Brands across different industries are flourishing and new brands are emerging as well. Since there is competition in garnering attention from potential customers, each brand focuses on its identity to stand out among the horde. Perhaps, that is why brand identity has become one of the prime aspects of the growth of business nowadays.
What is Brand Identity?
Brand identity defines the elements that help brands establish a personality in consumers’ minds. It can be a memorable logo, a quirky color palette, icons or motifs, creative fonts, or any other visual elements that embrace a cohesive sense of companies values, mission, and vision.
One of the common mistakes is that people confuse brand identity with brand image. However, these two aspects are completely different.
Brand Identity Vs Brand Image
Brand Identity is deliberately created by the companies to influence the consumers’ perceptions regarding the brand. Brand Identity has the ability to put an effect on Brand Image.
On the other hand, Brand Image is how people perceive the brand in their minds. It is quite subjective and brands do have control over that.
Importance and Key Aspects of Brand Identity
One of the main reasons why brand identity so important is that it gets cemented in the minds of consumers and they quickly recognize it. It is very important for emerging companies and startups as they can quickly establish themselves along with potential competitors. It is mainly based on the following three key aspects.
1. Wordmark / Logo
It is font based symbol that depicts the brand name. It can be both logo-based like Pepsi, and also text-based such as Coca-Cola. Some companies utilize both, such as FedEx.
2. Fonts
The fonts or typefaces that are used in the logo as well as the font used in the company’s internal and external communications should embrace the company. The fonts are carefully chosen for every purpose, whether it is catering to attention or standing out.
3. Colors
Colors play a vital role in gaining attention as well as creating an impression. Different brands use different colors based on their design and industry. Some prefer to use multiple dominant colors while some prefer a few minimal ones. Apple and Pepsi are such successful examples.
How to Create a Brand Identity?
The following seven general steps will help you create a defined Brand Identity.
- Know Yourself - Understand your brand first before establishing identity. Analyze what your brand does for people, what is its mission or values, what emotion the brand evokes among the consumers, etc many other aspects.
- Understand Customers – Analyze your customer base and based on their persona you can proceed with what attracts them the most.
- Potential Competitors – Keeping an eye on the competitors is always important to understand where you are lacking and how your brand can improve. It is also important since you can stand out better.
- Develop a Voice – Since you are personifying your brand, it requires a voice that explains the brand whether it is playful, personalized, or strictly professional.
- Create the Design – Now, it is time to opt for colors, logos, and fonts to create the design. There is various illustration style you can choose from.
- Explain Brand Identity – You need to explain your brand identity through guidelines and rules around it. It can be a multi-page presentation or a one-page explainer based on the company.
- Evaluate – Once you have gone through all the previous steps, it is time to execute the task. However, make sure to evaluate it and do adjustments if needed.
Creating a brand identity might be a little intimidating for many, however, it does not have to be. Follow the aforementioned steps and establish your identity in the marketplace.
