There are many aspects which can affect how customers perceive a brand. Uniforms can play a vital role in the next step towards strengthening the brand. Examples of organisations who are doing this well include Virgin Atlantic, Harrods and Transport for London.
The way your brand message can be conveyed through corporate clothing is powerful and often overlooked in an increasingly digital world, where face-to-face contact between a brand and its customers is dropping.
A 2015 study showed that 85% of consumers would still rather visit a physical retail store than shop online. This touchpoint is one of the strongest places to utilise uniforms and demonstrates the importance of human interaction with your customers.
Nike, for example, utilise messaging wonderfully throughout their retail and corporate uniforms, with many staff wearing t-shirts reading ‘Unlimited’ throughout the launch of their Serena Williams range of products.
Microsoft employees wore bright t-shirts reading ‘Dare to Live’ as they challenged members of the public to pit their existing mobile phones against the new Windows Phone.
When agreeing on the message to be used throughout your staff uniform, whether in the form of text or subliminal elements such as colour, there are several points to consider. This will help to ensure that your message is consistent and aligned with your brand.
Consider the audience that the message will be displayed to, as this can affect who will wear the uniform, and where. An identifiable company uniform will help to keep a consistent appearance. And familiarity is a major component of establishing a brand. This is also crucial if clients deal with different members of your team.
Ensure the message will help achieve your organisation’s goals, whether that be to drive sales, strengthen consumer trust, or spread the word about what you do for society.
Consult appropriate stakeholders and staff, as the individuals wearing the uniform, must also believe in the underlying message. Your staff must love the uniform for it to have the maximum impact, which we wrote about in a previous article.
Consider the quality, materials, colours and style of the uniform, as this can influence the perception consumers have of a brand.
A high-quality brand wouldn’t want to be poorly perceived by wearing a low-quality uniform. When approached correctly, uniform can play an important role in achieving excellent brand awareness and positive brand perception.
It always proves beneficial to partner with an experienced provider of workwear and corporate clothing, such as Focus Uniforms, who will take you through the steps to achieve maximum awareness and positive brand perception.