Where should you start when building your own brand?”

Hello, This is NextStep, a branding and marketing agency with 10 years of experience helping countless brands grow.

Creating your own brand and delivering it consistently is never as easy as it sounds. If it feels overwhelming or difficult, start with this first step.

1️⃣ Establish your brand identity

Even a small brand can stand strong in a highly competitive market like Korea

if its identity is clear.

For small business owners who feel stuck, let me share a prime example: Ilkwang Electric, Korea’s only incandescent light bulb manufacturer.

Ilkwang Electric has been producing incandescent bulbs in Daegu for 63 years. Starting from the 2016 Seoul Living Design Fair, Director Kim Si-yeon and Creative Director Kwon Soon-man, along with the Ilkwang team, devoted themselves to establishing a clear brand identity through continuous research and design.

As a result, by 2023, their snowman-shaped lamp, “Snowman”, began selling 2,000 units per month on platforms like 29CM and other e-commerce channels—a remarkable achievement.

The success of this brand came down to three key factors:

After COVID, as people spent more time at home, platforms like "오늘의집" and 29CM grew, and the demand for well-designed lighting surged.

For small business owners, if you cannot compete on trends or price,
you must go all-in on brand design and identity.

If establishing your brand design and identity feels challenging, NextStep can help with customized consulting and strategy tailored to your business.