Introduction to having a brand identity

Branding

What is a brand identity ?
I want you to think of a brand identity as a face. It may be beautifully symmetrical, have chubby cheeks and a small nose. Regardless of how it looks it is an identity with unique features which people either love or dislike.

This works in the same way as a brand identity, visually it is the face and it takes its shape as an element from your logo design, the colours that you are using and the fonts that are being placed on headings and messages. It even goes down to the small details like the clothes your staff are wearing, polo top or business shirt, tucked in or out. It moves into the personal details like the attitude staff posses both inside and outside work hours, how they communicate with social media (which many savvy managers are reluctantly aware of) and the language they use to communicate company and product benefits.

Why is brand identity important ?
A brand identity is the face of your company, organisation and message, that is on presentation for the world to see. It becomes the first, second and last point of contact that the general public and your clients will notice and interact with. Many decisions are made by your potential customers based on what they see and some of these conclusions may be as far from reality as a ‘Mars Bar’. The painful part of a brand identity is from the moment people hear your name, see your product or read of your service a mark is being made for better or worse… and it doesn’t matter if what they see is intentional or accidental, as long as it is apparent.

I am sure we all remember that scruffy kid in school infamous for all the wrong reasons. Maybe this kid always had bed hair, wore a dirty shirt, never had their laces tied up, forgot to brush their teeth and wash their face in the morning. Maybe you can’t remember this kid, but I am sure the parents and teachers noticed, or that kid just may have been you! Like it or not, a scruffy brand is a lazy brand and nobody likes to deal with something or someone that acts or looks unreliable.

A brand identity affects a potential customers eagerness to find out more about your product or service and their desire to do business with your organization, and it drills down to the everyday purchasing habits of those individuals.

Managing a brand identity ?
With a brand identity there are many aspects that need to be managed, some visual, others as part of a company’s culture and if it is not handled correctly it can have an adverse effect on a company’s success.

Managing your brand identity is a must, it is important for every organisation to posses a positive brand identity if they wish to have long term growth. I am sure we have all seen a badly designed company promotion or logo, one that just doesn’t look right. It makes you think, is this a reliable business to trust with your all important job. Or you may have dealt with somebody a tad rude on the phone and you haven’t followed up on your purchase of that product or service.

At ROSTAMI™ we create brand identities that help better position our clients in their market. We also provide our expert advice and provide our brand management services to ensure that their identity goes from strength to strength. We can do the same for you, so get in contact with us today!