What makes a good female brand iconic?

When we look at iconic female brands, there are five key things that have allowed them to be so successful: having a brand story, consistency, maintaining a connection with their target market, a great product or service, and strong values.  Any company can learn from the biggest and best in the female business world.

Let’s look at these key points and read more about female ‘brand-spiration’:

Female Iconic Brands Have A Story To Tell

All brands have a story to tell – everyone has a story and the way this is communicated is sometimes the key differentiator to market share leadership (called Brand Distinction) or standing out from the competition (called Brand Differentiation). Over the years, the details and build-up of the story can keep top brands front of mind.

The ultimate story of love, friendship and sacrifice from the Harry Potter brand inspires us all, and with over 20 years since Warner Brothers acquired the rights to the Harry Potter series, the Harry Potter brand of the female author and entrepreneur J.K. Rowling has grown into eight blockbuster movies, Universal Studio theme parks, a line of merchandise and the Wizarding World franchise.

Female Iconic Brands Have Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

Great brands consistently provide good products and services, and are also consistent in their interactions with consumers.  The brand’s visual identity, colour palette, message, tone and design rules should be distinctive and recognisable.  The ultimate goal is to be identifiable and elicit an emotional connection without using words.

Oprah Winfrey is the perfect example of being distinctive,  recognisable, and identifiable. Her most popular venture and one of the longest-running programmes “The Oprah Winfrey Show” has remained consistent for a total of 25 years, making her virtually identifiable on a global scale,  instantly.

Female Iconic Brands  Form Connections

Consistency, combined with a good story, results in a connection with the target audience.  Often emotional and irrational, this connection  cements brand loyalty and not necessarily for the best product in the marketplace, either

American research professor Brene Brown has built an amazing connection and brand loyalty with her audience, becoming famous from a 2010 TED talk called ‘The Power of Vulnerability’. From this connection, she has successfully authored six #1 New York Times bestselling books and filmed a lecture for Netflix, with a soon to be released HBO Max series ‘Atlas of the heart’

Female Iconic Brands Offer Great Products Or Services

It is impossible to build a good reputation without quality products or services. A common mistake brands make is neglecting product innovation and quality, simply to  focus on projecting a cool and aspirational image, that is superficial and lacklustre, at best.

British businesswoman, human rights and environmental activist Anita Roddick was best known for her ethical beauty product business “The Body Shop”. Not only do they live up to the reputation of producing an extensive range of ethical and sustainable products, they also constantly look for ways to adapt, innovate, and ensure the high-quality standards are being maintained, leaving a brand legacy behind long after her death.

Female Iconic Brands Have Strong Brand Values

Brand values define a brand’s essence and provide rules for your brand to live by.  They are crucial in building an authentic and trustworthy brand. Employees should endeavour to uphold brand values in ALL interactions with consumers.

When it comes to authenticity and values, Oscar Winner Angelina Jolie is more than your average household brand in the entertainment industry. Angelina’s bold, honest, and brave image sets the scene for  her humanitarian work with the UNHCR creating a  strong global following.

More than 30% of businesses in Australia are under female ownership, with Australia currently in the top 10 global markets for female business owners. For aspiring women entrepreneurs, the starting point to a successful business is branding.

You might know what a brand IS, but what does a brand DO? Understanding this makes the difference in creating a good female brand. This is where an experienced expert can help you develop an authentic and iconic brand that  is distinctive in your marketplace.

Stella Gianotto is a branding expert, who has personally developed over 1000, leading to wide ranging recognition including Best Brand Agency 2019 with one of the brands gaining airtime on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Stella is passionate about making branding accessible and understandable for women in business and aspiring female entrepreneurs.

Contact Stella a Brand for Brands to get started today.