How to Create Brand Identity (with Infographics)

There is more to a business than just the product or services it sells.

For example, ask any iPhone user, and they will tell you that owning an iPhone isn’t just about benefiting from its functional features.

In fact, it is about being a part of the Apple community and the prestige that comes with it - or in other words, the whole experience surrounding the product makes people want to buy it. And that, in short, is what brand identity is.

It gives your company authenticity, makes people remember you better, and drives their engagement.

It prompts 9 out of 10 buyers to prefer to purchase from you and turns them into life-long customers.

Alright then, but how exactly do you design a brand identity?

Let's have a quick look at this step-by-step guide, as we go over four key points to consider.

1. Research

Every marketing effort begins with research. It is easy to decide what you think consumers would like. However, it is just as easy to be wrong. Make sure to include analysis as an essential part of your brand strategy to understand your target audience.

You can start by sketching out an ideal buyer. What are their demographics, behavior patterns, interests, and concerns? Write down your ideas and then test them. As a result, this will help you to get a basic understanding of what buyers truly want from you.

Secondly, research your business. Begin by crafting your brand’s mission. For example, what is it that you wish to achieve as a business? Your brand identity will then be an extension of this mission.

You can also look inwards and think about why your business is unique within your sector. As in what functional and aspirational benefits do you offer that no one else does? It will allow you to identify your value proposition and position in the market.

Example: at a time when traditional ride-hailing services were popular, Uber came in with an unexpected value proposition of a technology-driven service. The uniqueness of the idea provided Uber with a value proposition that no other brand could achieve, which led to its success.

After you're done with that, think about the personality you want to reflect. Decide which tone of voice and brand image will best suit your brand. It will then help you to define what colors, font, name, or imagery you should use.

Bonus tip: There are tons of apps out there that can help you with the choice if you’re out of ideas. For example, color wheel apps are great for finding suitable color palettes for your brand, whereas a business name generator might pitch you the perfect idea for your brand name. Lastly, a font generator might help you decide on the best set of fonts to use for your copy.

2. Decide on the branding method

There are different methods for approaching your company branding. For example, while some tend to put focus on the company name, others try to make a brand out of the product. These approaches are also known as the “branded house” and the “house of brands.”

Each method has its pros and cons. While the branded house ensures that the business's credibility extends to the product, it also means that all your products must be branded similarly to ensure recognition.

House of brands, on the other hand, can help you in going in different directions, but upon initial launch, people may simply not recognize your product as a part of your company.

So make sure to carefully weigh on which of the two you want to go forward with. Once you do so, it's time to move on to your tagline.

3. Create a slogan

JustDo It. I’m lovin’ it. Because you’re worth it.

Theseare just some of the taglines that have resonated with the target audience tothe extent that many remember them at the tip of their tongues.

And it shows how essentials taglines are for your brand identity. They are a pitchy way to tell your customers what you’re positioning.

So once you have decided on your value proposition, brand personality, and brand story, try combining it all and reflecting in a witty, memorable, and meaningful tagline.

4. Design your logo

According to Pam Moore, it takes seven impressions for customers to remember your brand. And a well-thought-out logo helps in ensuring that these impressions are genuinely fruitful.

Let’s do a quick exercise to prove the point. Try to remember the logos of the following brands.

McDonald's. Starbucks. Apple. Nike. Coca Cola.

The chances are you had barely any trouble in remembering their visual identities. That's the power of an impactful and iconic logo. However, such brand retention isn't just caused by the design elements only. Instead, it is caused by all the associations that the company has successfully instilled in the mind of customers over the years.

Think of Coca Cola, for example - the red logo in script text is chosen to represent the Coke drinker's confidence, while the patented bottle shape helps tell customers that there is no other product like this.

In effect, this gives the brand a feeling of authenticity and credibility.  So as you can see, it is imperative to design your logo carefully. Here are some tips that might help:

• Keep the design simple.
• Don’t be too product-centric – you never know when your business will diversify.
• Make sure it translates well across different dimensions.

Together, these steps will help you make your logo timeless and meaningful to the customers.

Ending Remarks

As we’ve seen, there are many layers to brand identities, such as brand personality, tagline, name, and logo. To make sure people like it, keep the focus on staying authentic and relevant in each of these facets.

For that, remember to:

1. Understand your customers’ needs and create a value proposition around it.
2. Develop a brand personality that resonates with your target audience.
3. Come up with a tagline that encapsulates your brand.
4. Use a unique combination of color, symbols, and typography for your logo.

This may take some time and trial and error, but if you keep trying and experimenting, eventually, you'll hit that perfect combination that lets your brand shine.

Author bio:

Alma is a mother, wife, logophile and a professional blogger by choice. She has completed her masters in English literature from the University of Groningen. With her unique approach towards content marketing, she brings worth a second read blogs to life. Oh, Alma- is incomplete without cats. Find her on Twitter: @Almacausey.  And you can check out some of her past work at Muckrack.

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