Brand Development for Start-ups
Why you should care about your brand
A great product or service alone does not make a successful business. Turning your research into a viable business means deciding who your customers are, what market you enter, and how you differ from competitors. A brand is not a decorative side product of those decisions, but the form in which they become visible to the outside world. The question this course addresses: how do you turn what you know about your venture into something investors, partners, and customers can see, understand, and remember?
To be clear: a brand is not only about logos, slogans, or colours. It is much more than that. It gives you and your team a consistent basis for everyday decisions: what to prioritise, what fits your venture and what doesn't, and how to describe what you do. Without a clearly defined brand, a company risks sending mixed signals and will find it hard to build trust.
Once people have formed an impression of your venture, that impression sticks. Let’s make sure it is the one you intend, by working on who you are and what your company stands for early on, while your venture is young and these choices cost little to make.
Course Set-up
You will work hands-on on the brand of your own start-up. Working solo, you draft each element of your brand identity; in pairs, a fellow founder challenges and sharpens it. Building on that identity, you then develop your brand communication, including the story your venture tells. The course closes with a 5-minute pitch of your brand identity and brand story to the group, which is your first live test of whether your brand lands the way you intend.
Results
You will leave with:
· a complete first version of your brand identity (Brand Identity Canvas), drafted by you and stress-tested by peers, giving you a working foundation you will refine as your venture develops;
· the core story your brand tells (Brand Communication Canvas), giving your future communication a consistent frame;
· the method behind developing both, so you can revisit and sharpen your brand at every future stage of your venture.
Confidentiality
You will work with a peer on your real venture, but you do not need to disclose confidential technical detail. If you are unsure, please contact the lecturer.
ECTS: 1
Max No. of participants: 8
Lecturer: Asst. Prof. Dr. Janina M. Schaumann
Requirements: Ideally, you have participated in the Entrepreneurial Researcher Programme (https://www.utwente.nl/en/ctd/courses/1709034/entrepreneurial-researcher-programme/), but this is not a prerequisite. You should, however, arrive with a very clear understanding of your venture's target group(s) and your market (competitors, trends, etc.). The course builds directly on this knowledge. It is the essential evidence base for every brand decision you will make.
Assessment to receive EC’s (pass/fail):
· Brand Identity Canvas
· Brand Communication Canvas
· Rationale (about 1,000 words) justifying your identity components and brand promise with evidence from your customer, market and competitor knowledge
Time & Dates: 2 half-day sessions
· 30th of September from 09:00 until 13:00 o’clock
· 15th of October from 09:00 until 13:00 o'clock