Defining a brand

9/3/2025

Making a good first impression is undoubtedly vital in job interviews, dinner with potential in-laws, and applying for a loan. However, when it comes to making a business a success, it is often the lasting impression that matters most. And that lasting impression is created through a company’s brand.

“A brand is a set of visual assets, stylistic choices, and other resources that combine to form a cohesive image,” according to Adobe For Business. The article, “Building a brand — a step-by-step guide,” offers suggestions on creating a brand and emphasizes, “A brand is more than a logo, name or slogan. It could include almost anything that contributes to your company’s reputation — like the tone used in your messaging or the dress code for your employees. The various ways you’re perceived by the public is your brand.”

 

Nostalgic treats and more

“Experience homestyle bliss with Nan’s Nummies — Unforgettable cookies baked with love and tradition.” 

With a slogan like that, you would be right in guessing that Nan’s Nummies, 501 Elm St., in the Valley Junction, West Des Moines, is going to serve up the treats associated with grandmothers and memories. Afterall, what takes one back to simpler times more quickly than memories of grandma’s kitchen? 

Crystal McLemore, owner and operator of Nan’s Nummies, brings back memories of delicious snacks and the warm comforts of home by branding her bakery with nostalgia.

In March 2023, McLemore bought Nan’s Nummies after being an employee of the company for some time. When she took over, the bakery had not yet developed a logo or made many branding efforts. 

McLemore wanted to develop an image that was simple and spoke to what she offered the community, so she worked for a few days with a digital designer and created a logo of a cookie with a bite taken out of it and basic lettering, all in a round shape like a cookie. 

The mood she seeks to create — and the desserts she makes in the bakery — all aim to make a customer feel like he or she is getting cookies and sweets like Grandma would make and a down-home sensation that puts the customer at ease.

“The cookies we have are the old-fashioned kind, not the giant, crazy $5 cookies some businesses sell,” McLemore says. “We also sell saltwater taffy, candy cigarettes and many other candies you would expect at a nostalgic candy shop.”

McLemore takes her branding to the design inside her bakery, too. Much of the décor around Nan’s Nummies comes from a nostalgic candy store in the Wisconsin Dells. From the signs around the room to the jars that hold the candies, nostalgic touches can be found throughout the bakery. 

“The prior owner got the décor and placed it around the bakery, and since it went well with the theme I wanted, we kept it,” McLemore states. 

McLemore says she wants customers to have good experiences in her bakery, an establishment that may be deemed “on the cheaper side.” 

“I want it that way,” she explains. “If kids are out and about, I want them to feel like they can come in and get a cookie without worrying about it costing too much.” 

If a stop at Grandma’s house is impossible, then Nan’s Nummies can be a close second choice.

Employees at Nan’s Nummies are not held to a strict dress code, nor do they have a uniform to wear. They are always behind the counters, so customers can easily identify them. Maintaining a more casual atmosphere inside the bakery allows customers to feel at home and comfortable. A smaller establishment, Nan’s Nummies has only 10 employees including McLemore. A small staff and home-sized interior add to the grandma’s kitchen or old-fashioned candy store vibe, a reminder of simpler times.

McLemore continues to make strides in her branding and reaching a broader customer base. She places stickers with her logo on her order boxes and is sure to include the logo on the flyers she creates online. 

 

A culture of nice

“Serving up more than just hot and fresh food. We create a dining experience that hits all the right notes.” 

This is the message B-Bop’s, known for its double drive-thrus and “classic burgers, fries, shakes and more,” shares on its website.

“We offer great food and service,” B-Bop’s owner, Bob Johnson, says. “We try to make everything fast and fresh.” 

The brand has grown in popularity since its launch 37 years ago. Recently a store was built in Cedar Rapids, and more are planned for that area, he says.

“People have supported us very, very well, from our first store on Euclid Avenue,” Johnson says. 

With its iconic hamburger-shaped logo and store fronts featuring the same general look, B-Bop’s is easily recognized along a street of businesses. The look has endured over the decades, making the logo and storefronts as classic as the menu. That branding has provided the company easy recognition and a sense of familiarity. 

Customers know exactly what they will get regardless of which B-Bop’s they visit, and that consistency has been key to building the company’s brand, Johnson says. Each location must be managed with the same standards in mind.

“They must be consistent with the brand. Managers cannot do it differently,” Johnson says. “If they do, they can’t work for me anymore.”

However, with that said, B-Bop’s has had more success than most fast-food endeavors with keeping turnover low. 

“We have managers working for us 35 years,” Johnson says, adding that the company’s culture of being “nice” — to its employees and its customers — is an important aspect of its brand.

“We treat all our people — from the kid who just started today to the manager working for us for 35 years — with respect,” Johnson says. “We do the very best for them and for the customers.” 

That kind of work culture and customer service is not just a reflection of the B-Bop’s culture, but also a reflection of who Iowans are, he says.

“This is Iowa, and we are proud to be here in Iowa,” he says.

Building the foundation

“Buying and selling your home is a big deal. Invite our team of experts in so that you leave the closing table with success.” 

Trust and expertise are emphasized on the Pennie Carroll and Associates website. And that isn’t by accident.

Those qualities are part of the Pennie Carroll and Associates brand, which has been thoughtfully constructed.

“When I started in business, it was important to me to establish identity and trust and confidence — confidence as a new business owner and with the consumer,” Carroll says, adding that it all hinged on establishing a well-recognized brand.

“If you don’t have a brand established, you don’t have any business,” she says.

For that reason, Carroll prioritized getting her company’s brand right from the very start.

“It was one of my biggest investments… having a professional to guide and direct me on that brand, then layering on the marketing. Everything else just blossoms after that. A brand can speak to thousands you might never reach — that’s why brand is so important,” she adds.

The brand must be recognizable, and a variety of factors play a role, including the color, the font, the statement, the tagline and more, Carroll says.

She sums up the importance of her brand: “If someone took my brand away from me, I would have lost my identity.”

Once a clear brand is established, it needs to be incorporated in every way possible. Carroll extends the same look and message to continue her brand through apparel, marketing, advertising, events the company holds, drop-by gifts and more.

“It’s like a birthmark for your business,” Carroll says of a brand. And it should be included in anything related to a business. “You have to have that consistency. It will go miles you can’t begin to walk,” she says.

“The main takeaway is everything stems from it. It is the foundation for what the general public and customer see — and that builds the trust,” Carroll says. ♦