I’m a firm believer that creativity sparks inspiration, and vice versa. As a branding expert, I know how important it is to have a team that can help you brainstorm ideas, define the true purpose and architecture of your brand, and give you the space to explore outside-the-box solutions.
One of my favorite ways to do this is by using the Triple E framework. It’s an easy way to think about how to develop a strong brand strategy—and it’s also what I use with my clients every day.
So let’s dive into this introduction of the Triple E framework, which is starting to sound like a breakfast cereal!
What is the Triple E Framework
The Triple E Framework is a three-step process to help navigate the process of effectively developing a brand that connects you with your customers as well as employees. Whether you are just getting started or want to deliver a game-changing brand strategy update, the framework is designed with a modular approach to help you regardless of where you are in your branding journey.
Interested in a summary overview of the Triple E Framework? You can access it here.
Understanding market trends, regulatory environments, target customers, employee perceptions, competitive landscape, assessment of current business strategy and positioning
Translating insights and opportunities into the brand foundation, business strategy alignment, including visual and verbal identity
Defining impact on business, employees, customers, existing activities and developing a plan to roll-out and launch the new or updated brand
Explore: Understanding of insights and brand DNA
The Explore phase is about understanding the market landscape, your target customers (existing and new), employee perceptions, and competitive landscape—everything that helps you understand the context of your brand strategy.
In this phase, we focus on information gathering and gaining insights into the beliefs and motivators of customers (existing and new), employees, current business, and the surrounding landscape. It also helps us figure out how much of a gap there is between where we are now and where we want to go.
As you move through this phase, keep in mind that it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers. It can be a powerful insight into new discoveries.
Expand: Expanding brand DNA, positioning, and narrative
In the Expand phase, we translate the insights and enrichment opportunities from the Explore phase into the foundations of the brand. In this phase, we continue to leverage team diversity and brainstorming sessions to uncover ideas that help shape and define our true purpose and architecture. We expand on our brand DNA, positioning, and narrative.
Outputs of this phase [can] include your brand: archetype, essence, persona, attributes, narrative, promise, and creative principle.
When you’ve reached the third phase of my brand strategy framework, Evolve, it’s time to put all that hard work into action and roll out your brand.
Evolve: Activating brand positioning
In this stage, you will look at finalizing the impact overview, implementation timeline with budget, and launch approach. Depending on the scope, you may be doing a stellar, go-big brand reveal or a phased update with only minor adaptations, or you may be somewhere in between the two.
It’s important to evaluate what is best for your business and make strategic decisions based on this. Once you’ve made those decisions, we’ll move forward with creating brand guidelines and implementing them across all of your visual, verbal, and product elements. We’ll also create an internal/external roll-out plan so everyone knows how things will be changing over time—and when! Finally, we’ll create a communications plan that lets everyone know how they can help spread the word about our new brand positioning and tell their friends about it too!
Through a well-crafted brand strategy, we have the power to transform businesses, inspire employees, and connect with customers on a deeper level – driving growth and creating meaningful impact in their lives. At nerd+chiq marketing, our approach is not only professional and confident but also empathetic. I love that we get to help life sciences companies craft informative, inspiring narratives that foster deep connections, making their brand voice not just heard, but felt. It’s a magnetic force that propels business growth, shapes employee branding, and fortifies customer loyalty.
Stephanie Bush, Chief Marketing Nerd at nerd+chiq marketing
Conclusion
The purpose of this structure is to help you validate the various pieces of your brand—to make sure that your overall brand strategy is meaningful and effective. I encourage every team I work with to use a structured approach like this one when they develop their branding programs, as it helps everyone stay on track and communicates what we’re striving for clearly and concisely.
Creating a brand is essential for any business looking to establish and maintain customer loyalty. By laying the proper groundwork with your company’s brand, you’ll be poised to take advantage of new opportunities as they appear.
Grab a summary of the Triple E Framework along with key outputs for each phase, here!
