Brand Verification Beyond the Blue Checkmark
How are you protecting your brand’s identity?
Let’s talk about verification. It’s the recognition all brands are striving to achieve to prove their authenticity and legitimacy. We’ve become accustomed to seeing a visual symbol in the form of a ‘little blue check mark’ on digital platforms that indicates a brand is the real deal. If you’re a smaller brand or start-up company, you may have faced challenges trying to verify your profile through a platform’s verification request process.
Image Sources: Google & Instagram
The truth is, protecting your brand’s identity and integrity should be a priority beyond a digital space, too. It’s why we trademark logos and establish brand style guides. Recently, everyone’s favorite ketchup, Heinz, has figured out a way to verify their brand with a packaging label that calls out imposters in the most ingenious way.
Image Source: VML
In 2023, Heinz Tomato Ketchup modified their ketchup bottles in Turkey to add a red border around their iconic label that is the exact same shade of the ketchup inside the bottle. Why is this simple design modification so incredibly effective? Because the brand realized restaurants were refilling Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottles with off-brand ketchup, tricking consumers into thinking they were enjoying the real thing even though it wasn’t at all the same. By color-coding the label of the bottle to match their ketchup, Heinz discovered a way to verify their product with that ‘little blue check mark’ in a tangible way.
What strategies does your brand take to protect its authenticity and legitimacy? Registering trademarks, establishing clear and comprehensive brand guidelines, and maintaining visual consistency across all touchpoints are some of the most effective strategies brands can deploy to safeguard their branding. It takes time, effort, and effective marketing to build positive consumer perceptions and brand recognition – protect it!