Merim.bg - Brand & Marketing

Branding Merim.bg - Speed and Clarity Over Style

For a project like Merim.bg, born out of an urgent social need, the branding philosophy is simple: utility first. We are in a race to build a functional, reliable tool that can help Bulgarian consumers navigate a period of intense economic pressure. This is not the time for a lengthy, sophisticated branding exercise; it is the time to build and ship.

Our branding, therefore, is direct, functional, and minimal by design.

Logo and Wordmark

Our visual identity needs to be clean, recognizable, and easy to deploy across digital platforms, from the app icon to social media profiles.

• Wordmark: The name "Merim.bg" will be rendered in a clean, modern, Roboto Slab sans-serif font. The goal is readability and simplicity. There will be no elaborate scripts or decorative elements. It needs to be instantly legible on a small mobile screen. The wordmark itself Мерим written in cirilyc with sigma (Σ) symbol as the beginning and at the end, representing summation and data aggregation, which aligns with the app's purpose of collecting and analyzing pricing data. The sigma has been rotated in order to represent the letter "M" for Merim.bg.

• Logo/Icon: The app icon will be a simple, symbolic representation of our core mission. It should evoke concepts of measurement, data, or community. Again, the priority is immediate recognition on a user's home screen, not artistic complexity. The logo is the first letter of the wordmark - the sigma symbol (Σ) rotated to represent the letter "M" for Мерим.

Core Brand Values:

Our branding is built on the same values as the app itself:

• Trust: We are committed to building a trustworthy platform where users feel safe sharing their data and insights. Privacy and data management will be transparent and secure.
• Transparency: We are a community-driven platform. Our visual style will be open and honest, avoiding any design elements that feel corporate, slick, or deceptive.
• Simplicity: This is the key. Every brand touchpoint, from the app's UI to our social media posts, must be easy to understand. We are taking complex, analytical data about market prices and making it accessible to a layperson. Our brand's "look and feel" must reflect this commitment to clarity.
• Community: The brand is not about us; it's about the users. The visual language will be inclusive and welcoming, encouraging participation. The community must reward contributions and make users feel like they are part of something bigger.

We are consciously choosing to invest our limited time and resources into the product itself, rather than into an elaborate brand identity. The brand's strength will come from the app's utility and the trust we build with our community.

Zero Spend Marketing, Owned and Earned Channels

In line with our focus on product development, our initial marketing strategy is designed to achieve maximum impact with zero marketing spend. This is not a limitation; it's a reflection of our core belief that if we provide a genuinely useful tool, the community will build itself. Our efforts are focused on organic growth channels. The initial focus will be on owned social media channels and word of mouth. Our bet is that the app's utility will drive sharing and organic reach, from where earned media and influencer interest will follow.

Social Media: Content Driven by Data

Our social media presence will not be about traditional advertising. Instead, we will use it as a platform to share valuable information generated by the app itself.

• Data-Driven Content: We can create simple, shareable infographics that highlight interesting price trends. For example: "This week, the average price of cheese in Sofia went up by 5%," or "See the top 5 most price-stable products this month." This content is inherently valuable and shareable, positioning us as an authority and driving organic reach.
• Community Spotlights: We can feature user-submitted stories (with permission) about how the app helped them. Personal testimonials are incredibly powerful and build social proof.
• Educational Content: We can create simple explainers about inflation, the Euro transition, and how crowdsourced data works. This builds trust and empowers our audience with knowledge.

Word-of-Mouth: The Most Powerful Channel

The single most important marketing engine for Merim.bg will be word-of-mouth. People will share the app for one simple reason: it helps them and their friends save money. Our entire focus is on making the app so simple and effective that sharing it becomes a natural, helpful act. When a user finds a great deal or avoids a rip-off thanks to the app, they are highly motivated to tell their family and friends. We will encourage this by building in easy "share" functionality within the app.

Direct Communication

We will leverage the channels we control to build a direct relationship with our users.

• The App Itself (Push Notifications): We can use notifications to bring users back into the app with valuable insights. For example, a notification could alert a user to a significant price drop on a product they have previously scanned.
• The Blog/Website: This will be our central hub for long-form content. Here we can publish our data-driven reports, explain our methodology in more detail, and share the story of the project. This content is excellent for SEO and for establishing our credibility.

By focusing on these organic channels, we can build a strong, engaged user base without spending a single lev on advertising. Our marketing is our product, and our product is our marketing.

Earned Media: Letting the Press to Tell the Story

As the app gains traction, we will actively reach out to journalists and bloggers who cover technology, consumer rights, and economic issues. Our story is compelling: a grassroots, community-driven solution to a pricing crisis. We will provide them with data insights, stories, and access to the app for review. Earned media coverage will amplify our reach and lend additional credibility to our efforts.