How To Define Your Brand Identity

The terms “brand” and logo” are frequently used interchangeably. Still, although a logo can be the symbol of a business, it is not the entirety of a brand’s identity. In fact, designing a logo is just one small step towards developing a strong brand identity.

With millions, if not billions, of companies attempting to make a name for itself, having a strong brand identity has become critical for businesses in terms of differentiating themselves from their competitors.

If you’re working to create your first brand identity for a client, or you’re doing this for your own organisation, it’s important first to understand what a brand is as well as what it takes to create one. Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as giving the business a name as well as plastering it on everything.

What Is A Brand Identity?

Brand identity is the outward manifestation of a brand. This includes its:

• Trademark,
• Name,
• Communications, as well as
• Visual appearance.

Brand identity is the entire total of how your brand looks, feels as well as speaks to people. Sometimes this even includes how it sounds, tastes, feels, and even smells. At the end of the day, a brand identity is a method of communicating with the world, distinguish yourself from your competitors, and create a brand experience which encourages individuals to engage with you.

Some brands raise brand identity to an art (think about Apple, LEGO or Levi’s). Some brands make it their entrance into the playing field. Unfortunately, some brands struggle as they don’t know who they are or – alternatively – don’t know how to communicate it effectively.

What Does A Brand Identity Consist Of?

A brand identity involves the business values as well as how the brand communicates those values through its products as well as services. It’s what the brand is saying, how it is visually represented with images and design in addition to what the brand plans for customers to feel when they interact with its products. Essentially, a brand identity is the physicality as well as personality of your business.

A brand identity is very important for a number of reasons:

• It’s a template for your promotional assets. This means that everything your customers are going to see from the logo on your company’s social profile to the product description write-up on your e-commerce site.
• A well-defined brand identity, which lines up with the company’s values and assists with building trust.
• A strong brand identity is particularly important for online businesses which lack the physical elements that embody your brand.

Good branding, such as good wine, is going to take some work as well as time.

How To Create A Strong Brand Identity

Know Who You Are

Before you know what tangible elements you would like to make up your brand identity, it is necessary for you to know who you are as a brand.

Who you are as a brand is composed of a number of key elements:

• Your mission (what’s your “why?”)
• Your values (what beliefs are driving your organisation?)
• Your unique positioning (how do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?)
• Your brand voice (what if your brand was a human being? how would it communicate?)

These fundamentals are what define your brand, and before you start creating your brand identity, it’s crucial that you have a crystal-clear grasp of each.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

If you would like to become a brand management consultant then you need to do our Brand Management Course. Follow this link for more information.