What is Brand Identity?
What it is and how it benefits your business.
In the business and design world you hear about branding, brand, brand image, and brand identity. Some of the terms are used interchangeably despite having different meanings.
Brand, branding, brand image, and brand identity are like siblings that is part of a family. But we will touch on their differences later on.
Let’s focus on brand identity. What is it?
The Meaning
Brand identity is a collection of ALL visual elements that makes up a brand. This includes the logo, typography, colors, and other graphic elements.
It helps portrays the right image to your audience. Brand identity instantaneously makes you recognizable to your audience. Think of Coca-Cola, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. When you see their stuff whether it is print or digital, you know which company you are looking at.
What It Does For You
When you have a consistent brand identity across all channels of your business, your audience will associate your brand identity with your services and products your provide. It helps builds customer loyalty by knowing that they will see consistency.
Just think if Apple kept changing their look. You won’t know if it is their product when you see it on social media, websites, and tv. Might think it is probably a knock-off.
A brand identity also determines how your audience react and perceive your brand.
Let’s say that you own a makeup company that is catered to a higher bracket income. Most people associate luxury with sleek and modern imagery, but you have imagery that looks like it came straight out of MS Paint. That is sending a mix message.. a total opposite message. You won’t meet your audience despite having a really good product.
Now you have a basic understanding of what a brand identity.
Let’s recap.
A brand identity is a collection of all visual elements of your brand. It is what you see.
- logo
- colors
- typography
- photography
- and any other graphic element
It benefits your brand by helping
- your audience associate your product and service that you provide
- builds customer loyalty
- determines how your audience react and perceive your brand
