Brand identity reflects a company’s views and helps create the right image in consumers’ minds. The identity ensures that the stakeholders of a company share a similar understanding of the brand, and for better communication, the brand identity has to be coherent. This also helps to convey the brand story in a perfect way. A brand with the right investments in its brand identity elements will be promoted by all the stakeholders.
Just imagine brands like Pepsi or Coca Cola, what comes to your mind are the colors blue and red. That’s an identity created by the brands. The striding man or Johnnie Walker or Colonel Harland Sanders of KFC or the mermaid of Starbucks, all have created distinctive imagery for these brands. They are engaging with the customers at various touchpoints and building a connection with the brand. That’s precisely how a brand identity works.
Here are the 6 essential elements to boost your Brand Identity.
1) Brand Name
The name used to refer to a company, product, or service, is known as a brand name. A lot of research goes into a brand name. While few companies hold naming contests internally and externally to name their brands, some have built a fortune on their brand names. Today, the brand names might look simple but a lot of thought processes had been involved. Now, they command huge respect and recall value for the brand. Hence, a proper name is the most important of all the brand identity elements.
Nike is the Greek goddess for victory and that reflects in the brand positioning – footwear for victory. Microsoft expands to software for the microcomputer. Many brands are named after their founders. For example, we have Ford, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Adidas, and so on. They have turned out to be iconic brand names and are part of the popular culture. So, a good brand name is half the job done.
2) Logo
A logo gives a visual identity to a brand. That’s the first thing that pops up in the consumer’s mind when they hear or read about a brand or vice versa. For instance, the company need not write the names Nike, Mercedes, BMW, Apple, Ferrari, Adobe, on their products. Their logos speak a million bucks about the brand.
As a most prominent brand identity element, a logo stays with a brand till eternity and makes it omnipresent. Many brand loyals keep posters, stickers, and tattoos of their favourite brands. Work a bit on the brand logo and you will soon see the magic.
3) Tag Line
What comes to your mind when someone says “Just do it” or “Think Different” or “It’s finger lickin’ good” or “I’m lovin’ it”? These lines give you fond memories of your association with the brands. They instantly connect you with the brands. All thanks to these catchphrases. When Nike, Apple. KFC, Mc Donald’s came up with the above lines, they never imagined the lines would turn out to be a phenomenon.
A great tagline runs for a long time. That also acts as an uninitiated sales pitch for your brand. If you don’t have a tagline for your brand, create one. Just do it.
5 Ways To Foster Brand Identity With Unique Selling Propositions.
4) Shape
Try to recollect all the brands that gave product offerings in unique shapes – Volkswagen Beetle, Coca-cola bottle, Pringles chips, Joy ice-cream, Kinder Joy, Ferrero Rocher, Kit Kat, and more. The shapes are so distinct that no other brand could make something similar. Even if they attempted, everyone would say look at the Ferrero Rocher shaped chocolates or a car modelled on Beetle. That’s the power of giving a unique shape to your brands. They take your brand identity to the next level.
While creating a brand deep dive into the products and find out ways to make their shape unique. That adds to your brand recall and will get more followers and customers. So, make way for one of the finest brand identity elements.
5) Graphics
Graphics can attract attention to your brand. These are visual elements added for extra effect. Coca-Cola has a dynamic ribbon – a trademarked visual element that enhances brand identity. Burberry coats stand out from plain ones by the red and tan plaid lining. Louis Vuitton’s flower pattern makes its products very unique and recognizable. Graphics have become important brand identity elements.
Sometimes graphics are added to brand identity through stylized fonts. Whenever the brand story is narrated these specific fonts are used to make the brand more relatable. Add a graphic layer to your brand and see how it speaks a new visual language and boosts your brand identity.
6) Colour
Colour gives brands wings to fly high. Colours trigger the mind of the consumers and help them to connect with the brand instantly. Tiffany blue, UPS brown, Owens-Corning pink, and others went to trademark their defining shades. Brands invest largely in this particular element and use colours psychology to reinforce their brand identity.
Food brands such as Mc Donald’s, Pizza Hut, Wendy’s, Burger King, use red colour in their logos and visual elements. Brands such as Ford, Samsung, Oral-B, Domestos, Pepsi, use the blue colour as part of their brand identity. Tech majors Google and Microsoft use multi-colours for their brand.
Conclusion
Brand identity is the core of a brand’s existence and the way it’s perceived by the customers. So, do not compromise on that. Ensure that you have all the essential elements to boost brand identity. Get closer to your target audience with a unique brand name, logo, tag line, shape, graphics, and color.
We, at The Go-To Guy, believe that building a truly powerful brand is about getting the basics right. Reach out to us and let’s work together to build a strong brand identity.
