Civilization is evolving, people of the Indus valley civilization start identifying their livestock and cattle through marks they put on them with burning metal. They brand them. The etymology of 'brand' lies in 'brandr,' an Old Norse word which has been a concept for 4000 years now. Of course, branding as a process has evolved into an intricate art that involves multiple other processes but at the core, it still remains the ownership of representation of what you do. It has evolved from branding products with a hot iron to brand the idea behind what you do.
This is not news to most (at least within the industry). As the industry took form, many became a part- as professionals who devised their own methodologies and processes to become the cornerstones for the industry.
Branding was not the only industry flourishing. In fact, with other industries flourishing and multiple contenders fighting for their market share, it became difficult for an average consumer to differentiate between products and services. Marketing was a way to tell people about the offerings, but every business out there was doing their own monkey trick for the attention which lasted as long as the performance. There was a need for a process, the effect of which lasted longer than a tactic. Hello, branding.
Today, there are multiple agencies functioning around the globe, giving rise to the need for branding service providers to brand themselves. Let's know about what unique provision Slangbusters have for you.
The gap in the industry
We started branding before we branded our own studio. During this process, we realized the good, bad and the ugly of the industry. When we looked at local competitors and the industry giants, we found an absence of communication or overuse of industry jargon; in both cases, a compromised situation of healthy communication between the professionals and clients. By providing our clients with the basics, for instance, understandable language while explaining them the process, it was new to them. What every potential client had experienced with other branding prospects was a jargonized approach coming from either MBA graduates or people who crammed them up to 'sound professional'.
This was creating two situations for us- distrust from people who were conditioned with the industry practice of jargon to feel professional. For the rest, extreme awe from the fact that now, the process of branding their own idea was not Greek to them.
We also found that a lot of other branding agencies were unfocused- they claimed to give out 360-degree solutions that include branding, marketing, and advertising. This added to the biggest misconception about the industry- that it is as same as marketing and advertising.
Slangbusters philosophy and process
While firms were outsourcing branding, marketing and advertising communications to one such agency, they were keeping themselves bereft of their own brand, making sure there wasn't an ounce of their passion, their vision, the mission in their brand.
In these cases, brands became what most see - the tip of an iceberg. Now without a strong base, we all know what happens with the iceberg, it floats wherever the current goes, without purpose.
When we devised the Slangbusters branding process, we took into consideration this and everything else to customize the process for the gap that we found and wanted to fill. We eliminated all jargon for a clear understanding of branding. So much so that to simplify the concept, we wrote a story.
Why dejargonize (but we don't hate jargon)
Like most things that have lasted for generations and have stood the test of time, jargon too, has a purpose. Within the industry, it makes it easier for professionals to communicate without using a lot of words, saving time and adding proficiency. Every profession, trade, industry, a transactional sphere has its own set of jargon that smoothens the process.
Outside the industrial sphere, the function of jargon reverses. Instead of efficiency in communication, it adds confusion and chances of miscommunication.
Imagine making sense out of a conversation between musicians, conversing with lingo that goes,
"play D sharp"
"No, C minor would sound better"
Now, imagine not having this lingo
"No, play ting ting and then ding"
"I think ting ding ting would sound better"
Efficiency is clearly lost here.
Clearly, the writer at Slangbusters is not a musician.
At Slangbusters, jargon is used within the studio for efficiency, with industry peers and while networking, but never otherwise.
Fundamentals in timelessness
Branding is not a week-long process. One of the essential reasons behind why it takes the time that it does that it is a process for creating brands that have the strength to outlive not only multiple generations but the business itself. The fundamental here lies at timelessness.
With every design that goes out of our studio, we have made sure timeless principles have been applied. One entire phase dedicated to core research and insights enables that along with timelessness, it remains relevant to current and forthcoming times.
Slangbusters 'studio'
The fact that we went against the basic theory of keywords and named ourselves 'Slangbusters Branding Studio' instead of an agency, was an intentional move to make the workplace reflective of what the CBO, Nihar Bhagat had in his mind.
A studio, by definition, is where creatives work. An agency is a business that provides a service. It would not be out of the boundaries of the definition of an agency, but it does not suffice the amount of creation that happens in this space.
A participative approach
Apart from the timelessness as a fundamental for the approach that we take on while we brand businesses, another nucleus lies at participation. We are strictly against outsourcing the project. When a client comes to Slangbusters with a business idea, it is not the last time they hear of us before the final presentation of the brand. We involve the client in each and every stage of the brand creation- not in an annoying manner, but a participative one.
This practice made sure that the brand reflects, to the best, your idea, and your vision, ensuring the strength and timelessness that it deserves.
The people of Slangbusters
Just like any community, group, entity, business, it is made of the people that are a part of it. Slangbusters are slang-busters, they are young, passionate and unabashed experimentators. We could have deemed us a lab instead of a studio but then, fortunately, our writer was not involved in the naming process of Slangbusters.
The world is in dire need of good brands and we are here to fulfill that need. Contact us to know how we can help you, or maybe for a cup of coffee over the slangs you want to bust. We're game if you're game.
— by Manas, Content Strategist, Slangbusters Studio
