Ultimate Guide to developing a winning Brand Identity
Downtown Digital has the ultimate guide to developing a winning brand identity that differentiates you from your competitors!
Get our free brand identity tips & business trends as soon as we post them!
Table of contents:
What is a brand identity?
A brand's identity is the set of characteristics and features that make it unique and recognizable to its target market. It includes the brand's mission, vision, values, and personality, as well as its differentiation strategy and visual identity.
These elements work together to create a distinctive brand image and position the brand in the market. They are what make the brand unique, allowing them to stand out and get the attention they deserve.
It also plays into how a company or product is perceived by the public. It is the overall look and feel of the brand, and how it is perceived by consumers. A brand that understands its identity can position itself in a unique place in it's industry.
Your identity informs your communication syle and creates a lasting connection with your target market!
Why is creating a brand identity important?
A brand's identity is important because it allows the specific brand to connect with its desired target market. Brand consistency creates loyal customers who know what they want.
Your brand identity also has the potential to make you stand out from your competition in a meaningful way. Having a healthy brand identity develops a suitable relationship with the planet.
What you need to begin developing your brand identity?
In order to create a great brand identity you will need a to have done thorough research and have developed a solid brand strategy. This means creating a brand research document and performing a situational analysis.
Doing this will allow you to understand your target market, competitors, and overall place in your competitive landscape. These factors all affect how your brand identity should be constructed. For more info, read our guide to creating a successful brand strategy here.
What are the key elements that make up a brand identity?
A brand identity is made up of three key elements that work together to create a unified whole. These are the brand identity blueprint, the visual identity, and the brand differentiation strategy.
Brands that understand their core identity can develop ways to communicate to the public, targeting and resonating with their desired target audience. A good visual identity goes a very long way to determining how people perceive your products and services. A brand differentiation strategy is also an important part of a brand identity, as it helps the brand to stand out from its competitors.
Combining these elements into a well thought out brand identity blueprint allows a brand to position itself for success!
Using the Brand Identity Blueprint
A brand identity blueprint is the structure that guides us when developing a brand identity. It includes the mission, vision, essence, message, values, and personality of the brand.
By understanding and following this blueprint, we can create a strong foundation for the brand to build on. It makes up the core of a brand's communication strategy and directs how a brand's internal culture is structured.
The core brand identity directly influences the differentiation strategy and core elements are used in the positioning statement.
Here is a quick summary of the brand identity blueprint.
Designing a breathtaking visual identity
A huge part of your brand's identity is its imagery and visual presence. Three things to consider when designing your visual identity are: your font selection, your choice of colour, your logo design, and your visual elements. We cover these elements in more depth in our article how to create a visual identity for your own brand.
Selecting your fonts
Font selection is the process of identifying a single or group of typefaces to communicate your brands messaging. Look on Google Fonts to find a huge array of free font families to use. You can purchase premium typefaces if you desire. You can also customise fonts to be a bit more unique. Digital designers use softwares like Adobe Illustrator to edit fonts. This process is called typography.
Developing a colour palette
A colour pallet is a group of colours that symbolise your brand identity. To develop a powerful colour palette you need to do a lot of research and mood boarding. You need to try out hundreds of colour combinations before settling on your desired palette.
Designing a logo
A logo is a graphical mark, emblem, or symbol used to identify a brand, company, product, or service. There are various types of logos you commonly see. Some types of logos are: a wordmark, a lettermark, a symbol, and a combination mark. Most brands in today's age make use of a combination of multiple logos. Consider reading about digital design before attempting your brands logo!
Create a brand differentiation strategy
A brand differentiation strategy is a company's way of identifying what makes it unique from its competitors and then using that to its advantage. This can help attract ideal customers and understand the company's competitive advantage.
Brand differentiation strategies must include creative thinking, a powerful brand positioning statement, a unique user experience, and a carefully thought out pricing framework. Don't forget to conduct a SWOT analysis before you begin - You wouldn't want to overlook any opportunities or threats!
Construct a brand positioning statement
When constructing a brand positioning statement, it is important to consider your brand identity, target audience, and competition.
Your brand identity will provide the foundation for your statement, while your target audience will help you identify the needs and wants that your brand can address.
Finally, your competition will provide insights into how you can differentiate your brand in the marketplace.
What is a brand positioning statement?
A brand positioning statement is a concise description of what your brand does, how it does it, and who it does it for. It has to be clear and easy for your audience to understand.
Your brand positioning statement should be the foundation of your marketing strategy. An effective brand positioning statement uses all elements of a brand's identity blueprint.
A brand positioning statement is an important tool to communicate with your target market and win their loyalty.
Here is a general template for constructing a brand positioning statement.
Here's a template for a brand positioning statement
Here is a general template to refer to when creating a brand positioning statement:
For [primary target market profile] who are dissatisfied with [a product or service they have used], our product/service is a [category] that provides [key benefits], unlike [competing products], we have [unique selling point].
Final thoughts on developing a winning brand identity
As your business grows, it's important to keep your brand identity relevant and engaging.
A strong brand identity requires research and strategic insight into the market, your target audience, and the competition. The initial research and key insights will help you develop a brand identity blueprint, which will in turn influence your differentiation strategy.
You need a modern visual identity that makes it easier to distinguish you from your competitors. Your fonts, colour palette and logo design need to communicate your identity effectively as well.
Your differentiation strategy and positioning statement should be based on extensive market research as well as influenced by your brand identity.
If you would like to lean more about brand building, check out our branding strategy hub!
We can help develop your brand identity!
Need assistance with brand identity development?
Not sure where to start when it comes to building your brand? We are here to guide you!
Downtown Digital provides specialist brand development services to help you scale your business and achieve your goals.
Learn more about our professional branding services. Get in touch if you need our assistance by filling in our onboarding form here!
© 2022 Downtown Digital. All Rights reserved.