Over the years, marketing and advertising have transformed to become an intentional approach over an obligational approach. Today, consumers have become more aware of branding and the way a brand communicates itself via all platforms. This has forced brands to communicate in an intentional, yet strategic approach. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has also turned the tables for the marketing and advertising industry. As more employees are working from home, corporate messaging has transitioned to a more personal voice. Thus, brands require a comprehensive, consistent, and cohesive presence in today’s market.
Thriving through this shift, dfine Branding has been relentlessly providing its exclusive branding solutions to help companies grow their brand’s awareness and reach through new marketing initiatives. Established in 2012, the Denver CO headquartered branding agency aims to provide a team of branding experts specializing in specific areas to support full branding and marketing needs for its clientele under one roof. dfine Branding works with a daily mission to engage with passion and execute with pride, alongside its four key values of being bold, savvy, authentic, and vibrant.
Full-fledged Customized Solutions
In 2020, dfine Branding emphasized on in-house fulfillment, kitting, and drop shipping of materials and products it produces to deliver directly to recipients. These services have continually proven to be essential for the company for executing its clients’ projects in these uncertain times. Having specialized in providing these services since its inception and pivoting to this method differentiated dfine Branding from its peers – as it was the only tangible method to communicate with clientele and employees. While other companies were slow to execute services of this nature, dfine Branding’s team of seasoned experts was ready to execute custom-curated packages with intentional gifting, packaging, and messaging – all under one roof.
Collaborative and Relationship-driven Team
Alongside these customized solutions, having a 100% clientele referral rate helps dfine Branding stay ahead of the competition. It does not have any sales force as a majority of its clients come through referrals or seek out the company. dfine Branding believes that clients are in essence its sales force, thus it emphasizes on ensuring the quality of work and a good reputation with this approach and model. Furthermore, dfine Branding comprises a collaborative team. Its team employs experts in all areas from merchandizing to design, copywriting, print production, international distribution, and much more. Thus, this collaborative and relationship-driven team has been instrumental in dfine Branding’s growth over the years.
A Multifaceted and Ingenious Leader
dfine Branding’s team of astute professionals is led by Danna Simons (President and Lead Brand Manager at dfine Branding). Being a pre-law major, Danna’s introduction to the marketing and advertising industry was accidental. However, the ongoing gratitude and trust from dfine Branding’s clients, in addition to being surrounded by talented and creative individuals keeps her motivated and inspired.
As dfine Branding operates with very little importance on hierarchy, Danna manages multiple responsibilities such as sourcing merchandise ideas for clients, writing copy for client messaging, and Zooming with clients. She also handles roles such as packing and taping boxes for distribution, signing checks for the factories, and evaluating dfine’s current health insurance offering to the employees.
Under her leadership, dfine Branding has received the WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) certification. The company has been featured among the Top 100 Women-Owned Companies in Colorado by the ColoradoBiz Magazine from 2014 to 2020. It is also featured in the Top 250 Private Companies by the ColoradoBiz Magazine.
Pivoting to the Change
Typically, the lack of inventory with reduced staff at the production facilities –which delays order processing and production –is a major challenge faced by dfine Branding. Moreover, the pressure to set trends vs. follow trends is another challenge for the company. However, the pandemic brought more severe challenges due to the lockdown impositions.
dfine Branding had multiple factories close without notice, with no available contacts, leaving it with no updates on the production status. Some of its clients were in a panic as events and activities around the globe were halted. dfine, however, swiftly pivoted to these changes. “I am incredibly proud of my team. With only 30% of our clientele being in Denver, we are used to communicating digitally which definitely gave us an advantage during these uncertain times,” says Danna.
Besides these, the transition to remote working also posed numerous challenges for businesses across the world. dfine Branding’s initial reaction to remote working was a mix of uncertainty and anxiety, along with anticipation. Fortunately, the company was planning on moving to a remote working model in the second quarter of 2020. Thus, the transition to remote working was executed with a proactive approach. “They say timing is everything, and for this circumstance, the timing was right in line with our plan,” adds Danna.
Leveraging the Trends
Having successfully led dfine Branding since its inception, Danna believes that virtual connections, individual approach, and intentional messaging will be the three trends that will drive the future of marketing and advertising. Firstly, she believes that the mass transition to virtual meetings and events in 2020 is expected to continue even after the pandemic as companies have become experts in virtual operations and have seen the financial savings of non-essential travel. Preparing for the trend, dfine Branding has partners in place and several ideas for engaging and unique experiences that inspire participation through a virtual approach.
Secondly, gifting has transitioned to a more personal approach as numerous packages are being delivered directly to homes. Thus, thinking of how the recipients will be using the product for their homes and businesses is expected to make a greater impact on employees and customers. Lastly, Danna adds that intentional messaging will also be a key trend to embrace in the years to come. dfine Branding always puts the intention behind each design and product. Tying in messaging or sourcing products that support the clients’ mission and overall campaign – that provides a result that is impactful for recipients – has always been the goal for the company.
Also Read: The Top 10 Next-Gen Marketing & Advertising Agencies of 2022
