Experts share branding wisdom at Festival of Fresh

Lorraine Fountain and Kyla Flynn from produce marketer Coregeo, John Heginbottom from potato brand Albert Bartlett, and Naomi Farmer from branding agency Brandbloom were on hand at Festival of Fresh last week to discuss the secrets to developing a successful brand.

Here, in no particular order, are some of the top tips they shared with the 250-strong festival audience in Evesham:

• When developing a brand, have something unique: you must bring something authentic that offers a point of difference.
• You have to put money behind brands: invest and be passionate about it.
• It is really important that you have a relationship with your customers.
• Social media allows you to have two-way, direct conversation with customers and find out what matters to them. 
• Brand value doesn’t just come from price – it is about the emotional connection the consumer has with the brand.
• Brand ambassadors offer valuable third-party endorsement. Think about the long-term partnership you could build with a brand ambassador.
• When building a brand, take it back to your strategy: think, what is it that you want to achieve?
• Don’t underestimate the power of packaging: people know a product by its package. Just sticking on a logo doesn’t cut it.
• A brand is everything you think and feel in relation to a service.
• Your brand doesn’t have to be the product: it could be a concept that covers multiple products.
• You need a campaign so you can tell your story.
• When building a brand, do your research early. Own your narrative. Have a strategy then stick to it and invest in it. And be patient.

Festival of Fresh 2024 was hosted by Nationwide Produce and took place at Evesham United Football Club on 13 June.