North American branding work to be recognised
As a region, North America has a diverse branding industry. Its strong history in advertising makes the US a world leader in creative, yet the nation is still undergoing an evolution in terms of integrating strategy into this work. However, there are a number of agencies that specialise in brand strategy exclusively. The same is true of Mexico where there are a host of small design studios who are excellent in their field, but are yet to tie this in with strategy.
The global awards recognising outstanding brand development projects, the Transform Awards, will launch in North America this year. The awards currently runs in Europe, Asia-Pacific and in the Middle East and North Africa regions. The Transform North America awards will recognise projects that demonstrate innovative brand strategy, as well as outstanding creative and effective design.
There are some agencies and in-house teams who are leading the field in this area. Collaboration is more important than ever with different teams bringing different specialities. The implementation of a strong overarching strategy helps to carry the creative into the future with consistency and sustained impact. It also helps to ensure that the brand values are fully understood and embodied by the organisation’s stakeholders.
The North America region has been a hotbed for tech start-ups in recent years, with brands such as Uber and Airbnb experiencing rapid growth. These brands have a strong presence despite their communications existing solely on digital platforms and represent a new and innovative interpretation of brand strategy for the digital age. Airbnb’s new brand positioning won gold for ‘Best creative strategy’ at the Transform Awards Europe in April 2015.
“We’ve been involved with Transform in Dubai, Hong Kong and London, and we’re continually impressed with how Transform magazine delivers a conference that is inspiring and insightful, with content that is at once accessible and deep.” says Nashville-based iV Audio Branding CEO, Steve Keller, adding “The awards gala dinner is definitely a not-to-be-missed extravaganza that caps off the day. The evening is a celebration of excellence and an opportunity to meet new faces and catch up with old friends – and the work submitted is always top-notch. The list of participants in attendance reads like a who’s who of the brand world.”
The awards are now accepting entries from agencies, in-house and independent branding teams in Central America, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico the US and Greenland. Entries submitted before 30 June will receive a $100 discount, the final deadline is 28 July. The ceremony itself will take place in New York towards the end of October.
For further information on the awards please visit the website, contact the Transform events team on 02074987008 or email Liz Foggitt on lfoggitt@transformmmagazine.net
