Blog Post: 20 Things You Need To Know About Brand Identity

 

There is more to brand identity than what you see. It is the foundation of every strong brand. You need to create a strong brand identity to get a strong brand. 

You can use the Brand Identity Template to create a strong brand identity for your business.

Let's talk about 20 facts about brand identity that you may not have known.

1) Brand identity is the foundation of every brand strategy. A strong brand identity creates a strong brand, and of course, a weak brand identity creates a weak one.

2) “Who Are You?" Your brand identity answers that question for your brand.

3) In the 1980’s, someone named Jean-Noël Kapfererto created what is known as The Kapferer Brand Identity Prism to help businesses build consistent and lasting brand identities. This prism has six core facets.

A) Physique: These are the brand visuals, or physical features of the brand. They include logos, colors, packaging, and product design (e.g., the unique shape of a Coca-Cola bottle).

B) Personality: The character and tone of voice the brand projects when communicating (e.g., bold, friendly, playful or authoritative).

C) Culture: These are the foundational values, beliefs, and operational principles that originate from the company's roots and management style.

D) Relationship: The nature of the interaction and connection between the brand and its customers.

 

E) Reflection: How the brand portrays its target audience or "ideal consumer" in its marketing.

F) Self-Image: How the customer views and feels about themselves when they use the brand.

This prism has been used and modified by several brands over the years, but the principles remain the same.

Every brand must project consistency and uniqueness through their brand identity.

4) Your brand identity is what you send out, and your brand image is what people actually receive. If the gap between your identity and image is wide, you have a weak brand identity.

5) Brand visuals are only a small part of your brand identity. They are a visible representation of your brand’s intangible parts that can only be heard and felt, not seen and touched.

6) Part of creating a brand identity is deciding who you are NOT. You could choose not to:

- be cheap 

- follow trends

- use industry jargon

7) Brand identity is not simply who you claim to be, it's who you present yourself as by what you do.

8) Your brand identity is not necessarily your personal identity. Your business does not need to have the same personality or values as you do.

9) You can have the same values, mission and goals as other brands in your industry, but not the same identity.

10) A clearly defined brand identity makes decision making easier. If you know what you are and what you're not, you'll act like it.

11) Your brand identity is the space you occupy in people's minds. That space should contain more than colors and fonts.

12) Your brand identity creates an expectation in people's minds about what interacting with you will feel like. If you project an expert, playful, rude or sassy brand image, people expect you to behave like that when they start working with you.

13) Brand identity is not permanent. The more your brand grows, the more adjustments you would need to make to keep your brand consistent. Your mission and goals might change overtime, and that's okay.

14) Brand identity protects your brand. They can copy your visuals, but not the brand image.

15) Your brand identity influences the product you sell or service you offer. If you present your brand as a simple solution for beginners in your industry, you cannot sell an overly complicated product or service.

16) A strong brand identity gives your content a different point of view. You could post the same thing as others and have your audience react differently.

17) Your brand identity is what makes people remember your brand. They might forget what they see and hear, but they will never forget how you make them feel.

18) A strong brand identity does not depend on how long your business has existed. You can run a small business that has a strong brand identity.

19) You can have a brand identity without brand visuals. Think of the plumber or electrician you'd recommend without hesitation. They might not have a logo or social media pages, but they have what is truly important.

20) In 1997, Jennifer Aaker wrote a paper "Dimensions of Brand Personality" in the Journal of Marketing Research. In that paper, she defined brand personality as the set of human traits linked to a brand.

Your brand personality has five Core Dimensions:

- Sincerity: Down-to-earth, honest, wholesome, and cheerful.

- Excitement: Daring, spirited, imaginative, and up-to-date.

- Competence: Reliable, intelligent, and successful.

- Sophistication: Upper-class and charming.

- Ruggedness: Outdoorsy and tough.

Which of these core dimensions have you chosen for your brand?

There, you have 20 uncommon facts about brand identity.

 If you want a simple way to build a strong brand identity, get the Brand Identity Template here.