Branding is a subject that comes up time and time again over here, and this specific subject isn’t one to skim past. When it comes to brand, we actually have a fair amount of responsibility when considering the information we’re sharing through our business outlets.
For example, if you build houses – but then 4 or 5 times a week you put content up online about dog houses, I think your customer base or online audience is going to get a little bit confused.
“Who the Hell is this guy? Does he build people houses or dog houses? I don’t even know what he does… I’ll just look elsewhere.”
You feel me? When we’re sharing what we do, we really need to be sure that it’s in line with what we’ve told the public that we do in the past, and we also need to make sure it’s in line with what we want to do for our clients.
This is proper use of branding – don’t be lazy, diversify if you need to.
What do I mean by this?
Well, for myself this has been an uphill battle since I stared – and that’s okay. This is a long game that we all play in business. But the important thing is that we’re trying new things, following our guts and adjusting course as necessary.
When I started this business, it was weddings and music videos. It was photos of bands and some headshots here or there. It was videos for the Canada Summer Games and for the Performing Arts Centre.
Then I was making content for Emancipation Day – and even sharing artistic landscapes and random dumb shit that I was doing. All on the, what was then titled, Ashcroft Media Co. socials and website.
This changed when I started hanging around an abstract artist. He got me thinking about what it means to have my given name attached to everything that I do, and what the difference between the commercial world and the art world was.
I was stuck in a loop of being afraid to express myself in certain ways, because it may not attract the ideal customer base. I mean, if I make content for small businesses, then why am I sharing this video of giving my girl some presents or the random artsy landscapes. “What does this guy even do?”
Well, this is what I landed on. Over the course of the past several years, I’ve been developing the separation between brands – and it finally seems to have come to a head.
I have 3 brands. I have Ashcroft Bros, which is just for laughs. It’s YouTube vids which also get repurposed into Reels for Instagram and Facebook. We film our adventures and builds – this is pure self-expression.
The intention of this brand is to document the lives of my brother and I, share it online – and either teach folks what we know, or have them at the very least laugh at our misfortunes.
Then I have Jay Ashcroft. This is my personal brand. Anything that is me goes on there. It’s the home for my artsy landscapes, film photo work, my philosophy and spirituality writing – and any thoughts I have as a human being.
Then of course we have four32 MEDIA – a digital content creation outlet which allows businesses to put myself, Jon Lepp and a few other creative subcontractors into the boxes that they need us to go into.
We come up with strategies and content creation schedules that help businesses achieve their goals – we use photography, videography and creative writing.
Now, because I’ve been able to separate and organize my creativity, I’m endlessly fulfilled and there’s no concern for confusion amongst the clients or potential clients that see what I share online.
What you see is what you get.
Now, what about you? Are you struggling to find the best way of organizing what you share online? I’d strongly suggest diversifying your brands. Create outlets that best describe and organize the things that you do, and then place said things in those categories.
It’s a slow burn, and it takes years to dial it in – but get started today and the pieces will line up in no time. Be patient, start small – and know that whatever you feed to the general public via your creative marketing outlets inevitably becomes your brand.
No matter what industry you’re in, everyone who is in business should be doing this.
As always, if you’d like to chat more about this kind of stuff, I’m always around.
To Your Success,
Jay Ashcroft
four32 MEDIA
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