What is Brand Identity?

Brand identity is the total proposition a company makes to consumers; essentially the promise it makes. The brand can be viewed as a product, a personality, a set of values, and a position it occupies in people's minds. Brand identity is everything the company wants the brand to be seen as.

Why is it important for business?

You need stand out from the crowd. In a world where everyone is fighting to be seen; everyone needs to be unique. The wrong brand identity can be disastrous for a business, and therefore it is vital that it portrays the right image about you. Often businesses don’t spend enough time on their brand, simply dismissing it as ‘just’ a logo. The effect it has on potential consumers can be very important and can be the difference between them choosing you over your competitor.

Re-branding your Identity

When re-branding your identity it is important to reassure consumers that the company is concerned about how it looks. The key to successfully effecting a new look is evolution, not revolution. Totally changing the brand visuals can give rise to consumer concerns about changes of ownership, or possible changes in brand values, or even unjustified extravagance. If there is a strong brand personality to which consumers are attracted, then substantial changes may destroy emotional attachments to the brand.

New-car-discount.com has received a successful re-branding treatment; the identity has evolved into a more respectable, modern and professional brand.

How you can improve your brand

Do you know how your brand is perceived? By asking a few simple questions, you can find out what your branding says to your consumers about you.

Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Does the brand look trustworthy?
• Does the brand look professional?
• What type of personality does the brand convey?
• What did you think the first time you saw the brand?

Now ask yourself, is this what I want my consumers to think about my brand?

To see if your brand needs the full works or just a little polish then contact us for some advice.

References: Paul Temporal, Advanced Brand Management.

If you would like more information about this topic or to discuss what could be done to your identity please get in contact with us. If you have any feed back or suggestions for a possible topic for an article or would like something made exclusively for you please contact us.