How Your Brand Strategy Can Include a Powerful Visual Identity

When you think about your favourite brand, what comes to mind? The logo? The colour? Or any shapes or patterns that they use? A brand is a combination of all of these elements.?

Well, what you are picturing is that brand’s visual identity. It is how a brand presents itself in front of the world.?

Human beings are visual creatures and we remember things better when we see and perceive them. We need visual signals to interact with the world, unlike dogs and bats, who are olfactory and auditory creatures.

Just like people have their own personalities, facial features, values, beliefs, styles, and uniqueness, a brand also incorporates such traits which makes it different from the rest and helps it to shine. Without visuals, people won't value or remember your brand.?

Visual identity helps customers connect with the company and recall it easily when needed, as it builds the brand’s personality, values and influences how the brand is perceived.?

55% of the consumers’ first impression of the brand is its visuals, and 81% of the consumers need to trust a brand before making their purchase.?

Hence, your brand’s visual identity can encourage people to make purchases and remember it for a long time.?

An average person spends up to 2 hours 23 minutes on social media and about 4.5 billion social media posts are posted on a regular basis which is filled with tons of visual content.?

It’s not a surprise that brands have to make strong visuals that can resonate with people and encourage them to consider making a purchase.?

As Paul Rand, graphic designer and art director mentioned once, “Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.” Hence, each visual element should be made carefully.?

In this article, we will cover a lot of ground, including the difference between visual identity and brand, the role of visual identity, brand strategy, and much more!

Difference Between Visual Identity and Brand Identity

Both visual identity and brand identity are crucial, but there is a huge difference between the two.?

Imagine your brand as a human being, which is a living and breathing entity. It has its characteristics which makes it different from others. Both visual and brand identity work together to support your brand.?

Visual identity includes what people see when they interact with your brand. You can consider it as the appearance of your brand. It includes logos, colours, typography, and overall imagery.?

On the other hand, the entirety of the brand experience is part of your brand identity. It extends beyond visuals and makes your brand alive. It consists of tone, story, voice, persona, value, etc. Furthermore, it is how you want people to perceive it.?

Let’s take the example of @Red Bull, which is an energy drink that was founded in 1987, in Austria.?

The Red Bull Bull logo is made up of two bulls that stand for power, adventure, and excitement. The bulls' striking red colour makes it simple to recognize the brand. The brand's message is conveyed via the straightforward brand identity logo.

Additionally, the company's tagline, “Red Bull Gives You Wings,” emphasises the notion that the beverage may provide you with energy. The phrase has been linked to the brand and appears in a number of commercials. Consequently, when you think of Red Bull, its bulls and slogans are the first things that spring to mind.

Both visual and brand identity, this is feasible. This is the way consumers view brands. Combining these two components results in a powerful brand that supports your objectives.

The Role Of Visual Identity

One may question what function visual identity serves. A relationship between you and your customer can be established or sparked by your visual identity. It also raises awareness of your brand's products, services, and quality.

Here are a few reasons why creating a visual identity is important and why brands should invest in building an attractive one:

Importance in Building the First Impression

Customers establish opinions about your business in as little as two seconds, so it's critical to ensure they have a positive experience. Make sure the buyer is not bored with your items and that the website, app, or other platform you use to sell them offers a pleasing visual experience. This is how you can build trust and authenticity.

Importance of Designed Identity in the Visual World

The need for images, designs, movies, and other content is growing daily. The market for visual content is projected to expand by $1.4 billion between 2022 and 2026. Additionally, marketing is becoming more visually focused. 51.4% of marketers employ images in their branding efforts, according to surveys, since they provide easy engagement with the targeted audience and help the brand connect with its personality.

How Your Brand Strategy Can Include a Powerful Visual Identity

Here’s how you can incorporate a strong visual identity into your brand strategy:

1. Understand your brand’s purpose

Your business may be elevated by a clearly defined visual identity in your brand strategy. Recognize your brand's mission, values, advocates, and preferred methods of communication with your target market.

Consider your brand's personality, tone, voice, story, and other elements carefully. Next, carefully apply these concepts to images.

2. Know Your Audience

You can produce visual content that appeals to your targeted marketing audience if you have a thorough grasp of them. This brand strategy can help you establish a foundation in the industry and accelerate your growth.

It will also facilitate your ability to interact and engage with your audience. Construct a buyer's persona. Divide your audience into smaller groups according to their interests, gender, age, income, and education.?

This might assist you in getting a clear idea of the kind of material you ought to produce.

3. Create Engaging Visuals

Always keep in mind that appeal, understanding, and retention are the keys to creating pictures that people adore. Visual content producers and their audience may establish a relationship through visually captivating, readily understood, and memorable material.

Include colour palettes, logos, fonts, textures, shapes, and elements as these can help to make your brand more memorable.?

4. Stay Consistent

Maintaining a consistent visual identity might help you stand out in the business. It strengthens the confidence of your viewers and raises your profile. Using standardised visual components, such as logos, colours, typefaces, etc., may facilitate clear and efficient communication.

This is how your brand strategy may incorporate visual identity.

Elements of Visual Identity

Here are the elements of visual identity:

1. Logo

The logo is the first thing people will see and remember about your visual identity. The logo serves as a symbol of the company's identity and is used in all branding and marketing campaigns.

Your logo stands with your brand’s name and can be seen on various platforms such as social media, Google, business cards, products, etc.?

2. Colours

Colours have a big impact on the audience's emotional response. Businesses select colour schemes that align with their objectives, convictions, and core values.

A colour scheme can influence people to make a purchase, and it also reflects the motive behind your brand.?

The following are some common colours and their meanings:

• Red denotes passion and strength.
• Orange denotes energy and enthusiasm.
• Yellow denotes optimism and cheer
• Green denotes progress and tranquillity.
• Blue denotes calmness and reliability.
• Purple denotes sophistication and knowledge.
• Pink denotes assurance and romance.
• Brown denotes tenacity and durability.
• White represents purity and morality.
• Gray denotes balance and neutrality.
• Black denotes richness and elegance.?

3. Images

A company's ideals, goods, and services may all be portrayed through images. Images that appeal to their target audience and may represent their brand are chosen by organisations.

4. Text fonts

The visual identity's use of text typefaces controls how text is presented. Companies select legible text typefaces that complement their brand.?

Visual and Brand Identity Ideas And Examples?

While there is undoubtedly a difference in flavour between Pepsi and Coca-Cola, there are many more factors such as brand identity that make these two drinks unique.

Here are some famous visual and brand identity examples:

1. 苹果

Three pillars of Apple's identity are innovation, quality, and simplicity. They positioned themselves as a younger, more creative, and ambitious character in opposition to Microsoft.

The message of a brand should always be obvious. Because Apple is so committed to this concept, its slogans, and messaging are always appropriate for the people they are trying to reach.

Additionally, Apple's two identities are adaptable, compatible with a variety of media, and useful for a range of creative endeavours. They include a wide range of products, such as tablets, smartphones, laptops, and a lot more.

Apple stands out from all the other businesses in the market because to its simple yet iconic brand identity logo.?

2. 耐克 ?

Nike's brand is centred around the phrase "Just Do It." Michael Jordan utilised this slogan, which is consistent with the brand's mission to empower sports enthusiasts.

Nike merchandise features a swoosh shape that represents the brand's wing and goddess of victory. Making it easy to remember.

3. Coca-Cola FEMSA

The red-and-white Coca-Cola brand identity logo is instantly identifiable. The brand has been true to its bottle design for many years, which contributes to its unique visual character.

Their commercials feature happy times, friendships, etc., which makes a sense of connection between the brand and its consumers.?

4. 星巴克

Starbucks encourages its customers to treat themselves with authenticity as part of their brand identity. You may go there before work, work out, go on dates, and much more.

Their friendly brand identity logo demonstrates their reassuring quality.

Hence, with these examples, you can create a strong brand visual identity.?

In conclusion, creating a strong visual identity is important for your brand. Remember that your brand is more than just a logo or colour. It also portrays your brand’s persona, and values, and helps you to stand out in the industry. Hence, it is crucial to invest in building a strong visual identity.?