Brand identity is who/what your company is and what it believes in: it consists of your name, logo, colors, fonts and also your voice and other intangibles that people may think of when they think of your brand.
All of these elements combined visually communicate your brand identity to your audience.
For example, Whole Foods. What do you think of? The obvious – Health foods and natural products. Do you visualize really overweight people shopping there?
Probably not. The not-so-obvious underlying communication is that healthy people shop there and they care about what they put into their bodies. Are you beginning to see what I mean by intangibles?
All the things that people imagine when they think of a brand – is the brand identity.
Here’s an over-simplified, personified example. So, let’s say you’re into motorcycles and that’s how to want people to identify you. Your branding materials are your leather jacket, boots, tattoos, the way you walk and talk, and helmet hair – i.e. all the identifiers that tell someone who’s never met you, who you are, what you’re into and what type of conclusions they should make based on your appearance.
Your branding communicates who you, or company is – without saying a word.
Beginning to understand why it may be more important than having your nephew -who makes awesome creations in paint – may not be the best person for the job? Good. You learned something.
Remember: A Logo or a Brand Look Do Not create a Brand Identity.
You create the brand identity. You decide what your company’s mission is and that’s the foundation for all of your branding. However, a brand “look” does communicate your brand identity to your customer or as I like to call them – your future raving fans.
Assignment: Check out the logo above for a Brand you’ve never heard of before. What does it communicate to you? Leave your answer below. Thanks!!
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