It is problematic to develop a robust brand identity in a short time. It is not advisable to just pick a theme or color combination and integrate it with a logo. You have to strategically work with your design to create a look that truly reflects your brand and can help you grow. It requires a comprehensive thought process, a team with strong communiqué and skills in designing, and a deep insight into what your company does, what your brand signifies, and how you want customers to recognize your products or services.
This job is not easy, but it is one of the significant steps any company can take when entering its target market. If you are going to risk it all, might as well do it right. Of course, designing a brand identity can be complicated and confusing. You will need a good internet connection to not only do your research but also to build your identity through consistent brand awareness strategies. For this, consider installing a reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as Cox which is available in many states. The Cox bill pay option allows you to make an account with them and pay bills directly, but they also give you the flexibility to pay with other methods as well. Their high-speed internet will enable you to keep working on your brand identity and stay ahead of the competition.
10 Brand Identity Design Elements For Strategic Branding
What do we mean by brand identity?
Brand identity includes all the facets of a company that are combined to deliver a unique image to its target market. Brand identity is different from the concepts of branding or brand image although the terms are sometimes used synonymously.
The term branding defines marketing methods aimed at dynamically building a unique brand. A brand, on the other hand, is the opinion of the business and its products in the eyes of its customers or target market.
Brand identity makes you instantaneously identifiable to your customers. Your customers will relate your company image to your service or product. It is this identity that creates a bond between you and your clients, shapes how customers see your brand and eventually has a significant impact on loyalty.
How to build it?
We have broken down the process into easy-to-follow steps that can be followed and implemented by any type of company.
Analyze your company
Before any major step, it is integral to consider the graphic feature of your brand identity but this is not the first step when developing your brand identity. Tackling this aspect will come after you have built a concrete foundation, just as you would build your home.
First, you need to know who you are: what is your brand personality? What are you interested in? What does your company do and how do you talk about it? These are the main elements of your brand that convey your visual identity. If you do not have this groundwork, you will be unable to design an identity that portrays the real story of your brand. You can do this by determining your:
- Message to be conveyed such as tagline, etc.
- Brand values, principles, vision, mission, etc.
- The essence of your brand such as tone, personality
- Brand name
It is also vital to ensure that your team is aligned and on the same page, regardless of whether you are rebranding or building it from scratch. This will help lead to a coordinated effort towards a common goal.
Analyze the current position
Eventually, good branding revolves around effective communication. To ensure that your visual output matches your brand essence, echoes your personality, and conveys your brand’s narrative, you need to have a detailed insight into your company.
Evaluate competitors
Creating a brand identity is all about distinction: creating a noticeable, unique, and significant brand. So understanding not only who your competitors are, but also how your brand fits into your visual presentation is critical.
A competitor audit allows you to match your brand with any competitor and compare your competitors in general, which can lead to unexpected conclusions. During the process, pay close attention to how your competitors are performing based on visual elements, industry-centered requirements, brand identities, etc.
Decide on a direction
Once you have examined your current identity and that of your competitors, it is time to steer your team in the direction you want to go.
Design is susceptible to subjectivity. Colors can have varied meanings and may signify different things for various people. Similarly, each individual will interpret the words used to communicate your brand message differently. Therefore, determining and aligning your strategies to the direction you want to take is important.
Create your logo
When working on your brand identity, it is imperative to analyze every feature and detail. Each element affects the other, but it is enforced by your logo. A good logo captures the spirit of your brand and helps you distinguish your brand from the competition. When designing your logo, you can choose to take the traditional route and draw your ideas out. You will have to make sure the main images are strong enough to convey the message without a color boost.
Choose the theme
Once you have an idea of what you want your logo to look like or signify it is time to choose the color palette and typography. The colors you pick should be aligned with the essence of your brand and should differentiate you from the competition. Next, you will have to determine the typefaces you want to use, based on trends or what goes with the overall brand picture you want to portray. Additionally, you can add pictures to tell your brand story.
Summary
Your brand identity is what sets you apart from your competitors and shows your clients who you are and what expectations they can have from your product or service. In addition, if you want your brand to be positively interpreted, you must establish your brand identity and create designs that appropriately reflect your identity.
