What is brand identity? And why is it important?

Every product or service starts out as a commodity. And the perceived value of the product or service is determined by the value perceived by customers. Brand identity tells the story and promise that customers are willing to pay for. It creates the difference between the customer deciding that they should get a product for free, for cheap, or if they should pay a premium price for the product or service.

There are some simple steps that businesses can implement to create a brand identity that customers recognize as being valuable to them.

In this post, LLT Group shares an understanding of brand identity, its importance, and ways to improve your business’s perceived brand value.

What is brand identity?

Brand identity refers to the visual representation of your business’s offering. The visual communication can include:

• Typography
• Color palettes
• Design
• Logos
• Language

The visual representation communicates messages associated with the product or service that’s being offered by the business. This message promises an expectation or experience with the consumer that decides to engage with the product or service being offered. [1]

A business needs to be able to bridge their desired perception with the ideas and features that it wants to communicate with consumers. [2]

Why is brand identity important?

The brand identity is an extension of the business’s core values. As the business’s brand identity becomes forged, it manifests itself into the values, goals, and mission for the business, which will provide a framework for decisions in the business.[3] 

Serial entrepreneur Grant Cardone summed up the importance of branding in the following quote.

“Your brand is the most valuable asset you have…When nobody knows you, nobody flows to you.” [4]

“Know what yours is and make it known to the world or they will paint you with their own idea or worse, make you invisible.”

Grant Cardone [5]

What makes a strong brand identity?

A strong brand identity allows your product or business’s story to be told in a few seconds using visual imagery.

What is the story that you want your brand to tell consumers?

Your brand’s story will make a promise to the consumer. The promise could solve a problem or provide an experience that they desire. The brand’s message needs to be more than just delivering the end product. Consumers will buy into the journey and will want to share in the story that the brand is sharing.

• You need your story to be simple.
• Your story needs to be concise.
• Your story needs to be clear.
• Your need your story to satisfy a need or want from the customer.
• Your story needs to deliver a promise to the consumer.

Camine Gallo explains in the following video how a message map can help with the development of your brand’s identity.

How do you present brand identity?

The consistency in your brand’s visual appearance will make it easy for consumers to recognize the message, value, and promise that your business’s products or services offer. Maintaining the visual brand identity will require consistency across:

• The color palettes used across the business. (Also see our post on The psychology of color)
• Typography and font
• Logos
• Language and slogans
• Icons
• Logo
• Website
• Product Packaging
• Business cards
• Email design

Beyond these core visual elements, the business will need to communicate how the brand should be represented to employees; and how any technology, digital assets, or collateral are used.

Once you have your brand identity, you will be able to scale the awareness and recognition of your brand. The perceived value of your brand should also increase and should be reflected in the interactions that consumers have with your brand.

If you are interested in branding services, get in touch with one of the consultants from LLT Group to discuss how we can help you develop your business’s brand identity.

References

[1] Corporate Brand Identity – Wikipedia

[2] Brand identity definition – Cambridge Dictionary

[3] How to Easily Create a Relevant Brand Identity & Brand Image

[4] Grant Cardone – Market your business

[5] Personal branding – Medium – Grant Cardone 

Image credit: Photo by Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash