What makes a strong manufacturing brand “strong”? 

And how can one benefit your bottom line? We thread the two.

We’ve heard, too many times to count, that manufacturers don’t think about their brands, they think about everything else: employee retention, R&D innovation, sustainability pledges, and the list goes on. Whether that’s true or not for the majority of manufacturers, we’d love to make sure a manufacturer’s brand/branding makes it to the top of their list of considerations, too. Why? Because we know how crucial a role a strong brand can play in all of the above, and a business’s success at large.   

With so much debate and ambiguity around the power of “brand” and its influence on manufacturing companies’ perception and market equity, we’d like to be very specific in how we define both “brand” and a “strong” brand from the get go, and get even more specific about their direct benefits. So first…

What We Mean by “Brand”

Brand, defined, according to marketing expert Scott Galloway: “All the emotional and tangible touchpoints and associations surrounding a company and product.”  

• Think of emotional touchpoints as: Psychological associations, consumer motivations, brand experience, corporate culture (both perceived and experienced)
• Think of tangible touchpoints as: Physical product(s), a logo and visual identity, factories + stores, the teams behind the product

As a brand building agency, we’re tasked with translating the emotional, intangible associations (what a brand stands for, makes us feel, ultimately promises) into something real we can see, touch, and feel compelled to be a part of (branding). You can be satisfied that you have a brand in place – the logo/identity, values, sales materials, a functioning website – but what is the real-world impact of all of those components? How do you communicate their benefits? How do you know collectively, they constitute a “strong” brand?

What We Mean by a “Strong” Brand

We like how strategist Ida Cheinman sets the parameters. A brand is strong when it scores high across these three dimensions:

1. Relevant and Resonant: It meets its stakeholder and consumer needs, and builds an emotional connection. 
2. Differentiated: It’s unique. It leads the way and sets itself apart from competitors. 
3. Memorable: It has top-of-mind awareness. 

So, how do you achieve these metrics in the first place? And second, how do these metrics  translate into tangible wins for your manufacturing brand? 

Here are our top tactics to help your brand score high on the “strong” brand spectrum, and benefit your business goals simultaneously. 

1. Ensure your brand’s relevant and resonant > Attract more customers + employees

As a manufacturing brand, you answer to two primary audiences: your customers (third-party partners and end-users of the manufactured products) and your stakeholders (employees, management, and actual shareholders). But because it’s ultimately the consumers who shape a brand’s strength through their perceptions, choices, and loyalty, their needs drive a manufacturing brand’s strategic decision-making. 

That being said, manufacturing brands also need to cater to potential employees. The most important question is: How are you shaping their perception through your brand behavior? What are you doing – or what can you do more of – to increase their trust? The answer is: A lot of things. And oftentimes, the two overlap. 

How to be relevant + resonant for customers and stakeholders:

• Understand their practical + emotional needs: Naturally, the only way to meet their needs is to understand them. Gather feedback from customers, employees, and stakeholders to understand their perceptions of your brand and what can be improved (or continued).  

Then… 

• Tell better stories, and more of them: Identify your unique brand story based on a few intuitive categories. For example, your core values: What are the fundamental principles that guide your brand? Your history: Are there significant milestones or challenges that shaped your journey? Your people: Are there inspiring stories of employees, customers, or partners? And your impact: How does your brand contribute to the community or industry? Hire professional content creators to help you play up your expertise and innovation. Place your hero products in the spotlight. Demonstrate your deep knowledge and experience in the industry by committing to developing new and improved products that solve real consumer problems. 

• Give consumer + employee voices a platform: Speaking of your people, one extremely important and effective way for manufacturing brands to create engaging content is by giving employees and customers a platform to share their experiences and perspectives. You want to create a company culture where employees are proud of the brand, and have a say in it. Oftentimes, this is all it takes to increase or simply ensure customer and employee satisfaction. This can be done through interviews, testimonials, and case studies that incorporate solid statistics. By featuring the voices of real people, manufacturing brands can humanize their brand, build trust with their audience, and generate authentic content that resonates with their target market. This approach not only strengthens brand loyalty but also provides valuable insights into customer needs and preferences, and your commitment to keeping those needs top-of-mind.

2. Increase your brand differentiation > Be seen and heard in a loud and crowded market

Increasing your brand differentiation comes down to knowing the core components of your brand and the competition’s. You should always be looking for ways to NOT sound and look like the rest of the competitors in your industry. To do that, here are some key ways to guarantee you stand out in terms of your visual brand identity and your verbal communication.

• Rebrand or refresh your brand identity: First, we always recommend beginning with a brand + competitive audit to assess your current brand perception through the eyes of customers, employees, and the public at large. Next, contrast that perception with the brands in the same competitive circle. Not only will this help you identify strengths and weaknesses, it will help you purposefully create an identity distinct from theirs, and less likely to get lost in the sea of similar color palettes and outdated design styles.
  • Revamp your logo: Consider updating your logo to reflect your brand’s new direction.
  • Create a cohesive brand style guide: Define guidelines for typography, color palette, imagery, and overall aesthetic.
  • Ensure consistency across all channels: Apply your brand style guide consistently across your website, social media, marketing materials, and physical spaces. Then…

• Update your brand story and messaging: A clear and compelling brand story, visual identity, and messaging are the core pieces people engage with to learn about you and form an opinion. Make them count. During the above brand audit phase, you’ll also compare your manufacturing brand to competitors’ positioning and messaging. If your services and area of expertise are almost identical, we’ll help you dig deeper for a differentiator. Do you provide better technology? Longer experience? A more partner-oriented culture? Our brand strategy process will help you do all of the above, plus clarify your mission, define your values, and ensure alignment between your brand’s purpose and values and whether those are also reflected in your products, services, and corporate culture. Here are some of the methods to developing a compelling a brand story:
  • Create a narrative: Craft a compelling story that connects your brand’s purpose and values to your customers’ needs and desires.
  • Highlight unique selling points: Showcase what makes your brand different and why customers should choose you.
  • Use storytelling techniques: Employ storytelling elements like characters, plot, and theme to engage your audience.
  • Develop a clear messaging framework: Define key messages that communicate your brand’s value proposition.
  • Ensure consistency: Use consistent language and tone across all marketing channels.
  • Tailor messaging to different audiences: Adapt your messaging to resonate with different customer segments.

3. Gain brand memorability > Retain customers and employees

Being memorable really comes down to being your best, across all categories: branding, content + communication, employee culture, product quality, community engagement.  Employees – and partners – admire and therefore recall a brand based on positive interactions. So before ever joining a company or becoming an official partner, those interactions are limited to branding and culture (as seen through branding too, FYI). Here are some key methods to ensure your potential employees and partners are all sharing the same experience of your manufacturing brand…  

• Consistent – and Elevated – Branding: Ensure your brand is recognizable across all touchpoints, from packaging and advertising to social media and on-site displays.
• Targeted Marketing: Identify your ideal customer and tailor your marketing efforts to reach them effectively.
• Thought Leadership: Establish your brand as an industry expert by sharing insights, trends, and best practices.
• Public Relations: Leverage public relations to generate positive media coverage and increase brand visibility within relevant communities. 
• Customer Experience: Deliver exceptional customer experiences that foster loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.
• Social Media Engagement: Actively engage with your audience on social media platforms to build relationships and drive brand awareness.
• Partnerships and Collaborations: Partner with complementary brands or industry influencers to expand your reach.
• Events and Sponsorships: Participate in industry events and sponsor relevant initiatives to increase visibility.

Conclusion

So we get it. In the competitive world of manufacturing, standing out is no easy feat. But we strongly believe that to truly thrive, manufacturing brands must be far more than functional, they have to be strong in their relevance, differentiation, and memorability. By understanding their audience, delivering exceptional, consistent experiences, and leaving a lasting brand impression, manufacturing brands can transform from mere product-centric businesses to powerful brands that connect with consumers and drive long-term success.

Ready to FUEL your brand’s growth?

Interested in taking your manufacturing branding to the next level? Partner with FUEL, a brand-building agency with deep expertise in manufacturing branding and marketing. At FUEL, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the manufacturing sector and specialize in crafting bespoke branding strategies that drive measurable results.

Contact us today to learn how we can help turn your branding vision into reality, driving growth and building lasting market impact.