Why is Branding Important? Key Lessons from KIJO’s Work with EAST STUFF
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Building a distinctive brand is undoubtedly a critical part of business success. For marketing managers and business owners, brand identity is not just about aesthetics. It’s about establishing trust, creating memorable experiences, and resonating deeply with target audiences.
When EAST STUFF, a provider of luxury hotel amenities, partnered with KIJO to refresh their brand, the results demonstrated the power of a strategic rebrand. It elevated their market position, engagement, and customer loyalty. We thought this would be a great opportunity to help answer that all important question: “Why is branding important?”. In this article, we explain why grasping the importance of branding is key to business growth and success.
Related Read: The EAST STUFF Case Study
Why is Branding Important?
The importance of branding cannot be underestimated. Brand identity serves as the foundation of a company’s image and sets expectations for customers before they even engage with the product. A strong identity combines visuals, messaging, and user experience to create a cohesive narrative that resonates with the target audience. For luxury, niche brands like EAST STUFF, it’s especially important for this narrative to communicate exclusivity, quality, and sophistication. These are the elements that set them apart in a crowded market.
If they don’t understand the importance of branding, businesses risk alienating customers, undercutting trust, and blending into a saturated marketplace. A lack of clarity in branding can leave users uncertain about what a brand represents, ultimately leading them to competitors with more defined identities. For EAST STUFF, an outdated website with mismatched colours and complex navigation was affecting customer engagement and limiting conversions. The brand needed to shift from a cluttered, outdated look to one that resonated with the luxury hotel industry and its specific clientele.
The Impact of EAST STUFF’s Outdated Brand
EAST STUFF’s original branding relied on a lime green accent colour paired with a futuristic font. This was an uninspired combination that failed to convey a sense of luxury. Instead, it came across as cheap and overly garish. Compounding the issue, the logo mark — a Chinese symbol — suffered from legibility challenges, while the colour palette fell short of accessibility standards. When tested, it failed to meet readability requirements for both large and small text.
This misaligned branding not only alienated EAST STUFF’s target audience but also excluded individuals with accessibility needs. Such outdated and inaccessible branding hinders a brand’s growth, undermines its credibility, and limits its potential for success.
When branding is not prioritised, businesses can face numerous challenges, such as:
- Misalignment with Market Expectations: If a brand’s visuals or messaging do not align with the market, it becomes harder to attract and retain the desired audience. EAST STUFF’s previous lime-green, futuristic design missed the mark for the luxury sector. In this case, the visuals and user experience were detracting from EAST STUFF’s offerings and their market standing.
- Reduced Conversions and Customer Engagement: Outdated branding can deter users from engaging with a website, leading to lower conversion rates. A confusing website structure and a lack of visual appeal resulted in high bounce rates for EAST STUFF. A brand that doesn’t feel premium can prevent even interested users from engaging deeply with content or purchasing.
- Inconsistent User Experience: A scattered user experience leads to frustration. EAST STUFF’s old website, with a massive and convoluted mega menu, hindered user navigation and made it challenging to find products quickly. For brands that want to stand out, the UX should feel as polished and inviting as the products themselves.
How KIJO Revitalised EAST STUFF’s Brand & Experience
To help EAST STUFF reposition itself as a luxury guest amenities leader, KIJO crafted an entirely new brand image. This image felt cohesive, refined, and accessible. The approach focused on three main areas:
1. Establishing a Luxury-Focused, Visual Identity
KIJO’s design team curated an elegant colour scheme of jaguar green and bronze paired with a compass-inspired logo. The compass icon not only symbolised the brand’s global reach, but also introduced a timeless elegance. This felt authentic and unique. These choices conveyed exclusivity and sophistication from the first impression.
Related Read: The EAST STUFF Case Study
2. Creating an Intuitive, Customer-Centric User Experience
The team crafted a sitemap that prioritised straightforward user journeys to reach the products. Specifically, we introduced product categories to the homepage. We also reduced the amount of clicks a user needed to make to reach individual products. This made the experience as intuitive as possible. This redesign not only improved customer satisfaction but also increased conversions by helping users find products more easily and quickly. In user testing, ease-of-navigation ratings improved by 17%, with 70% of users successfully finding the desired product.
3. Improving Accessibility for Broader Reach
Accessibility is crucial for luxury brands, as it communicates that all customers, regardless of needs, are welcome. The new design and brand colours scored AAA in accessibility tests. This enhances the brand’s appeal to a wider audience and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Why Develop Your Branding With an Agency Like KIJO?
For businesses aiming to build or refresh a brand, working with an experienced agency brings critical expertise. Namely in strategy, design, and UX. KIJO’s holistic approach allowed EAST STUFF to reimagine their brand identity. This has elevated their market positioning and they are now delivering an experience that truly resonates with their audience. Here’s what partnering with a dedicated agency like us can deliver:
- Strategic Branding and Market Positionin: An agency provides a fresh perspective on how your brand can stand out in its market. KIJO’s team tailored EAST STUFF’s branding to better fit the luxury hospitality industry. We did so by using colours, typography, and icons that instantly communicate quality and exclusivity.
- Conversion-Driven Design: A professional agency like us understands how to create designs that are not only attractive but also functional. We boost conversions through strategic UX and comprehensively branded designs.
- Consistency Across Touch Points: From visuals to messaging, an agency ensures your brand maintains coherence across platforms. This reinforces trust and recognisability among your customers.
Ready to Transform Your Brand?
For businesses looking to make a lasting impression, KIJO offers the expertise and vision needed to craft a brand that is both beautiful and functional. Working with us leads to stronger engagement, brand loyalty, and conversions.
If you’re ready to elevate your brand to resonate deeply with your audience and distinguish yourself in a competitive landscape, reach out to the team at KIJO. With a dedicated approach to design, branding, and user experience, we can bring your vision to life.
Book a Complimentary Consultation with KIJO’s Head of Partnerships
Need expert guidance on your next digital project? Book a complimentary, 30-minute consultation with our Head of Partnerships & Co-Founder, Kirk Thompson. Let’s bring the vision of your brand to life—book your free consultation via the link below:
