Touch points. A closed circle in permanent move.

Touch points. More precisely the points in which the brand touches the public( stakeholders). The public interacts with the brand through senses. Touch points plus public equal brand world, Simple and didactical, the brand is the sum of perceptions created by these 3 factors: public, touch points and senses. The public can be: shareholders, employees, clients/ consumers, providers, authorities, society( civil), etc

The ways of acting, those touch points, we can imagine them placed in a circle, in which middle there is the brand and they belong to three main categories: verbal identity, visual identity, and communication. And these are, one at a time, verbal identity: name, slogan, language.

Visual identity logo, applications of the identity: packaging, systems of information and orientation, environment, exhibitions, etc. Communication: brand literature, sales literature, p.o.s.m., print, outdoor, tv, radio, csr, viral, e-medial, events.

If we accept the brand’s definition that states that the brand is the sum of perceptions on a product, service, than, through everything that was stated before, we see that these perceptions are realized through the means of these touch points that the brand has with its’ public. On the other side, a product or a service can become a brand if its creation and management take into consideration the 3 concept: constancy, coherence, and homogeneity.

These apply to all those touch points that are necessary to the product or service to become, in time, a brand. Constancy: the brand manifests in time using the same message. Coherence: the brand manifests in time, constantly, using the same verbal and visual identifiers that communicate the message. Homogeneity: the brands manifests in time, constantly and coherently, using all its touch points, the same message and verbal and visual identity.

In order for the brand to be-lets easily and inappropriate say-“popularized” it need its description: vision, essences, values, attributes, personality, tone of voice. All these will transmit through the means of the touch points, addressing to the public’s senses, acting in time constantly, coherently, homogeniously , to gain notoriety. Basically, these touch points are a closed circle because only these and not more can ensure the relationship with the public.

In permanent movement because of the market factors( consumers and competition mainly). The management’s role, the consultants’ and designers’ is to create and recreate accordingly with the market to ensure the viability and freshness of the brand. The circle closes completely when all these are describes in Brand Standards, the usage and execution guide, the brand’s Bible.

These touch points are important because they ensure the perception one might have on a brand. That is why it is necessary to cover all the possibilities of creating perceptions and notoriety. Anywhere we have a group of consumers-or the public- the brand must be present . In love and war, it is said, all weapons are allowed,. In branding all are indicated.