We know building a strong brand identity with no design experience seems intimidating, but this guide and worksheet will cover the tools and knowledge you need to build a memorable brand identity you\u2019ll love.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll cover:<\/p>\n
- \n
- What is a brand identity?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Brand identity examples<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to develop a brand strategy<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to create your brand\u2019s visual identity<\/a><\/li>\n
- Where to incorporate your brand identity<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Follow along with our FREE and easy brand identity worksheet<\/a> to have all of your research in one place.<\/div>\nReady? Let\u2019s hop to it!<\/p>\n
\nBrand, branding, and brand identity<\/h2>\n
What is a brand?<\/strong>: A brand is a business concept that helps people identify a product, person, or business. It\u2019s the overall perception of your business. Since perceptions only live in the mind, a brand only truly exists in the minds of customers.<\/p>\n
What is branding?<\/strong>: To build a brand, you\u2019ll need to practice the art of branding. Branding is defined as the actions you take to create a distinctive, memorable brand. It\u2019s the (hard) work you put into developing your desired image.<\/p>\n
What is brand identity?<\/strong>: A brand identity is the physical and digital result of branding. It is the collection of digital and tangible brand elements that a company creates to portray the right image of itself to its target audience. These elements make up the visual branding that your audience can see and recognize as yours.<\/p>\n
![\"Brand](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190404153845\/brand-guidelines-explainer.gif\")
<\/p>\nEvery interaction a customer has with your company sends a message. Having a solid brand identity helps make sure that this message is aligned with your overall brand strategy.<\/p>\n
Brand assets are the elements that make up your visual brand identity. These are the unique identifying pieces that distinguish your brand from others. Having brand assets gives you a competitive edge by encouraging customer recognition.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Your brand assets are automatically associated with your brand in the minds of consumers, which helps build brand loyalty.\u00a0Here are some examples of brand assets:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Brand name<\/li>\n
- Logo<\/li>\n
- Tagline\/slogan<\/li>\n
- Typography<\/li>\n
- Color palette<\/li>\n
- Mascot<\/li>\n
- Jingles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What are brand guidelines?<\/strong>: Brand guidelines (also called a style guide) are a set of rules about how to represent your brand across channels and assets. They include color and typography usage rules, logo use cases, imagery examples, and more.<\/p>\n
Why a strong brand identity is important<\/h3>\n
Here are a few reasons why branding and brand identity are so important:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Branding builds customer loyalty and referrals.<\/strong> People choose and recommend companies they like and are familiar with.<\/li>\n
- Branding helps you stand out from the competition.<\/strong> Stand out from competitors with a strong brand and live up to what it promises.<\/li>\n
- Branding builds recognition.<\/strong> A consistent brand helps customers know what quality to expect every time they interact with your business.<\/li>\n
- Branding helps you create clarity and stay focused.<\/strong> A clear brand strategy and purpose help you stay focused on your mission and make better decisions.<\/li>\n
- Branding helps you connect with your customers emotionally.<\/strong> A good brand makes people feel good when they buy your products or services. Tell a story or stand up for something!<\/li>\n
- Branding helps you stay consistent.<\/strong> Brand guidelines save you time and keep you visually consistent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Successful brand identity examples<\/h2>\n
Let\u2019s look at some global brand identity examples as proof of what a strong brand identity design can do.<\/p>\n
1. Patagonia<\/h3>\n
![\"patagonia-logo\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601153112\/patagonia-logo-1-600x399.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nPatagonia uses a striking wordmark logo with a mountain range at dusk as a backdrop. Unlike the simple sans serif fonts<\/a> of its competitors, it uses a lowercase, thick, rounded serif font<\/a> to differentiate itself. But, what truly makes Patagonia’s successful brand image is its brand personality and brand marketing.<\/p>\n
![\"patagonia](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601153314\/patagonia-brand-personality-example-600x350.gif\")
<\/p>\nThey have a sincere brand personality and wholesome, honest, and down-to-earth brand values. Patagonia is centered around high-quality products that are sustainable and adventure-proof. These values are all closely stitched into its brand voice, messaging, and marketing assets.<\/p>\n
Check out our guide on building an unforgettable brand personality<\/a><\/div>\n2. Mailchimp<\/h3>\n
![\"mailchimp](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601153818\/mailchimp-brand-personality.gif\")
<\/p>\nMailchimp boldly ripped itself away from the professional and \u201cboring\u201d appearance of most email marketing platforms and created a memorable brand that’s refreshing, fun, and friendly. Although most people don\u2019t associate these traits with email marketing, Mailchimp does.<\/p>\n
Its mascot, Freddie the winking monkey, is memorable, light-hearted and the face of Mailchimp. The brand uses yellow to associate emotions of laughter and sunshine, along with bubbly pink and blue as accents. The quirky sans serif logo font<\/a> is paired with a bubbly serif header text that\u2019s unique and easy to read. There\u2019s no mistaking Mailchimp for another!<\/p>\n
3. Warby Parker<\/h3>\n
![\"warby](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601154029\/warby-parker-brand-identity-600x420.png\")
<\/p>\nWarby Parker\u2019s brand identity is simple and approachable. Much like its products and services! It disrupted the expensive eyeglass industry with its affordable, high-quality glasses and no-nonsense pricing. They use blue to instill trust and professionalism into the brand and a simple, spaced-out minimalist font<\/a> for clear communication.<\/p>\n
These brand identity examples are powerful, with their messaging and brand voice all aligned to their values and customers.<\/p>\n
\nHow to develop a brand strategy<\/h2>\n
Knowing the difference between a brand, branding, and brand identity, how can you apply this knowledge to your business?<\/p>\n
\u201cBrand strategy\u201d can sound scarier then it actually is. It\u2019s really about defining your target audience and seeing how your offering can stand out to them.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how to do it in five simple steps, record your research and notes on our follow-along brand identity worksheet<\/a>!.<\/p>\n
1. Find your niche and study competitors<\/h3>\n
A major part of creating a strong brand identity is figuring out where your place is in the market, and knowing if there\u2019s a demand for what you offer. Once you have an idea of this, take a look at your competitors and figure out what they\u2019re doing, and how you can do it better.<\/p>\n
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- What is their messaging like?<\/li>\n
- Which brand colors do they use?<\/li>\n
- What is their typography?<\/li>\n
- What are their shapes and imagery?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Take the sum of all the marketing touchpoints and business initiatives of your competitors and define how you can do better while staying true to who you are<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
2. Define your target audience<\/h3>\n
![\"marketing](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601154514\/marketing-persona-examples-600x399.jpg\")
Source: Creative Market<\/p><\/div>\n
It\u2019s not possible to satisfy everyone. So tailor your mission and messaging to your target audience by answering the following:<\/p>\n
- \n
- What are their demographics?<\/li>\n
- How do they get their information?<\/li>\n
- What are their hobbies?<\/li>\n
- Do they face any challenges?<\/li>\n
- What is important to them?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Create a few marketing personas that are hypothetical hybrids of your ideal customer. We\u2019ve set up a chart for you to add your research to in our brand identity worksheet<\/a>!<\/p>\n
Having a visual of who your ideal customers are will give you clarity as you carry on with the next steps of your brand identity.<\/p>\n
3. Define your purpose and why<\/h3>\n
![\"brand](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601155301\/brand-identity-and-strategy-definitions-600x400.png\")
<\/p>\nWhat is your company most passionate about? What’s your reason for existing? Do you stand for a cause?<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople don\u2019t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.\u201d – Simon Sinek<\/div>\nYour purpose is the driving force behind any and all things that you do.<\/strong> Every single aspect of your branding needs to reflect this to ensure a strong brand identity. Defining the following will give you more direction:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Vision \u2013 the what.<\/strong> This is the sole reason for your brand\u2019s existence<\/li>\n
- Mission \u2013 the how.<\/strong> The action that your brand is taking to bring your vision to life<\/li>\n
- Values \u2013 the why.<\/strong> The driving force behind your vision and mission<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Feeling overwhelmed? Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at Slack<\/a>, an online communication platform for businesses. Their vision is to \u201cmake work-life simpler, more pleasant and more productive.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"slack](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601155433\/slack-mission-vision-and-values-600x348.png\")
<\/p>\nTheir mission \u2014 how they\u2019re doing this \u2014 is by working with global partners and developers to \u201cbuild apps and integrations that streamline work, automate mundane tasks and bring context into conversations.\u201dBy reading their vision, you get a sense of the platform’s simplicity and productiveness in a pleasant workplace.<\/p>\n
4. Choose a business name<\/h3>\n
What catchy and creative business name<\/a> will best describe who you are and what you do? As your main identifier, it\u2019s critical to find a name that personifies your brand.<\/p>\n
How do you come up with this key element? Here are a few ideas to get the wheels turning:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Make up a word<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Pepsi<\/li>\n
- Reframe an unrelated word<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Apple<\/li>\n
- Alter an existing word by adding or removing letters<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Flickr<\/li>\n
- Look to Latin<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Volvo (Latin for \u201cI roll\u201d)<\/li>\n
- Make a portmanteau<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Facebook (a combination of two words, Face + Book)<\/li>\n
- Use an acronym<\/strong> \u2013 Example: IBM (International Business Machines)<\/li>\n
- Add prefixes and suffixes<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Shopify (Shop +ify)<\/li>\n
- Choose a place<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Amazon (the largest river in the world)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Try our free business name generator <\/a>to come up with some business name inspiration and check for domain and social handle availability<\/div>\n![\"business](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20220601160055\/business-name-generator-example-600x426.gif\")
<\/p>\nOnce you\u2019ve decided on a business name, revisit your brand\u2019s vision, mission, and values \u2013 does your name reflect any or all three? If so, you\u2019re one step closer to creating a strong brand.<\/p>\n
5. Come up with a slogan\/tagline<\/h3>\n
When creating your slogan, keep your company\u2019s mission and purpose in mind. You\u2019ll want to sum up your business purpose in a single sentence that you use in your marketing and social assets. Your slogan should be short and catchy to make a strong impression and remain memorable!<\/p>\n
Check out our 5 do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of using a logo slogan<\/a> <\/div>\nTo get started you can take several approaches:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Make your claim<\/strong> \u2014 Example: Carlsberg \u2013 \u201cProbably the Best Beer in the World\u201d<\/li>\n
- Use a metaphor<\/strong> \u2014 Example: Skittles \u2013 \u201cTaste the Rainbow\u201d<\/li>\n
- Tell \u2018em what to do<\/strong> \u2014 Example: Apple \u2013 \u201cThink Different.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Leverage labels<\/strong> \u2014 Example: Cards Against Humanity \u2013 \u201cA party game for horrible people.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Get poetic<\/strong> \u2014 Example: Folgers Coffee \u2013 \u201cThe best part of wakin\u2019 up is Folgers in your cup.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Compliment your customers<\/strong>: Example: L\u2019Oreal \u2013 \u201cBecause you\u2019re worth it\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
TIP:<\/strong> Your slogan should be a direct reflection of your brand voice. If your brand were a person, what would it sound like? Is it going to be empowering? Fun? Silly?<\/p>\n
Read about how to set your brand voice<\/a> on our blog<\/div>\n
\nHow to build your brand\u2019s visual identity<\/h2>\n
Now that you have the foundation of your brand strategy, it\u2019s time for the fun part \u2014 coming up with your visual identity<\/a>! This consists of:<\/p>\n
1. A logo<\/h3>\n
![\"Cosmic](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190405111234\/cosmic-logo.png\")
<\/p>\nA logo is the face of your brand \u2014 it\u2019s the tip of the brand identity iceberg! Consider your audience and what would resonate with them, while effectively communicating who you are and what you do as a business.<\/p>\n
- Use a metaphor<\/strong> \u2014 Example: Skittles \u2013 \u201cTaste the Rainbow\u201d<\/li>\n
- Reframe an unrelated word<\/strong> \u2013 Example: Apple<\/li>\n
- Mission \u2013 the how.<\/strong> The action that your brand is taking to bring your vision to life<\/li>\n
- Vision \u2013 the what.<\/strong> This is the sole reason for your brand\u2019s existence<\/li>\n
- Branding helps you stand out from the competition.<\/strong> Stand out from competitors with a strong brand and live up to what it promises.<\/li>\n
- Branding builds customer loyalty and referrals.<\/strong> People choose and recommend companies they like and are familiar with.<\/li>\n
- Brand identity examples<\/a><\/li>\n