorts in California, Hawaii and Mexico, Shae began her career in Hawaii for six years with the state’s largest PR firm. Over the course of her career, Shae has spearheaded numerous campaigns involving everything from hotel openings and property renovations to anniversaries and special events. Her expertise in communications and all things hospitality includes a broad range of niche markets – spa, golf, recreation, weddings, dining, luxury, family and green travel. Shae holds a Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and Master’s degree in Mass Communications (with PR emphasis) from UC Santa Barbara. In her spare time, Shae enjoys playing soccer, running training and spending time with her husband and two kids.
Roman LukjanenkoWith more than 10 years of video production experience, Roman is a skilled cinematographer, editor and animator for such organizations as HP, PetSmart, Airbnb and Nike. Prior to joining the (W)right On team, Roman supported UCLA and UCLA Health where he successfully helped researchers, educators and healthcare professionals communicate their messages through comprehensive videos and motion graphic animations. Roman believes that a well-crafted video brings organizations and their audiences closer together, improving understanding and ultimately strengthening society as a whole.
Phelan RiessenPhelan Riessen is a passionate web and graphic design artist with over 25 years of experience designing and building more than 60 websites for a variety of organizations. Skilled in fontography, web design, Photoshop and web marketing strategies; Phelan also holds a strong presence in the San Diego tech community by serving as an organizer of several large-scale events including RefreshSD, March Mingle and Startup Week.
Katrina EarlyFormerly with VisitBritain and Showtime Networks, Katrina Early provides (W)right On client partners’ integrated and creative partnerships with film and TV studios, retailers, and media outlets such as Sony Pictures, Universal, Warner Brothers, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Entertainment Tonight to name a few. Experienced in the hospitality, travel, entertainment industries among others, Katrina coordinates all aspects of B2B industry events, as well as grows client partners’ audience social media engagement through highly sharable digital content. Results achieved include positive media placement in top tier outlets including National Geographic, Robb Report, Forbes, USA Today, LA Times, NBC/Today Show, E! News, Extra, The Tonight Show, People and many others. Katrina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Public Relations from CSU Long Beach and a Master of Arts in Communications from the prestigious University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication.
Hamish MarshallAs Director of Research & Analytics based out of (W)right On’s Vancouver office, Hamish leads (W)right On’s survey and stakeholder information gathering initiatives North America-wide. A former advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, Provincial Premiers, City Mayors and dozens of elected officials, he also served in the government of Canada overseeing the quantitative and qualitative research activities of federal government agencies. With experience using every sort of data collection method to provide critical insights for strategic planning, marketing and other organizational activities, Hamish has worked with dozens of private and public sector client partners, including the world’s largest mining company. In 2004 he worked in radio business development in Kabul, Afghanistan, and he has volunteered in democracy-building activities in Bangladesh and Jordan. Today, Hamish is frequently sought out by the media as an expert commentator for national television, radio and print publications. Prior to joining (W)right On, Hamish worked as the Research Director for Angus Reid Public Opinion, conducting and performing analysis on surveys in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Oxford in England, a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree from the University of Toronto and enjoys history, writing and sailing.