The 7 key elements of Brand Identity Design
There’s more to crafting a memorable brand than putting together a quick logo and color palette. Instead of calling it a day there, successful brands take the time to design a well rounded brand identity – one that combines a strong purpose with intentional visual and written elements.
Here are the 7 key elements of brand identity design, and how they work together to build a consistent brand your audience will love:
1. Establish a clear purpose and position
The first part of establishing a brand identity is determining your purpose and goals. Brand purpose is the ‘why?’ behind everything you do. Why does my brand exist? Why is my product or service better than the competition? Why does our brand look/feel/communicate the way it does?
2. Conduct thorough market research
A brand’s purpose and positioning can be informed, at least in part, by market and customer research. Good market research can also help you determine your main customer personas, a term that is a slightly different concept than “target customers.” Your customer personas go beyond just defining what problem a customer has and gets into the details behind your focus customers’ professional and personal traits. Defining these traits will help you know what kind of personality your brand should have to appeal to customers.
3. Craft a loveable brand personality
If you get your brand’s personality right, it will shine through in every part of your brand identity. Brand personality greatly impacts the voice and tone used in your marketing materials and other communications. Why is this important? Your customers will get mixed messages if your brand’s personality isn’t well established, and they may have trouble connecting emotionally with your brand.
4. Make a memorable logo
Your logo is central to your brand identity design. It’s the piece of your brand identity that most people will be exposed to. It needs to line up with all the other elements of your brand identity and the broader emotional appeal of your brand.
5. Choose an attractive color palette
Evocative and full of emotional potential, your brand colors are often just as memorable as the logo design. Consider looking into the dynamics of color theory when choosing the palette that best represents your brand.
6. Pick the right typography
Stressing about finding just the right font may lead others to brand you as a “typography nerd,” but you’ll come out ahead when you pick a font that works in harmony with your logo and colors.
7. Leverage on-brand graphics and photography
The final step in creating a brand identity is to build an extended visual language with supporting graphics, design assets, iconography, and photographs.
Conclusion
While there’s always the possibility of redesigns and re-evaluation ahead, starting off with a strong, confident brand design and unified brand identity will add clarity and consistency to everything you do. Over time, your unique brand identity will be the one that pops into people’s heads when they have a problem you can solve.
Ready to start building on brand? Reach out to us for professional help.
