“Brands are more than fancy logos or clever slogans”
BRANDING
Thank you for visiting my website. My name is Brad Nix and I am a corporate and brand identity specialist with over 35 years working around the globe creating and enhancing brands for Fortune 100 companies. Over the past seven years, I have been focusing on combining the disciplines, expertise, and creativity attained working in the corporate world to help smaller firms realize the full impact of branding. I have also developed a successful and highly sought-after sub-specialty working with financial services companies.
Please take a look at my approach and reach out to me if you have any questions.
My approach is modular and includes:
Brand story and messaging
Development of a new name
Creation of a logo which adheres to branding standards
Implementation: brand inventory checklist and client journey mapping
Brand building is comprehensive and includes the following recommended modules:
Module 1:
DISCOVERY
Brand Jam Session: I will spend 2 – 3 hours at advisor’s offices, or via video conference call, to facilitate a discovery session where we will discuss the practice from a brand perspective. This is a great opportunity for me to experience your culture firsthand and spend time to gain practical insights into the people and the practice. This session is always of value.
Follow up Interviews: Occasionally, I will request follow up calls with participants to gain additional clarification from the session. These conversations are not time-consuming.
Client Survey: I will conduct a short telephone survey focusing on how clients perceive the practice. We will learn how they view the practices strengths and weaknesses. I will analyze results to help inform the brand positioning, messaging and story. The client survey will include 4 – 5 key questions. We will work from a representative list of clients assembled by you, 15 – 20. The analysis will fold into the work session report.
Brand Audit: I will review all current brand communications; including the Website and social media platforms to learn how the practice currently communicates and assess the degree to which the brand is being conveyed.
Positioning, Strategy & Story: Based on my learning from the above activities, I
will craft an overarching brand position; define the messaging that supports the positioning and write the brand story.
Work Session: I will schedule a one-hour video conference to review of the findings, insights and take the team through all of the brand recommendations. The result is a fully articulated brand positioning and story suitable for implementation.
Module 2:
NAMING
Name Development: Working with my outside team of naming specialists, we will develop a list of names using naming techniques that have been refined over 35 years of brand building. I will take all names through preliminary trademark screening for identical conflicts in the U.S. Federal trademark register before presenting a list of 10-12 name candidates. If necessary, I will conduct one additional round of tightly focused names based on your feedback.
Note: Full trademark registration will require a Trademark Attorney and I will assist with attorney recommendations.
Module 3:
LOGO DESIGN
Logo Development: I will develop a design brief that will serve as the basis for a creative exploratory. All designs will adhere to strict Ameriprise co-branding standards and allow for appropriate reviews and approvals.
The design exploratory will include up to 3 design concepts which typically include 8 – 10 logo candidates for review.
I will include one [1] round of additional design, color exploration and/or refinements, if required.
Final deliverable includes a complete suite of approved logo files for use in all formats.
Module 4:
IMPLEMENTATION
Getting Started Checklist: A comprehensive checklist to inventory your brand assets to begin converting to the new brand; the list is free and contains a complete To Do List and timetables for implementing the brand.
Project manage implementation and launch
Copywriting
Press Release
Brand video
FAQ
Oversight of updating website and social media
Oversight of updating collateral materials
Oversight of internal approvals
Module 5:
CLIENT JOURNEY
MAPPING
Journey Mapping Online Session: I will spend a 2 – 3 hours via video conference call with advisors to facilitate a comprehensive walk through of all client points of touch. This mapping session is broken down into four sections:
Pre-engagement – activities that occur before a prospect becomes a client
Engagement – activities that engage and vet a potential client
Onboarding – activities that bring a new client into the practice
Ongoing – activities that drive client satisfaction and build loyalty
This is a valuable exercise that allows you to map all of the important activities that take
place within your practice to attract, retain and grow clients. And to identify the key
client interactions that drive your practice and deliver the most value. You will gain an
overview perspective of how you are interacting with your prospects and clients; what you are doing well and where improvements can be made to enhance the client experience.
The result of is a fully documented client journey map, complete with insights and
recommendations that will highlight opportunities to better align your brand with the client experience across all point of touch.
BRAND EXPERIENCE
EXAMPLES OF CO-BRANDING
MUSINGS
About
Bradley Nix
Founder, Chief Brand Strategist
Private Practice Branding, LLC.
For more than 40 years, Brad has applied his skills to a variety of renowned brands around the world for such esteemed clients as Ameriprise, Kinecta Credit Union, Intrawest, Canyon Ranch, Japan Airlines, Honduran Ministry of Tourism, and the Country of Mexico.
Over the past decade, Brad has developed a unique private branding practice specifically for the financial advisory community. As a result, he is a highly sought-after consultant, coach and speaker for many prestigious financial services companies across the country. His talks on the importance of personal branding are widely respected and well received.
Brad was formally trained at Young & Rubicam in New York and was one of the initial Americans to join Dentsu/Young & Rubicam, the first Japanese-American joint-venture advertising agency, where he was responsible for global advertising initiatives for Colgate-
Palmolive, Kirin Brewery, Nikko Hotels, Mikimoto Pearls and Brooks Brothers.
Brad was also directly responsible for the creation of unique branding programs for the Girl
Scouts of the U.S.A. and the National Crime Prevention Council -- where he is credited with the
co-creation of McGruff, The Crime Dog, children’s’ campaign. Brad has also headed global accounts for Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Pepperidge Farm and Nabisco Brands.
Brad graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in psychology and honors in philosophy. He lives in Bay Hill, Florida, with his daughter, Lauren and their dog- Vonnegut.
