The Key Components of Brand Identity

"A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another." – Seth Godin

A good brand consists of a delicate mixture of several different things: logo, packaging, typography, messaging, customer service, coloring, product quality, corporate relation, and personality. But a good brand must also have emotion and be visually appealing to everyday hardworking men and women who take notice of it, showing clients that they can take comfort in the quality of the company’s product that the brand is representing.

All of the factors that go into a brand we just explained can be summed up as brand identity. It’s the visual component that represents the larger ideas of the company. A good brand identity’s purpose is to attract new clients in search of its qualities while making existing customers feel at home. This is done through the brand’s clear messaging and consistency that clients attach themselves to emotionally. Here are a few key elements of brand design:

Clear brand purpose

A brand’s purpose is to help develop the company’s image and promote its values, thereby enhancing company growth and reputation. A Brand’s position shows clients who the product is for and why the product is their best option. Defining these will inform your strategy as you create a logo, decide on a color palette, etc. A process is known as PPP: Purpose, Position, and Personality, is most useful when answering these questions. Always try to keep your purpose as the solution for changing the world.

Market research

This comes in handy when determining your brand's purpose and positioning. Market and customer research can inform you of the type of beacon your brand can be for that potential customer base. You want to compile phone interviews, email surveys, online polls, and questionnaires. All of this will help you build your ideal brand, the one needed to shine brightly for your company.

Memorable logo

When designing a logo, consider all the places it could possibly be displayed. Your logo should be able to catch someone’s eye whether it be on a billboard or a social media app. Simplicity is the key element to creating a memorable logo that can encourage a strong emotional response for clients. The simpler a logo is, the easier it becomes for customers to mentally assign positive experiences they have with the brand.

Color palette

The logo’s color palette should be simple, with only 1 to 3 primary colors. Know the emotions behind certain colors so you can assign the right ones best to help your brand. Color psychology is important and can help you analyze the best shades to make your clients feel safe within your brand.

Professional typography

Yes, even down to the lettering your logo needs to have the right font to detail your brand's message and emotion. Fonts hold so much more power than most realize, so picking an influential font that works in harmony with your logo and colors pays off in the long run.