Establishing Your Brand Identity: Your Guide to Developing a Brand

Standing apart from the competition, being remembered and having people know what you stand for are all things businesses strive for. While reading these words on the screen may sound very straightforward, these core elements of branding take a lot of work to establish.

The truth is, brand identity is much more than a logo, tagline, mission statement, TV commercial and even a good promotional item (though they are a key part of establishing your brand identity).

Continue reading to learn what brand identity is, see some examples and learn how to establish your brand identity.

What is Brand Identity

While the word ‘brand’ has roots in the mark or symbol (a logo, if you will) that cattle ranchers branded onto their livestock, your brand identity is much more than a logo.

Brand identity is the collective understanding that someone has of your organization or business.

It’s how you want people to feel when using your product or interacting with your organization, the way you talk about your products and what your company stands for. If you asked someone to describe your organization in one sentence, you would want them to accurately describe your brand’s personality and promise to customers. And if you’ve got a solid brand identity plus a robust communications plan to go with it, chances are high they’ll be able to articulate who you are in a simple sentence.

• What is brand identity vs. brand image?

Brand identity and brand image are very similar.

Brand identity is controlled by the company—it’s the logo, tagline, ads, emails, blog posts and all other communications they send out into the world and to their customers.

Brand image is how the recipients view the company.

Ideally, brand identity and brand image would align perfectly, however, there are many variables. For instance, one challenging conversation that a customer has with a sales rep or in your store could alter their image of your company (and what they tell others about you).

Brand Identity Examples

When you think of a well-known brand, organization or company, you’ll quickly recognize how strong their brand identity is, a result from years of work, as well as consistency in messaging. Here are a few examples of companies and their brand identity:

• Apple: From its iconic first commercial, known as “1984,” Apple has routinely pushed what is considered the “norm,” which is fitting for its brand identity. Known as a brand that focuses on emotions with a brand personality about lifestyle, imagination, liberty, innovation, passion, hopes, dreams and aspirations, people can clearly see how Apple puts its users in control (and gives them power) through technology.

• McDonald’s: From the architecture of its first franchised restaurant in 1952 to current-day restaurants and packaging, McDonald’s golden arches are an iconic piece of its brand identity. A big reason McDonald’s is so recognizable is because of the simplicity of its bold yellow logo on a red background, as well as consistency over the years.

• Walmart: With a tagline of “Save Money. Live Better.” Walmart’s brand identity is in its low prices and being for everyone by providing a relaxed and friendly environment for both customers and employees. Walmart describes their brand identity as, “a pair of great jeans you love wearing every day.” When they’ve made visual changes to their branding, most notably to the logo, which started as a very plain “Wal-Mart” and is now a “Walmart” with a sunburst at the end, they take a slower, transitionary approach to rebranding to help take customers along for the ride.

• Amazon: With a focus on quality, service and value, Amazon’s brand identity with consumers is linked to its unrivaled online shopping experience, thanks to Amazon’s dedication to satisfaction and frugal operations. They’ve built a reputation for their variety of lower-cost options, as well as for how quickly customers can get their items delivered.

How to Create a Brand Identity

As the examples above illustrate, a solid brand identity is something that takes years of work (and consistency) to develop. Here are a few tips to help you get started with developing a brand identity for a new product or company (or even re-branding a current product or company).

• Get to know your audience and competition. To know thyself, you must know your customers and potential customers. Research your audience, value proposition and others in the marketplace. What, and who, do your current customers say you are? Check out your reviews, search for mentions of your brand or company online and on social media to see what people are talking about. If you can, invest in market research to identify what pain points currently exist with your products or in your market that your competitors aren’t addressing so you can create a new space for your products.

• Work on your messaging. Choose words, messages and ideas that you can use to connect with your audience through advertising, social media and in-person interactions. This includes setting (or updating) your mission, vision and values, and may also include selecting a brand archetype to help you develop a voice for your brand.

• Develop your visual identity. After you understand your audience and have developed your brand voice/messaging, it’s time to work on the visual side of your brand identity. Design the logo and choose a typeface (or two), colors, and more that will visually represent your brand.

• Make a ‘What Not to Do’ list. After getting to know your audience and competition, you will likely also have a list of things that make your audience upset, don’t resonate with them, etc. Know what these things are and avoid them to help keep your brand identity intact. As a reminder, your customers’ experiences play a big role in how they view you. If some aspect of your brand isn’t living up to expectations (such as Amazon delivery drivers tossing packages on doorsteps instead of carefully delivering them), your entire brand identity can be threatened.

• Don’t set it and forget it. Those great brand identity examples above have evolved since their inception and so will yours. Keep an eye on your brand and how people are talking about you to maintain your brand identity and be prepared to adjust over time.

Use branded promo items to further your brand identity

Just a like brand identity isn’t made up solely of a logo, promotional products aren’t the only component of your brand identity that you need to consider, but they ARE a key piece of the puzzle.

Promotional products can help increase top-of-mind awareness with repeat impressions that can lead to increased sales, as well as enhance customer loyalty.

Promotional products should align with your brand identity and values, so if sustainability is a key pillar to who you are, then be sure that your promotional items are also eco-friendly. For example, with low prices being a key piece of Walmart’s brand identity, them giving away an expensive promo item would be a mismatch to their brand identity.

Your promo items should align with who you say you are. Choose elegant items for a more sophisticated brand, such as a KAPSTON Pierce Laptop Backpack Tote, or playful items for a fun brand, such as a deck of cards.

Establishing a brand identity is about much more than a logo, but hardworking communications—especially promo items—can help solidify your brand identity and keep you top of mind with customers. Start a chat today to get started.