Just as personal identity helps us distinguish one person from another with factors like looks, behaviour, and origin, brand identity also helps us distinguish one brand from another.

It includes specific physical and non-visual elements that make up a brand. These various elements such as logo, position, promise, and reputation combine to present a brand’s image to the public.

Brand identity is responsible for shaping customers’ perceptions regarding a brand. It also serves as a preset to how a brand presents itself to consumers.

This eventually forms the basis for people to bond with a brand that resonates with them.

Elements of Brand Identity

The identity encompasses various elements that give us an idea of what a brand represents. Here are some of these elements:

1. Logo: This is the visual representation of a brand, most big brands are recognized with their brand logo, it is what makes people recognize a brand, a logo sends a huge message which is why brands make sure they create one that is easily recognized, and memorable.
2. Reputation: The over-time perception of people about a brand is a part of their identity. It forms the way a brand is seen, and highlights what it is known for.
3. Delivered Promise: A brand’s ability to deliver on its promise and constantly meet consumers’ expectations forms the identity people perceive of them.
4. Unique Selling Proposition: A distinct brand value point helps to recognize what a brand is best in. A brand should be known for what they do differently in a market. For example, the Apple brand is known for its sleek, high-function gadgets. The brand specialty helps highlight its position in the market, and it forms a part of its identity.
5. Brand Name: This is usually the first thing people notice about a brand before the logo. It is so important to choose a brand name that speaks to your audience, and that will be easy to remember, understand, and relate with among your target audience.
6. Consistency: A brand identity should feature coherence in the overall way the brand does things. This involves the tone, look, feel, and style. Consistency is a core element because it allows for cohesion in all the brand activities, which helps to send a clear and concise message on a brand’s identity to its audience.
7. The Audience: Those that patronize a brand are also important in forming an identity, it shows the class of people a brand belongs to, and what these people portray is a form of representation of a brand.

Importance

1. It enhances customers’ trust/loyalty.
2. Improves brand recognition.
3. Aids the proper representation of brand’s value and personality.
4. It speaks a brand message to the public.

How to Create a Brand Identity

The most important factor when creating an identity is to make sure it is consistent, coherent, and clear in all of your brand identity elements.

It is a necessity to have an identity if you own a brand because it helps you focus on creating a brand that doesn’t mismatch messages. It helps you deliver a clear message of what you’re about to your audience. The following should be put in place:

• Understand your audience, and market: Knowing exactly what your audience’s expectations are of your brand is important in defining their pain point. Make it clear to them what you have to offer them. Knowing your position in the market also helps to gauge how you would be responded to, what you need to improve on, and how you’re perceived in the market.
• Know your Unique selling point (U.S.P): Your value proposition is where the factor that differentiates you from other brands lies. The Canva brand has become a special app people use for design with easy-to-use features, free services, and affordable prices. These attributes have become a factor that makes them different from other design apps.
• Have a logo and template: Create a good logo design that represents your brand properly. Have a template you follow in terms of colour, design, and text font that should match throughout your brand.
• Have a style guide: An overall feel, look, and tone your brand would adopt is important to your identity.
• Know what to avoid: Be conscious of the things your brand promotes so as not to go against its values, and be extra cautious of things to do to get your brand ahead.
• Constantly analyze your brand to see if your chosen identity is intact, and improve where necessary. 

The creation of a solid brand identity lies in the proper implementation of brand elements.

Conclusion

Brand identity is everything that makes up a brand, that sends a message to its audience. It includes elements like logo, personality, uniqueness, image, and position, among others; and it should be consistent. Creating one involves the application of the brand elements and constant analysis of how the brand is doing.

Rodiat Ajuwon is a Human Capital Development Enthusiast.