The brand identity is the second part of creating a brand, the first is the brand strategy which we would establish first before even thinking about any of the parts of a brand identity. It might be common when you think of branding to think of a logo or the colours, however these are actually only a small part of the brand identity and an even smaller part when it comes to looking at the big picture of the entire brand.
To summarise what a brand identity is simply, they are tangible assets that communicate the brand strategy. Let’s have a look at the different elements that make up a brand identity.
The Logo
The logo is an important part of the brand identity. Whether it’s on your packaging, website or a display picture on social media; it is usually one of the first things that people will encounter when interacting with your brand. It is important that your logo has variations so that it can be read clearly and still look good in a variety of applications.
Some aspects to think about:
Colours
Does the logo work with the different brand colours and does it retain its character as a 1C (1 colour) logo?
Responsiveness / Scalability
An important factor when it comes to a good logo is the scalability. A good logo design should still look good and be recognisable whether it's on a billboard, poster or as an icon on an app. This is the reason why it is common to have different variation of logos / submarks. The appropriate logo can then be used in the right application to ensure that the character of the brand is still maintained.
The Tagline
A tagline is a phrase that promotes brand awareness and is usually seen next to the logo. Generally the tagline will drive a certain emotion (usually positive) and should give consumers a greater understanding of how interacting with their brand will make them feel. The best taglines are succinct, punchy and memorable. Some examples from well known brands are:
Colour Palette
Choosing brand colours that reflect your brand personality is important in conveying the right message to your audience. Ensuring these colours are then applied across all touchpoints and channels is the next step in making sure that they are used effectively.
If you use one colour palette on your social media, but another on your website, consumers will be confused at the inconsistency and it will water down the value of your brand. Great brands use colour well and if you think of some well known brands, chances are you'll be able to name the colour that they use.
Typography
Typography refers to any text that is seen across your touchpoints. It usually consists of 1-3 typefaces. Once the brand typography styles are set, the brand should only use these. Once again, consistency is important in building a strong visual identity. Just like the brand colours, these are an important element in communicating your messaging.
If your brand is fun and bright; a rounded soft typeface family would be suitable. Whereas if your brand wanted to communicate an air of elegance and refinement, a serif typeface would be a good choice.
Imagery
There are a few components that make up the imagery part of a brand identity. It can include illustrations, iconography and photography / stock images that are used through out the brand’s touchpoints. Some things to take note of when it comes to brand imagery:
The first question to ask is what kind of style best represents the tone of your brand? Then ensure that this tone is demonstrated throughout all imagery. The different types of imagery to think about are:
Illustrations
There are different styles of illustrations like the ones below, even though the illustrations may be representing the same thing, the tone and style are very different. Using the different styles interchangeably will make viewers confused as to whether they belong to the same brand.
Iconography
The same goes for icons used throughout your touchpoints. The best practice would be to have a set of icons created for your brand that are all a consistent style. Any other new icons that are created can reference the existing icon set. For example, if it has a black outline and two tones, then it should always follow this convention.
Photography & Stock images
Whether the photos used for a brand are original photography or stock images purchased from a website, the tone should be the same. For example, if you edit the photo in a certain way or use a particular filter, then the same treatment should be applied across all images. Take note of the 3 photo sets below and notice the different emotion and tone it conveys.
Ensure that any imagery used across your brand is in line with the initial styles that you set.
Visual Language Rules / Layout
All the elements so far are then combined to create designs and layouts that can be used across touchpoints. However, there are different types of visual rules and hierarchies. Setting these beforehand will guide designers on how to create consistent touchpoints that are in line with your brand identity.
Samples can be given on artworks in different applications such as digital media (social media, website, EDMs, ad banners etc.) and print media (brochures, posters, brand stationery etc.). Some things to think about when setting visual languages rules are grid structure as well as placement of certain key elements such as the logo, taglines and usage of imagery.
Brand Guidelines
The brand guidelines are an essential part of a brand identity and ties everything together. It can come in different forms: a PDF document, hosted on a website or even a project management tool. The most important thing is that it contains all the above elements and gives guides on how to use them. These guidelines are then passed to anyone who works on assets or touchpoints for the brand, ensuring that whatever is created is all consistent. If they need the colour codes for print or digital use, they are there for each of the brand colours. Or if they are unsure what uses are appropriate for the logo, they can check back on the brand guidelines to make sure that they are using it correctly in order to ensure that the brand integrity is upheld.
There are many factors that make a great brand identity, but one of the most important is ensuring that all your elements are consistent across your touchpoints. If you already have a strong brand identity system, that's great! The second step is to go through your entire customer journey, identify what touchpoints there are and ensure that all these are updated with your brand identity.
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