OpenBrand

The first thought that crossed my mind when asked to give OpenBrand a try was: “how is this file sharing platform different from Dropbox, Google Drive and the FTP sites I currently use?”

After two weeks of “exploration” I could clearly see the difference.

What is OpenBrand?

OpenBrand is an online platform specifically designed for sharing of rich creative content. The goal is to make collaboration between brand managers and advertising agencies easier and less stressful.

OpenBrand provides a neatly organized virtual work space in which brand assets can be stored and shared between individuals involved in the branding process.

Easier Marketing Collaboration

I have to admit I am not a very organized person. Working with multiple graphic designers, e-mail marketers and other providers I find it challenging and time consuming to:

  • keep track of where my files are located. Are they stored on my local drive, Drop Box account or elsewhere?
  • determine if I have the latest version of a specific file.
  • bring new suppliers up to date on the brand’s do’s and don’ts, and collecting all files needed to have them up and running.

I currently use Dropbox to synchronize and access files on multiple devices, and FTP sites to transfer large files.

How OpenBrand Works

When you first log in to OpenBrand you will have a chance to personalize the Home page with your logo.

At the top of the landing screen you will notice three tabs: World of Brands, Identity Standards and Brand Profile.

OpenBrand Home Screen

World of Brands stores your brand’s marketing communication files.There are five pre-defined folders for the most commonly used files (business cards, website, corporate publication, email signature and presentation template). You will also have the ability to create custom folders for other brand related materials (such as “Packaging Artwork” for example). OpenBrand displays the history of changes made to each file- no more searching through various emails and voice mail messages.

Identity Standards is the area dedicated to your brand standards. This is the place for your company logo, colors, primary and secondary typeface, etc. Here too you have the option of choosing from pre-defined or custom folders, depending on how complex your brand identity is to communicate.

Brand Profile contains the key strategic documents related to the brand: its vision, mission and positioning. Again, a very useful and time saving feature when you need to train new team members on the specifics of the brand.

OpenBrand for Creative People

From an agency perspective OpenBrand makes it really easy to share creative work with your clients.

The feature you will find most helpful is the Delivery Service & Open Comp. This service allows designers to send artwork with real context preview. This comes particularly handy when dealing with clients who have a hard time visualizing how a psd file will actually look like on a website or billboard sign.

Watch the video below for a quick demo:

OpenBrand Delivery Service & Live Comps from OpenBrand on Vimeo.

More Than a File Sharing Platform

To summarize, below are some key differences between OpenBrand and the other file sharing platforms:

  • specifically designed to handle reach creative content
  • provides guidance on how to define and manage brands through a set of pre-defined tabs
  • from an agency perspective, the Live Comp service allows the delivery of creative content in real life context previews
  • registered users are provided with the history of changes in the World of Brand tab
  • a more organized and user friendly interface

Free for Education

OpenBrand is free to universities, educational establishments and schools for their own internal need. The platform is also free to use for student projects.

If this review sparked your interest in OpenBrand, visit the official website for more info.

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