How your logo affects your brand image?

What is the key value that you offer to your customers?

Fun, and positive emotions, or some practical, useful solutions?

Understanding an answer to this question should guide your brand image design - from logo through website to presentation templates.

A recent research by Felipe M. Affonso , Chris Janiszewski show that the way we design our brand elements affect how customers perceive it. For example:

?? Symmetry underlines sophistication (Mercedes)

?? Simplicity underlines eco-friendliness (TOMS)

?? Proximity underlines efficiency (FedEx)

?? Asymmetry underlines excitement (Pepsi)

As a general principle, the more structured, and organized your image is, the more your customers will see it as useful (utilitarian value), while unstructured, freeflowing design supports the emotional, hedonic value.

Intel understood it well when designing their recent brand identity upgrade

While subway did the opposite in their recent brand update. Are the sandwiches more sophisticated now? ??

I know a lot of freelancers, who, just like me, want to stand out with the fact they are not "that serious" and make their websites and entire brand playful, fun and colorful. This is, however, hurting how new customers see them. People, who are making their opinion only based on our social media, our website and other materials.

This insight made me rethink how I present myself, in which way should I build my new website, and social media content. It's important to remember what is your ultimate value and make sure your brand is in line with it. Then tiny details can mention other individual features (like fun in my case), but should not guide the entire design :)

Would like to learn more?

This insight comes from my talk with Felipe M. Affonso on his scientific paper published in Journal of Marketing . Listen to full episode to get even more examples and ideas on how to make your brand image correspond with your brand message.