Origins: used to identify cattle and show ownership.
In present day, Brand Identity refers to a brand’s personality as perceived by the target audience. This identity encompasses all senses including taste, touch, sight, sound and smell. Great branding will elicit a favored emotional response which over time forms a bond between the consumer and product. Brand loyalty is derived from positive reinforcement of memories linked with the brand.
Great branding and advertising will tell a story that identifies a villain (the problem) and a hero (the customer/your company). The story ends by giving the customer a solution (your product/service) and saves the day. Effective branding may also depict a lifestyle that your target audience desires to achieve. When they purchase your product or service, it brings them one step closer to that lifestyle. The target audience is not buying a tangible thing, they are buying what they can do with it.
Start with the logo.
A company logo will convey a brand’s personality through design, color and typography. A brand is further developed through effective copyrighting and photography. A moodboard may be designed ensure that the right colors typography and imagery are being used for the advertising campaign. As a company begins to develop marketing materials, business stationary and an online presence, a unified brand identity will emerge. It is this consistency in look and personality that will help your target audience to remember your brand.
Research. Sketch. Design. Revise.
The design process first begins with a meeting. This is where pertinent discoveries are made about the current state of business and campaign goals. Branding and marketing needs will be assessed during the initial meeting. From there a quote is worked up for the client. Depending on the nature of the project, research is then conducted on the current brand or product/service, industry, target audience and competition. Next the creative process begins. Sketches help to visualize concepts and asses good ideas …and bad ones.
Sometimes a client already has a certain look or idea in mind. We test these concepts through design proofs. As ideas come together, final designs will emerge. This timeline may happen very quickly or be the product of several months depending on the scale of a project and budget.