If you’ve been reading my blog for a while it’ll probably be no surprise that I’m a big fan of Cath Kidston. Between Dani (our lovely Account Exec) and I we must own half the shop. And whilst I accept that she’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I can’t get enough of her cheery colours and fun patterns.
That’s the point about powerful brands isn’t it? They divide people. Cath Kidston isn’t about ‘blending in’ (although design snobs might argue that she’s so mainstream that this is exactly what she does). Whilst some may respond in a ‘couldn’t care less’ fashion, others fall completely, utterly in love. And for me, that’s the sign of a powerful brand. Creating something that people respond to with their hearts and their guts is a sure fire way to success.
Cath Kidston inspires me to create brands for our clients that are confident in their style and fun in character. In colour psychology terms Cath Kidston is pure Spring. Fun, creative, warm, inspiring and young. It’s about adding a splash of colour and vintage charm to your day. And I love it!
Design is a core part of Cath Kidston’s brand: from the vintage inspired patterns through to the colour palettes they work with and the stunning shop interiors. But the brand is about more than that. Walk into any Cath Kidston shop and you’re engulfed in the experience. It’s the same with the website and all of their printed communication. You can just feel the essence of the brand oozing out of every pore and if you’re a fan, it can be intoxicating.
So what can small businesses learn from Cath Kidston?
Be bold! Build a business around something you love, something that inspires you and something you’re passionate about and stay clear in your focus.
Develop your product range beyond one pattern! Build a range that complements and contrasts rather than looking too samey. My house is certainly not head to toe Cath Kidston, but I get away with using quite a lot because of the vast range of pattern and product. Which leads me nicely on to…
Be open minded about the product you sell. Cath Kidston is a lifestyle store. You can buy almost anything for your home, children or yourself. The broad product range maximises the brands appeal and means that it works for both gift and personal purchases. I think many small businesses could think much bigger about their product range in order to broaden their market and make shopping with them more exciting.
Don’t think that fun and bright means that you won’t be taken seriously. The Cath Kidston brand is fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but that doesn’t mean that consumers don’t take the business seriously. By allowing the brand personality to shine through the brand identity (colours, typography etc) Cath Kidston is a brand consumers can fall in love with. And given their stratospheric success in the past few years, it seems I’m not the only one to think so…
