Designing for impact: 3 Tips for building a strong visual identity
Creating a memorable brand and impactful visual identity is crucial for any brand's success in today's competitive landscape. Your brand's visual identity serves as the face of your business, and it plays a significant role in shaping how your audience perceives you.
To stand out and leave a lasting impression, you need to design a compelling visual identity that aligns with your brand values, maintains consistency, and embodies uniqueness. In this blog post, we'll explore three key tips for designing a visual identity that captivates your target audience and builds a strong brand presence.
Tip 1: Define Your Brand's Core Values and Personality
Your brand's core values and brand personality serve as the foundation for your visual identity. They define who you are, what you stand for, and the emotions you aim to evoke in your target audience. Crafting a visual identity that harmonises with these core elements creates a deep and lasting connection with potential customers.
The Significance of Brand Core Values and Personality in Brand Strategy
Brand core values and brand personality are the guiding principles that drive your business decisions, shape your company's mission and culture, and influence your brand voice/messaging. Your visual identity reflects these values and personality traits and establishes authenticity and credibility.
For example, let's consider the case of ComplianceOnline, a market leader in providing advice and services to the gaming and payments sectors. Before its rebrand, ComplianceOnline faced challenges due to an outdated and UK-centric brand identity. This brand positioning therefore hindered their expansion efforts abroad, resulting in low customer retention and stagnant sales. To enable global growth, ComplianceOnline needed to create a brand that resonated with its reputation for truth, integrity, reliability, and expertise in compliance. This is where the help of brand strategists were needed.
With a rebrand in sight, ComplianceOnline underwent a transformation and emerged as VIXIO, a brand with a global, contemporary identity developed by the h2o team. This rebrand not only addressed their outdated brand image but also showcased their commitment to truth, integrity, and expertise in regulatory intelligence, allowing them to connect with a broader, international audience.
Identifying Your Brand's Core Values and Personality
To pinpoint your brand's core values and personality and inform your brand stategy, begin by asking critical questions:
What are the fundamental beliefs and principles guiding our business?
In the case of VIXIO, their core values may include truth, integrity, reliability, and expertise in compliance.
Which emotions do we aspire to evoke in our target audience?
VIXIO might aim to inspire feelings of trust, confidence, and global expertise.
How do we want our target audience to perceive our brand image?
In this scenario, VIXIO may seek to establish itself as a trusted and knowledgeable partner in regulatory intelligence on a global scale.
Once you've gained clarity on your brand's core values and personality, you can translate these into visual branding elements such as brand colours, brand fonts (typography), and imagery.
Tip 2: Create a Consistent Visual Language
Consistency is the linchpin of a memorable brand identity. When your branding elements, including colours, fonts, and design elements, maintain uniformity across all platforms, your audience can easily identify and remember your brand.
The Role of Consistent Visual Language
A consistent visual language ensures that your brand presents itself cohesively, whether it's on your website, marketing materials, social media, packaging, or any other medium. This uniformity fosters trust and familiarity among your audience, making it easier for them to engage with your brand and choose it over competitors.
The Effects of Not Having a Consistent Visual Language
Inconsistent branding can lead to confusion and dilute your brand's impact. When elements of your brand identity vary from one platform to another, it can give the impression of a disorganised or unprofessional brand. This lack of trust can deter potential customers.
Examples of Brands with Consistent Visual Language
Apple: Apple's design consistency is evident in its minimalist and sleek approach, which transcends all of their brand assets from its product packaging, advertising, to its online presence. Clean lines, white space, and a signature font collectively contribute to a cohesive and instantly recognisable visual identity.
Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola's enduring brand design with its iconic red brand color, the Spencerian script font, and the contour bottle shape exemplify the power of consistent branding. This unwavering approach has made Coca-Cola one of the most universally recognised brands.
Nike: Nike's recognisable logo design (the swoosh logo), along with its bold typography and limited colour palette, showcases the potency of a consistent visual identity. This consistency has propelled Nike to the forefront of the sportswear industry.
Tip 3: Be Unique
In a crowded marketplace, distinctiveness is paramount for capturing your audience's attention and leaving an indelible mark. The uniqueness of your brand identity design determines whether you stand out or blend in. While drawing inspiration from design trends is valuable, infusing your brand with distinctive brand elements sets you apart from the competition.
The Significance of Unique Brand Design in Brand Strategy
Unique brand design not only helps you stand out but also prevents you from blending into the crowd. When your visual identity is distinctive, it becomes memorable, increasing the likelihood that customers will recall your brand when making purchasing decisions thereby bolstering customer loyalty.
Incorporating Industry Trends in Brand Identity Building
While emphasising uniqueness in brand identity building, it's essential to acknowledge industry trends. Trends can offer valuable insights into what resonates with your target audience. The key is to incorporate these trends in a manner that aligns with your brand's identity.
For example, if your brand operates in the tech industry and the prevailing trend is minimalist and futuristic design, you can integrate sleek lines and modern elements into your visual identity. However, ensure that these additions remain consistent with your brand's personality and values.
Examples of Unique Brand Redesigns with Strong Brand Identity
Burger King: In 2020, Burger King executed a significant brand redesign that included a new logo design and packaging. They embraced a retro-inspired look, paying homage to their heritage while infusing a modern and unique twist. This redesign revitalised their brand image and garnered widespread attention and received positive feedback.
Airbnb: In 2020, Airbnb introduced a comprehensive brand redesign to reflect its evolving business model. The new logo, known as the "Bélo," combines elements of a heart, a location pin, and the letter "A." This redesign aimed to signify the brand's commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and connection among hosts and guests. It was a bold move away from the traditional approach to branding and a step towards a more community-centric identity.
Mastercard: In 2019, Mastercard underwent a branding process that led to a subtle yet effective brand redesign. They dropped the word "Mastercard" from the logo, leaving only the iconic interlocking circles. This minimalist approach retained the brand's recognisability while embracing a clean and modern look. The redesign not only simplified the logo but also reflected the brand's focus on digital payments and a seamless customer experience.
To build a robust visual brand identity that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impact, follow these three key tips: define your brand's personality and core values, create a consistent visual language, and embrace uniqueness. Remember that your brand's identity is dynamic and should evolve alongside your business.
If you're seeking to create a brand identity that truly stands out, consider professional brand strategists or agencies well-versed in brand management tools to help you achieve your vision.
At h2o creative we believe that creativity is the key to unlocking the full potential of your brand and our passionate team works tirelessly to deliver outstanding results to make you stand out. Let us be your creative partner to help you achieve your marketing goals with our unparalleled expertise and dedication to excellence. Get in touch today or view some of our branding case studies.