A strong brand is a one that is on the same wavelength as its consumers. Brands which fail to do that are bound to struggle. Creating a brand identity is the key to success in this field. But, what is brand identity actually? How to create it for your business? You will learn all of that by reading this article, so we encourage you to do so!

What is brand identity?

The definitions of brand identity are many. Different scholars, marketing managers or even CEOs may argue what it actually is. Let’s begin with a theoretical explanation:

[Brand identity is] “a unique set of brand associations that the brand strategist aspires to create or maintain” – Aaker, 1996 (via da Silveira, Lages & Simões, 2013)

This might be quite ambiguous, therefore, let us elaborate on what is brand identity in practice. It is a unique characteristic that affects how a brand is perceived, what it looks like and how it behaves. It encompasses both visual aspects and a company’s mission, values and beliefs.

How to create a brand identity

Unlike the brand image, which is defined by the audience, a brand identity comes directly from the business – it is how you would like your brand to be perceived and how you attempt to make that happen.

How to create a brand identity for your business?

When thinking about people’s identity, we come up with two main principles: uniqueness and consistency. This is exactly what should motivate you while creating a brand identity. To do it effectively, you need to prepare yourself thoroughly. Here are some tips on how to do that:

  • Find out who are you reaching out to – Before drafting your brand identity, you need to research your target audience. Who are your customers, why do they choose your products? Group them and create marketing personas. Make use of social media: Facebook, Instagram, YouMap or even Reddit. Gather as much information as you can, to understand what will truly work.
  • Take a glimpse at your competitors – Uniqueness is the key; you need to find your niche. In order to do so, you should analyze your competition. See what kind of identity they are trying to build. What are their strengths; what are their pain points? Capitalize on that knowledge and base your brand identity on the conclusions.
  • Come up with your brand’s personality – Knowing everything from the two tips above, you can get down to thinking about your communication. What should your brand sound like? Should it be funny and outgoing, or perhaps act as a straightforward expert? Think of three main adjectives that would describe your brand, and adjust the style to them.
  • Work on the brand image – How to create a strong brand identity without a consistent image? It’s impossible. Consider what you represent currently, work on visual aspects – colors, fonts, images. Understand why your brand is perceived as it is, capitalize on the strong features of your current image and find ways to get rid of the weak ones.
  • Write a slogan – Just do it? Nike. Is it in you? Gatorade. Finger lickin’ good? KFC. You can immediately recognize these brands just by their catching slogans, right? This is why you need to make one yourself – to have something that will truly be printed in your customer’s memory.

The takeaway

So, how to create a brand identity for your business? Let’s sum it up.

Firstly, you ought to make research – find out all you can about your target audience and your competitors. Secondly, you need to come up with your brand’s personality. Finally, you should ensure that the brand image is consistent with the proposed identity and write a catchy slogan – a one that people will truly remember.

Are you looking for ways to elevate your business to a completely new level? Then check our article: Business + YouMap = a match made in heaven.

References:

Da Silveira, Catherine, Carmen Lages, and Cláudia Simões. “Reconceptualizing Brand Identity in a Dynamic Environment.” Journal of Business Research, vol. 66, no. 1, 2013, pp. 28-36. ISSN 0148-2963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.07.020.