Branding is a field of study and set of practices where brands develop, acquiring reputation, recognition and value. In simple words, it allows brands to obtain the preference/recommendation of their audience and, as a consequence, economic gain. Good branding is a tool that can turn a brand’s customers into real fans.
In life I have two passions: Digital design and video games, so I would like to share 5 lessons that the Gaming market gives us in terms of Branding, and that it is important to keep in mind.
1. Define the gameplay
The gameplay is the mechanics that a video game offers. We talk about the handling of the character, its actions and the way commands are executed. The minimum expected from a videogame are entertaining and consistent mechanics, which give the player a sense of control and satisfaction.
Within a business it is important to define which are the touch points in the experience that your customer or user will have, in the same way as in a video game, to be concerned about maintaining a satisfactory functional experience. It is these touch points that define the interaction with our brand and represent the starting point to create a favorable and solid reputation.
2. Your client is the hero of the story
The gameplay is the mechanics that a video game offers. We talk about the handling of the character, its actions and the way commands are executed. The minimum expected from a videogame are entertaining and consistent mechanics, which give the player a sense of control and satisfaction.
Within a business it is important to define which are the touch points in the experience that your customer or user will have, in the same way as in a video game, to be concerned about maintaining a satisfactory functional experience. It is these touch points that define the interaction with our brand and represent the starting point to create a favorable and solid reputation.
3. Create a new character and play
There are video games where we have to choose or create a character and assign him/her particular characteristics. Knowing what our character will do and the way he will act allows us to take advantage of all his abilities.
In the same way, when building a brand we have to coherently choose the attributes and characteristics, its strategy and manage the experience and behavior it will have when executing any action. If these attributes are coherent, it will boost the results of your actions, creating recall and value.
4. Remastered edition
Since the first commercial video games in the late 80’s to date, the industry has undergone huge technological changes. Developers have been able to adapt great titles (brands) by re-inventing their experiences, while keeping the essence of their products.
Regardless of the challenge your company faces today, such as the artificial intelligence revolution, it requires us to maintain, renew and update the attributes of each brand in a way that is consistent with its history in order to consolidate its value over time.
5. Turn your clients into fans
Nowadays most video games are products that require frequent updates, the creation of new dynamics and content. For this, it is crucial to count on the player’s opinion and assessment.
In the same way, establish channels of communication with your customers. Listening to them, encouraging their participation and having action with your community is what can turn customers into true fans of your brand.
My conclusion
Building and managing a brand seems like a simple task, but it requires a proper process to look at our organization from the inside, check where we are and where we want to go, and play our role until we get there.
If you would like a second part with the lessons applied, we can review them in a future reading.
About the author.
Carlo Portillo studied Advertising Graphic Design at I.S. Thomas Jefferson Arequipa. He has 13 years of experience, specializing in Branding and Brand Management. He is a fan of video games and branding that includes multi channel experiences. His Twitch channel isFeel Better Gaming.This is his four month at MAKE, He is part of the digital design team that serves Interbank. He is very happy to be part of the team because the work environment is very cool
