So, you’re the steward of a company with an exceptional offering, propelled by unwavering core values. How can you translate this into a compelling brand that forges robust connections with customers and ignites a devoted following? Facebook’s E.P.I.C. brand framework is your compass, guiding companies to articulate their identity and resonate with their desired audience. E.P.I.C. embodies four vital facets: Existence, Purpose, Identity, and Connection. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each element:
Existence Why does your company’s existence matter? Harness the power of your origin story to humanize your brand and highlight its significance. Organize your origin story into three parts:
- Who initiated the company? Share an anecdote that humanizes them.
- What problem were they determined to solve?
- How did they navigate and resolve this problem?
To illustrate this concept, let’s consider a fictional company, “Sustainable Almonds.” Here’s their origin story:
Jane Smith abandoned a lucrative career in advertising to birth Sustainable Almonds. Disturbed by the environmental havoc wreaked by irresponsible almond farming practices, Jane established Sustainable Almonds to provide consumers with peace of mind by exclusively partnering with sustainable farmers.
Personalize the individuals behind your company and demonstrate how your brand’s existence holds relevance. Stories evoke emotional connections, and structuring your narrative in this way lays a strong foundation for audience relationships. Ensure your origin story is prominently featured in the “About” or “Who We Are” section of your website.
Purpose Why are you passionate about what you do? In this phase, you delineate your brand’s values and elucidate how these foundational principles led to the creation of your product or service. Here’s a step-by-step approach:
- What are your core values? Complete the sentence: “We believe that…”
- How do you infuse your values into your business approach and processes?
- How did your approach culminate in the development of your product(s) or service(s)?
Consider the example of Sustainable Almonds:
“We believe that we have a single Earth, and it’s our responsibility to protect it. Hence, we conceived the ‘Sustainable Seal,’ a set of rigorous production standards that our almond suppliers must adhere to. The Sustainable Seal adorns our range of premium almond products, from barista milks to authentic marzipans.”
Convey your values succinctly and elucidate the process by which they transmuted into your product or service offerings. This strengthens bonds with customers who resonate with your brand values and choose your products as a means of reflecting their own convictions.
Identity What sets you apart visually? If your brand were a person, how would they dress? Develop a comprehensive identity that aligns with the elements we’ve covered thus far. Define:
- Logo (Establish logo usage guidelines)
- Color palette (Consider color symbolism and associations)
- Typography (Select a brand font or fonts)
- Image aesthetics (What is the look and feel of your imagery across all channels, including website, social media, and print materials? Maintain consistency.)
- Design aesthetics (Apply the same considerations as image aesthetics)
Take the example of Sustainable Almonds:
Notice that each element was carefully chosen to resonate with the established brand personality and values. The logo features a meticulously hand-drawn illustration, depicting the almond cultivation process, reflecting the brand’s hands-on commitment to sustainability and close relationship with farmers. Given the brand’s emphasis on environmental stewardship and premium products, the color palette of green complemented by purple is a fitting choice. The font selection centers on a traditional serif font, evoking authenticity and groundedness. A secondary sans-serif font enhances readability for descriptions on the website or packaging.
Sustainable Almonds opts for candid, unposed imagery, capturing farmers immersed in their work rather than staging artificial shots. High-quality smartphone photos suffice, as authenticity and a touch of rusticity trump manufactured perfection.
Mainly, hand-drawn illustrations serve as the primary graphic elements, eschewing vector-style graphics, to convey a handmade quality. Layouts are vibrant, clean, and straightforward, evoking both premium quality and trustworthiness.
Once you’ve defined your brand’s visual identity, ensure consistency across all platforms, fostering trust through a recognizable presence that resonates with customers.
Connection What tone does your brand use to communicate? If your brand were a person, how would they converse? Consider:
- Register: Is your tone more formal or casual? More humorous or serious?
- Attitude: Is your tone more emotive or factual? More respectful or irreverent?
Define your tone of voice based on two pillars:
- Who you are: Incorporate everything we’ve explored thus far, including your brand values and reason for existence.
- Who your customer is: How do they communicate? What values do they hold?
Once you grasp the audience you aim to connect with, tailor your communication style to resonate with them. Remember, your target audience is your primary customer segment, not an all-encompassing overview of all customers. Begin by defining your target audience in broad terms:
- Demographics: age, gender, location, education level, etc.
- Needs: What needs do they have that you can fulfill?
- Values: Which values do you both share?
- Interests: What are their hobbies? What do they read, watch, or play?
- Behaviors: How do they shop? Where are they active on social media?
Example for Sustainable Almonds:
If you serve multiple customer segments, create specific target audience personas for each.
With a clear understanding of your audience, visualize precisely whom you are addressing when crafting your communications. Crafting personalized, relevant messages will fortify your relationship with customers who feel directly engaged.
In Summation Facebook’s E.P.I.C. framework equips you to build a remarkable brand by first defining your brand and then expressing that identity to forge connections with customers. Commit your brand’s essence to writing and ensure alignment across your team. A thoughtful and consistent brand enables you to nurture enduring relationships with customers, attract relevant brand partnerships, and carve out a distinctive presence in the marketplace.