What is Brand Identity?
Brand identity is the visible elements of a brand, such as color, design, and logo, that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers’ minds. It involves the intentional decisions behind a brand’s naming, logo design, use of colors, visual elements in products and promotions, advertising language, and customer interaction training.
Brand identity aims to cultivate a certain image in consumers’ minds while brand image is the actual outcome of these efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Brand identity includes visible brand elements like color, design, and logo that distinguish a brand.
- Consistent marketing and messaging lead to consistent brand identity and sales.
- A positive brand image can boost continuous sales and ease product roll-outs.
- Building a positive, cohesive brand image involves thorough market analysis, goals assessment, and customer identification.
- Social media is pivotal for driving brand awareness.
Understanding Brand Identity
Brand identity often captures the visual aspect of a brand. Consider the Nike ‘swoosh’ or Apple’s apple – symbols that strongly connect with these brands. Building a brand identity involves using multiple elements, presenting the brand consistently across different mediums, including marketing materials and social media.
A solid brand identity boosts a company’s presence and competitiveness in the market. A successful brand saves on promotional costs and could become a valuable intangible asset. Nike’s ‘swoosh,’ for instance, broadcast globally, illustrates the power of a strong brand identity. According to Forbes’ 2020 data, Nike ranked 13 with a brand value of $39.1 billion.
Building Brand Identity
Steps to build a strong brand identity include:
- Analyze the company and market: Perform a comprehensive SWOT analysis to understand the company’s dynamics, markets, and goals.
- Determine key business goals: Align the brand identity with the company’s objectives. For an automaker targeting a luxury market, ads should appeal to this niche and appear on relevant platforms.
- Identify customers: Engage in surveys, focus groups, and interviews to pinpoint the target consumer group.
- Determine personality and message: Create consistent brand perception integrating true brand traits, delivering messages through appropriate copy, imagery, and visuals.
History of Brand Identity
Brand identity has rich precedence with roots in national, religious, and guild symbols dating back millennia. However, modern branding evolved during the Industrial Revolution to differentiate factory-produced goods.
Branding efforts expanded to include mascots, jingles, and various marketing techniques. Oldest trademark brands like Twinings Tea, Stella Artois show this evolution.
Special Considerations
Building a brand identity entails strategic efforts incorporating a company’s name, logo, tone, product design, and social media presence.
Steve Jobs exemplified this rigor with his intense focus on even minor details. Similarly, while thorough branding efforts might seem reserved for giants like Apple, every enterprise can benefit from a well-structured brand identity.
Why Does Brand Identity Matter?
Without robust brand identity, customers cannot easily recognize the brand, making it integral for consumer recognition and strength across sub-brands.
What Makes a Good Brand?
Strong brands feature:
- Clear focus
- Strong visuals
- Knowledge of target audience
- Distinctively recognized among peers
What Are Famous Brands?
Nike, McDonald’s, Apple, Google, Disney, and Amazon exemplify recognizable and valuable brands.
Related Terms: Marketing, Brand Image, SWOT Analysis, Product Differentiation, Brand Awareness.
References
- Forbes. “The 2020 World’s Most Valuable Brands”.
- Animation Visarts. “Five Oldest Company Logo Designs”.
- Forbes. “The 2020 World’s Most Valuable Brands”.
