What's the Difference Between a Brand & Brand Identity?

What exactly is a brand? How will it help you, and how can you ensure that your brand identity speaks volumes about you? It all begins with determining what your values are, and how effectively you can communicate them.

Brand Identity... An Extension of Your BRAND

A brand identity is the visual representation of combined elements such as logo, colour, typography (fonts), imagery style, copy writing style, layout/grid, etc. Together they demonstrate the . Essentially it is how your business looks and the stories it has to tell. From Wikipedia:

"The recognition and perception of a brand is highly influenced by its visual presentation. A brand's visual identity is the overall look of its communications. Effective visual brand identity is achieved by the consistent use of particular visual elements to create distinction, such as specific fonts, colours, and graphic elements."

So how do you create a brand identity that is accurate, memorable, and recognizable?

1. Values: Knowing what you will be providing your clients is key. Be realistic, honest, and specific about your values; what kind of service will you be providing? Who will your customers be and how can you make their life better?
2. Uniqueness: Like Apple's "Think Different" campaign states, being and thinking different are important to being recognizable. Take a look at competitors (both local and abroad). Find out what has been done, why it has been done, and how they have done it. What about your business can you emphasize that will make you different?
3. Media: How will you be presenting your brand identity? This stems from knowing your audience: a younger audience can have web based applications, whereas an older one may be better with printed promotional materials.
4. Consistency: Perhaps one of the biggest mistake individuals/companies make is by having such a diverse and different range of elements, that it is difficult to tell who exactly the company is. It is better to have one solidly made logo, a colour, and a brand typeface, as opposed to many a whole . There are- of course- exceptions to this, but these exceptions will all feel as if they belong together. Create cohesion between your pieces and you will have a clear, distinct brand identity.
5. Story: What is the tale you are telling? Is it your history, where you show how you've grown and where you have come from? Do your products/services create stories in themselves? Is the story about the clients? There needs to be a story that can be followed.
6. Character: Just because you are creating a professional identity doesn't mean it should be massively corporate, or sterile and devote of personality. There are many examples of fun or personable identities that add character to their brand identity.
7. Truth: Do not compromise your brand by changing or falling short of brand values. It is damaging to relationships both current and future, and can make clientele feel estranged. This applies to your brand identity as well; there is no sense in using purple if you are a yellow brand, per se. Be certain you follow through with being who you say you are.

Ready to Get Going with Your Company's Brand Identity?

» Then why not visit Custom Fit's brand identity services page now.

Mar 15, 2012
From the Custom Fit Online team

Filed in // Brand Identity