We define brand as customer experience. Everything—from the ease of using a product or service to the friendliness and competence of the staff to the look of the communication materials—contributes to how the customer perceives the brand. As such, we believe it all matters. A lot.

Brand guidelines
A document that explains how to implement the brand’s communications architecture (see below). Content includes artwork, color, and typographic usage, editorial approach and style, and sample applications. Anyone developing communication material for the brand should follow the brand guidelines.

Brand identity
The symbolic attributes of a brand, including its name, logo, and color. Identity is the most succinct way in which a brand communicates.

Brand summit
Highly participatory full-day session in which Remedy engages client stakeholders around the desired vision, culture, and image for their organization’s brand. Consists of small- and large-group discussion and activities facilitated by Remedy’s senior team. Allows us to gather client input and buy-in that would otherwise take weeks.

Communications architecture
The editorial and visual components used to present a brand, and documented in the brand guidelines (see above). A thoughtfully planned communications architecture allows for a brand to be consistently presented, while still leaving room for variation and interest.

Customer experience
See ‘brand.’

Positioning platform
A strategic tool that summarizes the brand’s promise and point of differentiation. Used strictly for internal purposes, the platform serves as a compass for all decisions that impact the brand. Everything from product and operations improvements to the presentation of communication materials should reinforce the positioning platform.

Tagline
A succinct, memorable phrase that embodies a brand’s spirit or promise. Iconic example we didn’t write: Nike’s “Just do it.” Iconic example we did write: Edward Hospital’s “For people who don’t like hospitals.”

Vision, culture, image
Three forces that shape every brand, and central framework to Remedy’s brand development process. Vision = senior management’s aspirations for the organization; culture = how employees feel about the organization; image = what external groups (customers, prospects, marketplace) think about the organization. Successful brands align their vision, culture, and image.