The Duo Behind Anderson Brothers Design & Supply Share Their Branding Secrets
It only takes one look at the Anderson Brothers Design & Supply website to know these brothers know a thing or two about design. The bold font, the warm colors, the strong logoāthey all work in concert to invite you into their world, as if you’re walking into the namesake studio on Main Street in Seal Beach. From the on-brand premium apparel at the front to the framed legacy prints on the walls, and especially with The Duke, their bulldog mascot, roaming the office halls, this full-package design agency wants you to feel like you’re part of the family.
With a personal mission to make their elders proud, John and Mike, the brothers behind Anderson Brothers, live and breathe the family ethosāa humble force that contributes to the companyās success. When you take a look at their client roster, you begin to grasp that the agencyās family is not only expansive but also inclusive. Instantly recognizable brands blend with community businesses, not to mention brewery clientele from all corners of the country. It turns out the brothers know more than just designāthey’re also ād*mn goodā at business.
With three generations in the print industry, the Anderson Brothers have some lessons to share about the value of quality merchandise and the brand stories behind the apparel. We joined John, president of the company, for a pint and a pep talkāa dialogue that spoke to client appreciation, paternal pride, the importance of gritā¦and really good beer. Here are his five tips on how to make your brand stand out from the rest.
Be Really Good at What You Do
In a world where data is thrown at us every minute of every day, the only way to survive in business is to stand out. And according to John, the best way to shine is to be outstanding in your class. āAn inch wide and a mile deep,ā he says, referring to the age-old adage that points out the pitfall of knowing a little about a lot and not knowing enough about one thing. Specialization is at the core of this lesson: Seek profound knowledge about what you do, and others will notice. So much so that word-of-mouth marketing will propel your business forward. Thatās how Anderson Brothers grewāfrom their grandfatherās letterpress shop to their fatherās screenprinting business to the brothersā first menās apparel brand, Tankfarm & Co., to now. To this organic evolution, John proudly says, āWe have ink in our blood.ā
Know Your Identity, or Be Ready to Discover It
āWhen we meet with clients, we want to know where theyāre from, right down to landmarks.ā John speaks about the importance of tapping into the lifestyle of their clients, knowing itāll come through in the merchandise. āWhether itās beer or burgers, people want to feel like theyāre a part of the community.ā And thatās where the brothers find inspirationāeverything from a clientās favorite music to choice reels on their social media, itās all source material for strengthening a brand. This even holds true for iconic brands, like Pendleton, a producer of world-class wool clothing since 1863. When Anderson Brothers was asked to design t-shirts for them, they dug deep into Pendletonās brand identity and successfully produced a new market for a new generation. āA quantum-leap jump in apparel,ā boasts John, knowing full well they were Pendletonās ideal contemporary partner for printables.
Know What Your Clients Likeāand Like It Too
āWhen a client has an amazing product, we aim to match that quality in the apparel.ā According to John, it starts by listeningāreally listeningāto the needs of a client. This makes it easier to translate those needs into merchandise that inspires pride in the customers who own it. That sense of communityāfeeling like youāre a part of something specialāis what keeps them coming back for more. Loving what youāre selling doesnāt hurt either, and since the brothers love beer, itās no surprise they know what their brewery clients want.
As beer connoisseurs who adore the taste, the community, the process and even the trials and tribulations of growing from a garage to a brewery, the brothers say that building their craft brew client roster was a natural evolution. āTreat a clientās business like itās your own. We aim to make apparel that is as good as their beer tastes.ā
Lean Into Quality Brand Merchandising
John speaks from experience when he says that premium swag is a sure thing. āWhatever your marketing budget, especially if reception feels stale, put some dollars into merchandise.ā A customer donning your brandās T-shirtāwhether itās a brewery or a restaurant or even a serviceācan casually reveal itself at a baseball game, inspire an observerās desire for that taste or thing and arrive at an indirect conversion. āWe create an army of walking billboards,ā says John. But itās not a shallow ploy for sales in the world of Anderson Brothersāthe agency genuinely wants their merchandise to make customers feel good. They approach clientele in the same wayāmany of whom John, Mike and the team now call lifelong friends.
Stand Behind Your Product
Confidence comes through when John talks about the business his family built, but he admits that it wasnāt always easy. āWe shouldāve closed our doors at least a dozen times over the years. There was no other option than to make it work.ā This professional ethic speaks for itself in the same way that the quality of their apparel does.
Grit is at the core: āIf we mess up, we are quick to fix it.ā And while itās rare for them to make a mistake these daysāgiven the generational footprint behind themāthey know it might happen, and they always guarantee their work. Johnās final lesson: āDo the right thing, and never cut corners.ā This speaks to the familyās legacyāthe ones who came before them and the standard they are setting for the next generation. John knows that the strength of Anderson Brothers is built on the blocks of time and care put into each and every brand he and his team represents.
āWe do this because we love it. We love learning about new companies, new businesses. We love learning about people, their stories, where they come from and why they started their business.ā Itās easy to see that Anderson Brothers Design & Supply is living by example, surrounded by a rich and vibrant community of friends, family and clients. And if you donāt believe us, just sidle up to the bar of any of their endless food and beverage clientele, and youāll see for yourself. You might even buy the T-shirt.
Anderson Bros Design & Supply
212 Main St
Seal Beach, CA 90740
562.735.2320
[email protected]
@anderson.brothers
