Think of a brand, any brand. who did you choose?
Whichever brand it was, we can guarantee that their logo popped into your head.
So a logo is the most important part of a brand? Well, not quite…
As designer Milton Glaser puts it, “Logo is the gateway to the brand.” The logo is how the consumer first accesses the brand, but brand identity is made up of multiple elements which all work together to create a memorable visual identity that your consumer associates with your company and product. Every element of a brand identity, from the logo to the colours and the typeface, is equally important.
Back to basics: What is a brand?
Before reaching your product or service, the consumer interacts with the brand, and it’s the brand that will keep them coming back for more. At Mackman, we define a brand as:
“The unique name for a company, service or product and the provision of marketing support for that name. As part of the process, blended tangible and intangible attributes will seek to differentiate the service, product or company.”
So, your brand is what differentiates from competitors in your market.
David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, argues that brands serve three main functions:
- Navigation: To help consumers make decisions from an bewildering array of choices.
- Reassurance: Brands communicate the intrinsic quality of the product or service and reassure customers that they have made the right choice.
- Engagement: Brands use distinctive imagery, language, and associations to encourage customers to identify with the brand.
How is brand identity changing the game?
Establishing brand recognition and succinctly communicating your brand’s values requires a coherent Brand Identity. At Mackman we define Brand Identity as:
“The public presentation of the brand that includes brand name and visual appearance. The brand identity is the key method of recognition and symbolises the differentiation of the brand to its competitors.”
It now takes much more than just a logo to make us want to buy into a brand, and we are now accustomed to a world of elements that make up a brand’s identity. These include:
- Colour Palettes
- Typography
- Pattern
- Photography & Image Style
- Tone of Voice
- Brand Values
- Brand Story
Thanks to advances in technology, companies now trade over larger distances, and “so much of what we see of a brand gets stripped down to the basics on small screens or brief flashes of content. In situations like those, a logo is a blunt tool.” (Robbie Laughton, “There’s more to visual identity than a logo“, Marketing Week). The manner in which businesses communicate with their customers, from the verbal to the visual, must set them apart from their competition.
So in today’s overcrowded marketplace, it will take a lot more than a logo to persuade a prospect to commit to your product or service.
A personalised footprint across all online and physical collateral is essential to becoming a truly innovative business and brand. Contact Mackman on 01787 388038 or customerservice@mackmangroup.co.uk to find out more about our brand development services.