The relationship between brand and company culture 

Lately, no matter where you look on the internet, it seems like every blog, Instagram post, or podcast is talking about “branding.” And if you work in marketing or digital media, the references are endless! 

For entrepreneurs, small business owners, social media influencers, and even celebrities, your brand is a huge part of your business. Even teenagers growing up in the social media era are obsessed with the “brand” they put forward online! 

But what does it all even mean?!! What is a brand? 

Some people may look at branding entirely from a visual perspective: which colours, fonts, and filters are you using? 

Others may look at the language you use to describe yourself. Are you a content creator? A tech entrepreneur? Do you prefer to be called a “startup” rather than a “small business?” 

Branding could also be how you present yourself as an entrepreneur or business. In the widely-shared words of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

But branding isn’t just external-facing. Your brand doesn’t have to stop at marketing or what the outside world sees. 

At Digital 55, we believe that our brand is also a part of our culture as a company. Internal, external, visual, digital … every touchpoint in our process is a reflection of who we are and how we work with people. Our brand narrative is as much about our art background and future retro influence as it is about the products we create, the relationship we have with our clients, and the way we work as a team. 

The product is the brand

For Digital 55, establishing our brand started with our founder, Lauralee, tapping into her roots as a musician and artist. Leaning into art, music, and film became foundational influences to the tech products she began creating. This intersection of art and tech became an essential brand component and a unique approach in the “eLearning” space, where it had never really been done before. It also attracted interesting talent and collaborators who were as passionate about where creative and tech meet in terms of experience and learning design.

This approach of experience design thinking—incorporating art practices—is innovative in the digital learning space and has allowed us to disrupt what learning means. Our products stand out because they incorporate many modalities but not just for the sake of having many modalities. We work in a storytelling and content design capacity to inform what modalities will be the most meaningful. It could be audio, video, immersive design systems, and interactives that will make that particular learning experience digestible, approachable and fun. 

At Digital 55, we believe everything is a learning experience and by combining art with technology, we are able to create next level digital experiences (ask our clients; they will tell you!). 

The client is the brand

But our branding doesn’t stop there. 

Internally, we think of our clients as collaborators. It’s important to us that our clients are not just signing off on a product or a phase, but that they are actively involved in the process and the outcome. This way of working and creating together builds trust between us, helps us push products to the next level, and also offers an experience they would not get with another company.

We often joke that nurturing a relationship with your clients is a lot like you’re dating. The first meeting is like a first date, where everyone is on their best behaviour and wanting to make a good impression. But over time, that trust is formed and you may find yourself willing to be more vulnerable and put yourself out there creatively in order to get to the best possible outcome. And just like in relationships, there can be crunchy times when everything is under pressure (yes, David Bowie quote included), and receiving feedback can be uncomfortable, too.

That’s why our brand is not just about the contract and the output, but the experience of working together and nurturing client relationships and meaningful collaborations. And after that trust is there, you realize you really are building a future together, one epic digital experience at a time.

The team is the brand

Just like the way we collaborate with our clients, we nurture strong relationships with our team and talent. Because we operate with a decentralized model, including not only key collaborators but also remote workers, we’ve had to create a workplace culture that supports that dynamic and non-traditional model. 

Through Slack channels, ongoing email communication, and frequent face-to-face meetings, as well as a new office hub, all these things have helped keep those relationships strong. Although it is always best to start with curation when hiring and bringing on talent, whether on retainer or on a project-by-project basis.

These team members also share a background of art, music, film, ethnography and social justice and culture-based interests that contribute to the nature of the work we create. The trust that is cultivated with this complex team is intrinsic to our brand and is just as important to the experience of working together as their resume (if not moreso!).

When you’re an entrepreneur or a small business owner, the lines between who you are and what your company does tend to blur—and rightfully so. It’s no surprise then that when it comes to branding your business, it’s about your personal values, the connection you share with your team, and the relationships you build with your clients. And we can all agree that a great design system that is Instagram-worthy doesn’t hurt either!