I have seen people using the terms logo and brand interchangeably. A few years back I had the same thought. But being an M.B.A today I have learned the basic difference between the two.
While the logo is the symbol of any business entity it is not regarded as the brand entirely. It is just a small step toward creating a meaningful and effective brand identity.
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The picture above makes the difference between logo and brand clearer. Then what is brand identity?
One simple brand identity definition can be like:
How a brand appears to be
How it feels and communicates with people
And at times brand identity reveals how it feels, smells, tastes, and sounds. In other words, it is the methodology to:
Speak to the world
Distinguish your brand against others in the competition
Build a strong brand experience encouraging people to connect with you
Brand identity reveals your business’ personality and acts as a commitment to your shoppers.
Brand Identity – The Importance
By now you may have guessed its significance from the brand identity definition. Still, I will elaborate on the importance for you here for a clear picturesque.
1.Personality
A brand identity is a visual presentation of the personality and values of your business and brand specifically. The identity design speaks about your brand and creates specific feelings within your target market. It conveys your message to the audience and support business goals.
2.Consistency
Creating a strong identity is the need of the hour. It helps you create and send consistent messages all over your marketing materials. Every single piece features similar basic design and style elements that create a consistent branding package as a whole.
3.Differentiation
Here I will use the picture given above as an example. In the picture The Purpose Of Brand Identity, you can see that two different men standing with their faces in opposite directions are thinking of two different things.
While the man on the left is thinking of the Brand of Apple the other is thinking about a beautiful iPhone. So what does this indicate? If you want to buy a product first thing that comes into your mind is the brand i.e. Apple.
Hence it is clear from the fact that a strong identity helps you stand out in the competition with your audience being able to distinguish your brand specifically.
4.Awareness
The more locations you feature your brand, the more close contacts it will make with audiences, and the more they will recognize your business.
5.Builds Loyalty
It helps to instill trust in the mindset of customers. A brand identity is what creates a strong connection between a company and its products or services.
Brand Identity – The Design
![](https://brandsquaremedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2Hq876f7ya-768x626.jpg)
The brand identity design should comprise of:
Logos
Typography
Colors
Pictures
Video & Motion
Interactive Elements
Packaging
Messaging
Web Design
Here I can state some unique brand identity examples such as Coca-Cola, POP Fit, Asana, Burt’s Bees, and Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery.
Remember the brand identity design should be able to convey your message to the audiences so try to include all to execute your purpose.
Brand Identity – How To Create
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Now when you know what is brand identity and its importance let us see how to create one.
1.Think Of A Unique Logo
Being the central element of your brand the logo should be unique. Keep in mind you will be using your brand logo everywhere (Packaging, Website & Social Media). This is why it is essential to build a logo meeting the following criterion:
Simple
Memorable
Timeless
Appropriate &
Versatile
One of the timeless and unique brand identity examples coming into my mind right now is McDonald’s which has been developed in the 1940s and is still well recognized all over the world.
2.Build On-Brand Messaging
An effective tip towards how to create a brand identity is on-brand messaging. Your brand should convey your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) in terms of both visuals and words. You can use one brand book to build this beautiful On-Brand Messaging. These include:
Brand Slogan or Tagline:Include when and how you will use it
Brand Images in Logo:Different sizes and color palettes
Fonts:Along with font names and sizes use the format options and which combination is to be used when
Colors:Include how and when to use which color
Graphics or Photos:Improper and Proper use of visual examples
Word Choice and Writing Style: Wrong and Right style examples and making specifically helpful choices
3.Define Your USP
![](https://brandsquaremedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Bv1P1BOvrD-768x343.jpg)
Why is your brand different from others?
What Do you possess and they Don’t?
How will people recognize your brand?
To develop a strong USP you need to do a bit of homework regarding your target audience. Learn about:
What influences your target audience?
Money
Status
Family Health
Social Causes etc
What irritates your target audience?
Why customers choose your products/ services over competitors?
Answering these questions will help you develop a strong USP to attract your target audience at ease.
4. Execute Strategies To Launch Your Brand Identity
Building your brand’s identity is a matter of time. Well, you should think of various strategies to create brand awareness and make your brand stronger. This is one of the important steps towards how to create a brand identity.
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Make use of social media to be in touch with your target audience directly. It can be anywhere like:
Facebook (FB)
Pinterest
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram or
YouTube
Additionally, you can hire an external agency to market your brand with appropriate channels including:
Trade Journals
TVs
Print Interviews &
Mass Consumer Publications
They help you develop an effective content marketing plan to allow you to communicate with the target audience in the best possible manner.