What is a brand identity?

If you have a brand or are thinking of starting one, you’ve probably come across this term in its different forms. « Branding », « brand identity », « visual identity », etc. All of these terms define parts of what it means to have a brand. Some of it is visual, some of it is conceptual, some of it has to do with customer service and a lot of it involves social media.

In this lesson, I will tell you more about what the term « brand identity » means and how you can develop your own. Let’s go!

I) What is a brand identity

A brand identity is literally what it says. It is the identity of your brand.

People don’t always buy a product just because they need it. They often buy it for what it represents. Unless your product is a completely unique, innovative, never-seen-before type of product, chances are that you will be competing against other businesses to sell the same item. Different factors come into play when people decide to buy something. It can be the price, some features they need, a good salesperson, an urgent need, etc. No matter what it is, if you and your competitors have the same product at the same price with the same features, very often, people will buy the one they feel they can trust the most. Truth is, they might even go for a more expensive product if it has a killer brand.

Building trust is the number one goal when developing your brand identity so how do we do that? I’d say there are 3 elements of brand identity.

II) The three elements of a brand’s identity

a) How it looks

This is everything your potential customer sees. Logo, colors, typography, packaging, photography and layouts. This falls into the realm of visual identity. With those elements you can signal to people the kind of products you’re selling, the kind of lifestyle you’re about and the kind of brand you are as a whole.

They say “don’t judge a book by its cover” but people do that all the time. You just have to make it easy for them to judge you for what you are. Don’t let a bad visual identity take away potential customers.

b) How it sounds

This is the tone of your brand. Is it friendly and informal? Is it formal and traditional? Does it go straight to the point or does it have a bit more of a story-telling vibe to it? The way your brand sounds will define the kind of clients you attract and, in the age of social media, it is an extremely important element to consider.

When Nike tells you to « Just do it », it goes straight to the point just like a sports brand should. And you find yourself wanting to get up, push yourself and become the new LeBron James.

When Apple tells you to « Think Different » it is straight-to-the-point also but what they ask you is more reflective so it doesn’t call for the same vibe. You might want to go to your desk and start writing (or sketching) your best ideas and/or invent the next big thing. Do you see the nuance and how important it is to a brand? One word can make a difference.

c) How it feels

How your brand feels is a combination of the two elements above + how you interact with your existing and potential customers. It is important to have a nice looking brand and the appearance of a trustworthy ally however, if you mess up customer service, it will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those people who trusted you with their money. The bad reputation that could result from that can be hard to recover from (remember social media, always). You have to talk the talk AND walk the walk. There’s nothing worse than a brand that claims something and does the opposite.

Essentially, developing your brand identity means making what your brand stands for visible.

When selling a product, a lot of people get caught up in selling the features of their products. The best brands sell you a better version of yourself. You are the hero of your life and those brands know it. Branding is not about your product or your company. Branding has everything to do with your customers and how they can be the hero of their own life. Your product should help them get there, and your brand should make them feel proud to be who they are. If I put it in movie terms I’d say that a good brand is the second lead that helps the protagonist with their quests. They are essential to the story but it’s not about them. This is also why we love them.