Brand, Brand Identity and everything in-between.
"Brand Identity" is a widely used term that is popping up everywhere over the internet and social media. You will hear marketers and designers talking about the importance of creating an effective and purposeful brand identity.
So, what is brand identity?
To a consumer or client there is little that differentiates a brand, branding or a brand identity (yes, they are all different), so let's break this down:
Brand: A brand is how you are perceived by your consumers.
Branding: Marketing, marketing and more marketing. Branding is your marketing practice and plans to shape your brand.
Brand Identity: This involves the collection of all elements (brand + branding) to showcase the image your company wants to its consumer.
Let's dive a little deeper...
Brand Identity is the face of your business. If you think of your business as a person, all the elements (similar to that of a person) is what creates your brand identity. Consumers need a connection, whether they are dealing with a sole-trader or a large organization. It is up to you to have a strong brand identity that resonates with them.
How do we do this?
Values
What are your company's values and mission? Why do you exist? Why do you differentiate from your competitors? Having your core values and mission set out before embarking on your brand identity journey is the most important step. These values are what your company should live by on a daily basis and with every client interaction. This is where you build trust and reliability with your audience.
Visual
A brand or brand identity is not a logo. However, a logo is what people think of when discussing a particular business, your logo is the consumers identification to your business. Visual representation is a key component when it comes to your brand identity. This goes beyond a logo; business cards, website, marketing materials all contribute to your brands visual representation.
Voice
If we look at your brand identity as a person, how would they communicate? Your brand's voice is more than a TV commercial or Instagram story. Your brand's voice embodies your core values and should be authentic 100% of the time. We use voice when we look at things like websites, blogs and marketing materials. If we lined up 5 Graphic Designer's Instagram posts (names omitted) your audience should be able to tell which one is yours because of your brands voice.
Personality
Every brand has a personality, whether they like it or not. Again, if we think of your brand as a person, what would their personality be like? Your brand can have several personality traits, much like people, and when communicated effectively (using your visuals, values and voice) can be one of the reasons your consumers keep coming back for more.
Consistency
Lastly and most importantly a strong brand identity requires consistency. Consumers like reliability, they come to your business or organization because they know (thanks to your values, voice and personality) that they can trust you. It is up to you to remain consistent with every element of your brand identity to ensure it stays strong.
Remember, how you want to be perceived relies largely on your brand identity.
Who's ready to start their brand identity journey? Ready, go!
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