The Merits of a Strong Brand Design

If you’re an entrepreneur, you probably have a logo for your business or the products you sell. Have you considered just how important and powerful that logo can be as part of your overall brand strategy? It speaks volumes about who you are to potential customers and when done poorly, can send the wrong message or leave a bad impression. I’d like to highlight what a strong brand identity is and how it can benefit your business, as well as your customers.

What’s the purpose of a brand identity?

A brand is the face of a company or product, and when done well it efficiently communicates what that company or product is about. It can be more than a logo—it can also establish the visual language that is applied across a business’s entire marketing platform. It creates uniformity when we experience a product’s website, advertisements, packaging or the product itself.

A brand is similar to the cover of a book—it tries to tell us something about the story inside, in hopes that we’ll open it up and read. It’s that first impression that could be the make-it-or-break-it moment for the customer. Too often I see logos that appear amateurish, confusing, or outdated. These can suggest to potential customers that the product or company is also subpar, whether it’s true or not. A book is often judged by its cover, so it needs to be a good and convincing one.

What are some attributes of good brand design?

A well-designed identity is usually simple, clear and easy to recognize at a quick glance. Ideally, it should communicate a business’s personality and attitude. For instance, an energy drink will probably have something bold and attention getting, while a financial advisor might use something subtle and stately. Consider the designs of well-known and successful companies (such as the ones in the image above). They are memorable—many are considered classics and are forever in the minds of consumers.

What are the benefits of an effective brand identity?

Success of an organization is by no means determined solely by it’s branding. Even the most brilliant design can’t make up for a flawed product or badly-run business. However, a solid brand strategy will be instrumental in connecting with the business’s target audience and making the most of the few opportunities to persuade them. Here are some of the key ways a brand is beneficial:

• Stand out from the competition – A brand should reflect a business’s personality or character. This can be leveraged to differentiate the company from everyone else.
• Help drive sales – A quality product complimented with an effective brand identity, is usually a formula for success. Evidence shows that people are willing to pay more for this ideal combination.
• Greater customer loyalty – When the brand and it’s message are capturing its target audience, they have more confidence in the product and they will come back for more.
• Brand recognition – Over time people will easily remember the brand associated with the product or company. In the best case, a brand can come to be known as an industry standard.

I hope this gives insight into how your brand can be a great asset and productive tool that maximizes the potential of your business. This just scratches the surface of the topic. For more related information, please see my article on What to Know When Establishing a Brand Identity. It covers some things to consider when going through the process.

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