Written by Vineet Sethi
What is the brand identity of the following?
In other words, what do you associate the following brands with to make a purchase decision, even just window shopping on the high street, a shopping mall, or browsing online?
For most people, the brand identity and the product or service associated with these brands are easy, straightforward, and perhaps even obvious.
This is not by accident or coincidence but by years of tenacious brand building, sustaining the brand story, and creating The Brand Identity!
However, many brands struggle to understand brand identity and how it impacts their business.
Why is Brand Identity Important?
Consumers are more empowered than ever in today’s fast-paced and digitally connected world. They can access and analyze more information about businesses than has ever been possible.
Consumers are also more discerning about the brands they buy from. Brand identity should align with the consumers’ social identity and status.
In the examples given above, customers of The Oberoi Hotels may not associate with Bata and vice versa. The brand identity of Manyavar is distinct from any other casual wear brand. It stands out unique.
Similarly, the tagline of Singapore Airways being “a great way to fly” identifies itself with customers looking for experience and not necessarily the most economical option.
Companies are under intense pressure to establish a distinct brand identity. Because companies must compete on price, quality, and customer experience, they must work harder to stand out as unique. Brand identity has become increasingly important as a result.
Let’s face it, today’s consumers are increasingly savvy and self-aware. They have access to more information about companies, their products, and their brand image than ever before. This has made brand identity management an essential part of any business’s strategic plan.
There are some examples where established brands deviated from what the customers identified the brand with, resulting in losses.
Kingfisher Airlines created Kingfisher Red and failed. Jet Airways’ endeavor in Jet Lite also backfired. Similarly, clothing brand Gap Inc. identified as everyday work-wear and casual wear, suffered huge losses when it experimented with a designer fashion line and changed the look and feel of the brand.
What is Brand Identity?
Brand identity is the total of all the visual and auditory elements that create an impression in the consumer’s mind. It is the overall perception of your brand—including the name, visual identity, communication, and customer experience. It is crucial to understand that brand identity is not one single thing. It is a combination of many different factors that combine to create a holistic view of your company. Your brand identity is how you want to represent your company to customers, including how you chose the business name, your logo design, colors and shapes or graphics, and the kind of language you use (your tone of voice).
The Bottom Line
Brands must create a consistent and cohesive image in the minds of their customers. To do this, a company must have a clear plan for what they want to be and what they want their customers to think about them. From visual branding to the customer service experience, every aspect of a company’s operations must be designed to convey its identity.
At Beyond The Panorama, we work with businesses to develop their digital brand presence; a big part of that is content writing for various channels. If you want help to organize this business function, we would love to have a conversation and set it up!
Reach out to us at hello@beyondthepanorama.com on our social media channels.
