All cows look alike. That’s why ranchers brand them. In theory, all presentations look alike (as in they contain similar elements like text, graphs, charts and images) until companies brand them. Good branding is a powerful thing because it reinforces your brand’s values and meaning. Since presentations are an increasingly common way to communicate corporate information, they prove an important part of your overall branding strategy.
Templatation
A template is a pre-fabricated slide set that allows for a nice level of consistency throughout a presentation. A template, however, says little about your brand. Templates are tempting because they allow you, through little effort if you choose one of PowerPoint’s built-in designs, to tell everyone in your company where they can or cannot put elements on a slide. Creating your own slide set does not necessarily mean that you have anything more than an original template. A template is a good first step, but you’ll need to round up a few more answers before creating a branded presentation.
Say What You Mean
A branded presentation is simply one that thoroughly reflects your brand. When an audience sees a well-branded presentation, they understand implicitly what the brand is about. Essentially, a presentation should be an extension of your brand. Think of it as you would an advertisement or a product. If your company sells beach towels, you’re not (or shouldn’t) suddenly start manufacturing ranch dressing and expect your consumers to accept it without question. An audience should feel comfortable with your presentation and feel that it aligns with what they already know about your brand.
Branding Irons
When creating a branded presentation, you should first consider what your organization stands for and how you can best represent that concept. Many people think that branding entails simply sticking your logo on each slide. Think of your logo as a rancher’s branding iron; it’s an easy way to identify a slide as yours. There are many more subtle irons, however, that you should think about when designing a presentation. If you have a logo, then you probably have a color pallet that complements it. That pallet should also define the colors used in your slides. Choosing about 5 standard colors is usually a safe bet. Too few and your presentations will become visually boring; too many and you risk losing a consistent look. Font is another important element. If your company sells life insurance, crazy lettering is probably a bad choice. On the other hand, if you are funky, new PR firm, Times New Roman won’t convey your brand’s playful side well. The voice of your presentation – titles, headers, text – should also reflect your brand values. If your brand were a person, what would she say and how would she say it?
Consistency is Key
Whether you are detailing the new overtime policy for your employees or pitching a business idea to investors, your presentation should relate the same message about your brand. Once you’ve designed a branded presentation strategy, stick with it. By consistently reinforcing your brand meaning through this strategy, you will ensure that your audiences will easily recognize your brand as a cow of a different color.
