Establishing a brand’s identity is highly significant for a product or a service. Brand identity the face of a brand. It is the message of what it aims to convey, what it values, what it wants to communicate to its target audience, and what emotions it aims to evoke for anyone who will be interacting with the company. Essentially, the identity of your brand is the personality of the business or the organization and its promise to their customers or their audience.
There are a few things to consider before designing your brand. In doing so, you have to:
KNOW WHO YOU ARE
These are the elements that define your brand and before building your brand identity, it is of utmost importance that there is a clear understanding of each of the following:
- your mission, your “why?”
- your values or beliefs that drive your brand or company
- your brand’s personality (“if it were to be a person, what kind of personality would it have?”)
- your standout point (how it differentiates itself from its competitors)
- your brand’s voice
KNOW THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR BRAND IDENTITY
Just like the persona of Nike’s swoosh logo and slogan “Just do it”, it is the design that will build the brand identity of a business/product, service, or an organization. One must remember that it should go hand-in-hand with who you are as a brand and will be an accurate representation of it.
- Typography
This refers to the font (or type of font) that you will choose for branding materials. It will say a lot about one’s brand so it is best to choose wisely. There are four major types: serif, sans serif, script, and display.
Serif fonts make the letters look like they have an anchor at the end or “feet” of each. This is great if you want to make an impression that your brand is trustworthy, traditional, and a little bit old school.
Sans serif fonts, to put it simply, lack the anchor or “feet” that the serif fonts possess. They give a more sleek, modern vibe to the brand.
Script typography, on the other hand, depicts cursive handwriting. The brand gets a more luxurious or feminine vibe when using fonts under this category.
Display fonts are in a league of their own. Each display font has its own specialized aspect such as an unusual shape to the letters, the outlines, the shadow effect, or a more artistic or hand-drawn edge. These fonts are suited best if you want your brand to create a bold statement or create an identity that catches people’s attention therefore, making it unforgettable.
- Color
Your target audience — potential customers included — ties colors to psychology or the emotions they can evoke. Using branding and logo colors strategically can have a serious impact on how the brand will be perceived by the audience.
Red speaks passion and excitement so it is best used when the brand aims to be loud, youthful, and exciting.
Orange evokes friendliness and playfulness. Though it is used less commonly than red, it still makes the brand stand out.
Yellow, the color of sunshine, is all about happiness. Its cheerful vibe is best used if you want your brand to evoke fun, accessibility, and affordability.
Green being an incredibly versatile color can be used for any brand. Typically, it is associated with money or nature so it is best used when the brand is tied to either of those things.
Blue is universally appealing so using it is best if you aim for your brand to be seen as more trustworthy and stable. It is best suited for brands with a goal of reaching and appealing to a wide demographic and getting the audience to trust in its process.
Purple is the color of royalty so it is best used if you want your brand to give off a luxurious feel.
Pink is typically tied to femininity so it is a definite contender if the target audience is women. It is also great if used for brands with a soft or luxurious vibe.
Brown may be the least used color in branding but it could really work as an advantage as it helps the brand stand out. It also helps people view the brand as rugged or masculine.
Lastly, black helps the brand have a modern or sophisticated vibe as there is nothing as classic and as effective as this color.
- Form/Shape
This may be subtle but it is an effective element that can be used to reinforce a desired reaction from the customers.
Round shapes give a vibe of vibrancy and give a feeling of unity.
Once you have figured out the stepping stones of your brand’s design, it is time to work with a designer to bring your brand identity to life and translate your identity as a brand into tangible materials that you will use for marketing your business or service.
When designing your brand, these are a few things to consider.
LOGO
This is the cornerstone of your brand’s identity. Ensure that your design partner will be able to deliver the logo in multiple formats (a black and white version or in multiple sizes) to make sure that you will always have a logo that you need and that each of the designs are in line with your brand identity.
WEBSITE
This is one of the aspects that will really represent your brand’s identity. Especially if your business or product is running on an online platform, potential customers and your target audience will definitely decide to do business with your entity if the webiste they have checked is of high quality and is representative of who you are as a brand and your aim and vision.
PACKAGING
If your product is a physical one, on the other hand, you should not underestimate the value of good design in improving customer experience as it drives both loyal customers and repeat purchases. It is also a great opportunity for your brand’s design to come through and shine.