What is brand identity? And how to develop a great one. - Design Post 19

    This week we are learning about Brand Identity, so I have chosen to write my design post on the article What is brand identity? And how to develop a great one. written by Donna DeBara.

Link: https://www.vistaprint.com/hub/brand-identity

    According to DeBara, brand identity is the collection of all elements that a company creates to portray the right image to its customers. This does not mean that it is the same as Branding or Brand Image. These are two completely different terms.

What is a brand identity?

    Branding is a marketing principle that helps shape a brand, branding is how the world views the company through their own eyes.

    Brand identity is what makes a company’s identity recognizable. Through the association of the brand identity and the product or service, a strong relationship between the company and the customer will begin to build, along with loyalty.

How to develop a strong brand identity?

DeBara lists a few key elements about who you are as a brand and questions to ask:

Who are you as a brand?

Your mission

Your values

Your brand personality

Your unique positioning

Your brand voice

Ask yourself:

Why did we start this business?

What are the beliefs and values that are important to us as a company?

What do we do better than anyone else?

What makes us special?

If we could describe our brand in three words, what would they be?

What are the three words we would want our customers to describe us?

Design: the foundation of your brand identity.

    As a graphic designer, this is where your work is important. The design is what builds the brand identity. Your logo, packaging, web design, business cards, social media graphics, and the uniforms for your company are the tangible assets that will help determine how your brand is perceived.

The DESIGN heavily influences the brand identity.

Developing your brand design.

You must start with the building blocks of design.

Typography

    Typography is used to communicate your message to the customer. 4 main types of typography are:

Serif – displays trust, tradition, and has an old-school look.

Sans Serif – are more sleek, modern, and easier to read.

Script – is cursive handwriting and looks more upscale.

Display – these fonts are original, artistic, and they are meant to stand out and make a statement.

Color Palette

    DeBara lists a few colors and their meanings so that you can see what effect they have on the design process.

Red – represents passion and excitement, and it is a great choice if your brand is loud, youthful, and exciting.

Orange – represents friendliness and playfulness. Orange is not used as much as other colors. It will make your brand stand out.

Yellow – represents happiness!  A great choice that is cheerful and full of fun, affordability, and accessibility.

Green – is very versatile. It can represent any brand, but culturally it is seen as a color that represents money or nature. So, green is a great choice if your company is based on those things.

Blue – is universally appealing. It is trustworthy and stable.

Purple -represents royalty and luxury.

Pink – represents a soft and luxurious identity.

Brown – is the least color used out of the spectrum, but that could also be beneficial. Brown represents rugged and natural things.

Black – is a representation of modernity and sophistication. It is classic and professional.

Form/Shape

    Forms and shapes help reinforce the message you are trying to convey to your customer. Circles will create a completely different reaction than squares or rectangles.

Round shapes – use these when you are looking for warm feelings such as love, community, and unity.

Straight-edged shapes – represent strength and efficiency. They create a sense of stability and trust, but they need to be balanced out with something fun and colorful or they can look impersonal.

Straight lines - vertical lines suggest strength and horizontal lines suggest tranquility and mellow vibes.

Designing your brand identity.

It's time to work with a designer to bring your identity to life!

Logo

- communicates who you are and what you value as a brand

- visually appealing: simple, clean, and uncluttered

- classic but not a trend – needs to make a long-lasting impression

- meets industry standards unless you are deliberately doing something different

Website

    This is where your brand identity needs to shine. Customers always visit your website before they purchase anything.

Product Packaging

    Product packaging is a key aspect especially if your product is a physical one. The design must attract your target audience. Debara states “Don’t underestimate the value of a good design in improving the experience both loyalty and repeat purchases."

Business Cards

    Keep it simple. Include your company logo on one side and your details on the other.

Email

    Engages customers and drives business. Many emails are sent by so many people that customers are bogged down by them. Your email needs to have a purpose and needs to be designed accordingly.

Create a brand style guide.

    This document is designed to outline your design assets, how to use them, and what you can and cannot do when it comes to your brand. It keeps everyone and everything on track to make sure that any future decisions will be in line with your brand identity generating the correct perception to your target audience. Consistency is key.