The importance of branding in learning & development

This blog on branding in learning & development was first published in October 2020, but has since been given a little refresh to make sure you’re in the know for all the latest branding and L&D advancements,

When most people think of branding, they picture a colour scheme, a prescribed font, and rules to ensure compliance. However, branding in Learning & Development is far more than just aesthetics – it’s a powerful tool that drives learner engagement, builds trust, and strengthens the identity of learning programmes.

So, what is a brand?

The Chartered Institute of Marketing describes a brand as: The set of physical attributes of a product or service, together with the beliefs and expectations surrounding it - a unique combination which the name or logo of the product or service should evoke in the mind of the audience.

Simply put: your brand is your identity. It’s what makes your target audience remember and relate to you and understand your offering.

So, why do brands matter for L&D?

Using branding in learning & development to build trust

A brand creates an easily recognisable ‘face’ to a company or product. And overtime, audiences begin to form an opinion about that brand. If they see the brand in a positive light, they’ll begin to trust the brand more. And eventually, they will trust in whatever product the brand releases. And isn’t that exactly what we want for L&D?

We want our audience to trust us. Trust the quality of our content. Trust that learning can have a beneficial impact on their future. And most of all, trust that it’s worth their time. And without a strong brand, building trust with learning audiences would be a huge challenge – one that I certainly would not want to take on.

So, now is the time to utilise branding in learning & development if you want to prove to your audience that you mean business, show that you take learning seriously and want to gain their trust.

Using L&D brands develop camaraderie

Camaraderie in learning isn’t a new concept. It’s why schools encourage teamwork and why mentorships exist. Learning independently isn’t easy. And as The Beatles classic says – we get by with a little help from our friends 🎶.

A strong, recognisable brand is a great way to foster a sense of belonging, shared identity and emotional connection in your audience. Which helps inside the classroom as much as it does away from it.

Plus, a sense of community and belonging with your L&D brand will also create advocates – people that are willing to scream, shout, and indeed, market your learning offering to their colleagues and peers. Why do you think so many university graduates don their branded hoodie years after leaving? It’s because they are proud to represent the university, what it stood for and what it taught them.

So when branding in learning & development can so easily help us get more engagement and more impact. What more could you want?

Using branding in L&D to convey a message

Last but not least, your L&D brand conveys your beliefs and objectives to your audience. Essentially, your brand should tell people what you’re all about.

An organisation that does a fabulous job of conveying their message through their brand is WeWork, the co-working space. In all of their communications WeWork are consistent with their core brand message – they are striving to help people make a life, not a living.

L&D brands should also portray a strong message. One that sits in line with their purpose for learning and what the audience will get from the offering. This strong message, conveyed through branding, will not only build a relationship between existing learners and an organisation – but will also entice potential learners to get involved.

And if you need help defining your purpose and product, this eBook will help. You’re welcome 😉

How to develop a brand

Developing a brand is a complex task and usually requires involvement from quite a few stakeholders in your organisation. However, if you’re really scratching your head about where to start with branding in learning & development, here are the 6 steps I recommend you take:

1. Research your audience
   Work out who your audience is – beyond being a learner. Work to understand their goals, motivations and emotional drivers. (Personas are super helpful in this situation!)
   
   

2. Establish your product x market fit
   You can’t out-market a poor learning product. So before you start thinking about your brand, check that your offering measures up. While doing this – it’s also a great idea to uncover what people already think about your L&D offering, positive or negative!
   

3. Refer back to value proposition
   If you’re developing your L&D brand, you should have already done the ground work about your function. So I’m going to assume you’ve got a value proposition canvas at hand. Use this to identify how your brand meets your audience's needs – and build your brand on that!
   

4. Get creative!
   Now you’ve identified who your audience is, who you are and what makes you unique, it’s time to create the visible part of your brand. Design your logo, your colours, typography and tone-of-voice - and make sure they fall in line with everything you’ve identified in steps 1-3.
   

5. Unleash the brand
   Integrate your newly formed identity across all of your platforms. Of course this includes rebranding learning platforms, brochures etc. But it also involves ensuring your tone-of-voice is accurate across all of your comms. When it comes to branding in learning & development – consistency is key!
   

6. Let the brand evolve
   Over time you’ll learn ways to enhance your brand, allowing you to more accurately meet audience needs. Don’t push against this natural evolution. All of the best brands evolve over time – so it’s important that you do not become so wedded to your initial brand that you can’t adapt. It’s all about being flexible ‘round here!

Why branding in learning & development matters more than ever

Branding in Learning & Development is far more than a logo or colour scheme – it’s the foundation of trust, engagement, and connection. A strong brand not only builds credibility and camaraderie amongst learners but also reinforces the purpose behind your learning initiatives. Branding is the bridge between your offering and your audience’s perception. And by following the steps outlined in this blog, you can create a powerful, lasting identity for your L&D function. And remember, just like learning itself, branding is an ongoing journey. Keep evolving, stay adaptable, and watch your L&D brand make a real impact. (But the pineapples are ours, hands off! 🍍)