During our sessions, we work with our clients to unearth their unique brand story step by step. It gives everyone a lot of energy. I always love to watch a story grow into something tangible and unique. A story is part of the brand strategy. The next step consists of linking strategy and design. That ‘connecting factor’ is the creative concept. Depending on your perspective, a good creative concept acts as an umbrella or a foundation for all brand-related things you want to share with your audience. So... it's not just your logo or those shiny colors you hand-picked (no matter how pretty they are...).

By way of example, let's have a look at Coolblue. Pretty much everyone in the Netherlands is familiar with their slogan: 'Anything for a smile.' This simple sentence, which accompanies the logo, means more to Coolblue than you might think. It’s the foundation for their creative concept that fits the strategy. Because that smile is reflected in anything the company does —and isn't that what sets Coolblue apart from everyone else in their market?

Let's be honest: if you want to buy a washing machine, you can go to lots of other Dutch stores, such as MediaMarkt, BCC, or Correct. You'll get the same one — perhaps even at a lower price. But since Coolblue prioritizes the experience, it's not just about the washing machine. They want you to be happy about the way in which they sell it to you. If your purpose is to prioritize the customer — rather than the product — the concept will clarify that, both to customers and employees! And if you claim to do ‘anything for a smile,’ you can apply it to everything your company does. For example, funny phrases can be found all over the car and bicycle fleet, commercials are friendly and humorous, and nice guys and girls handle delivery and installation. In recent years it's also been possible to view your product offline, and you can get advice before you buy it online. The foundation for all these things remains the same: Coolblue wants to put a smile on your face!

Sure, Coolblue's orange dot against a blue backdrop looks nice. But if there wasn't more to this brand, you'd head straight to its competitor MediaMarkt to buy your washing machine. A catchy logo is not the reason why you become a fan of a brand. And it definitely won't spur you to pay more for the same product! (A little aha moment!)

So, why do you spend more at Coolblue? The brand appeals to you because it conveys a consistent story. This is reflected in all communications and actions. That's how Coolblue creates an experience around technical products that are pretty boring in themselves. Heading out to buy a washing machine isn't exactly an adventure to most people. But Coolblue just fuels your enthusiasm. That's what a good creative concept can achieve.

Are your logo, colors, stationery, and web design fantastic? Remember that it's not just about these elements. There's an umbrella that unites them: your creative concept. (Another little aha moment!)

Here's how I often explain it to clients: a creative concept is a literal translation of your strategy. It's the foundation for your visual communications. You use images and copy tailored to your brand, so all your communications resonate with your strategy. That means your logo is just one element of your creative concept — not its main part.

Recently, we launched a website for a client. We wanted to take a moment to celebrate it, as all of us had put our hearts and souls into it. While raising a glass, one of the CEOs gave a short speech and mentioned why he considered HLO special: “You're not a dime-a-dozen agency. And your international mindset has inspired me to think beyond borders, too.”

That's a huge compliment, if you ask us! And he hit the nail on the head, as this is the foundation for our creative concept. We are a bit different from others. We often sink our teeth into complex issues that require thinking power — or, as we like to call it, ‘creative smartness.’ This means figurative and literal borders are irrelevant to us (among other things). We have an international team and communicate in English.

Of course, it's great to hear that we inspire our clients to take their own businesses to the next level. And that demonstrates what you can achieve if you consistently translate your strategy into a creative concept. If you dare to be different, you'll stand out, and people will become fans of your brand.

Practical example: from ‘veggie doctor’ to daily vitamin boost

When Dr. Veggie knocked on our door, we quickly noticed two things: great brand, fantastic product. But those things weren't properly conveyed. Sure, veggie juices are nice. But since they crowd digital and virtual shelves, they won't make you stand out.

Together, we discussed what it is that makes this brand unique. We came up with the following: you should consume your daily dose of basic vegetables, preferably in the most natural way. This brand is here for you. It provides you with your daily vitamin boost whenever you need it.

Based on the new strategy, we decided that ‘Dr.Veggie’ no longer sufficed. We had to find a brand name that would fit the strategy: boosting people's health in a natural way every day. Prior to organizing a name workshop, we always come up with different name concepts, which we review and discuss in detail during the workshop. That's how we came up with ‘Daylr.’ The word ‘day’ refers to your daily health boost. By adding ‘lr,’ you create the feeling that there's more. Daylr ensures you can get more out of yourself every day. ‘There's something good in every Daylr’ is a one-liner that aligns with the proposition and strategy. Of course, you want to elaborate this idea. How do you always find something good in your day? As a company, you can use this as a foundation in your communications. If you do that very consistently, you'll create a unique brand experience. Your customers will know they can rely on you, and they'll become FANS.

We developed a rebranding strategy for Krijn Verwijs, a supplier of seafood from Yerseke in the Dutch province of Zeeland. Based on the strategy, we focused on sustainability and circularity. The main goal: to make and keep the ocean — their ‘production site’ — cleaner. After all, they'd been living with and from the ocean for over a 100 years. Based on this vision, we created the concept ‘Seafarmers by Nature’ as an addition to their current brand, Premier. The ocean is their field: thanks to their many years of experience, what they do has become their second nature. And it's that nature we've focused on. This sentence fully captures who they are and helps them sharpen their positioning.

Curious to learn more about these cases? Read all about our collaborations with Daylr and Premier Seafarmers by Nature.

Have you invested a lot of time and energy in designing a fantastic logo?

Your efforts haven’t been in vain. Just make sure you don't stop here. For then, your logo will be an empty shell. You'll want to flesh it out by unearthing your authentic story and interweaving it into all your communications.

To do so, you should trust the process. We start each branding project by organizing several sessions with our client. Together, we look for the brand story, which is the foundation for the brand strategy and the creative concept.

You've probably gotten the gist: if you prefer a creative concept that appeals to people, ‘holistic’ is your keyword. So make sure the concept is reflected in everything you do — from your marketing strategy to employer branding. At HLO, we believe in a 360° approach, as it helps you create connections at every level — both internally and externally.

Also, adopt a creative mindset. There are always ways to distinguish yourself from others. It might mean you should go off the beaten track. But — as Daylr shows — it’s worth the effort!