Can we skip to the good part?
In this blog post, ‘Brand, Brand Strategy & Brand Identity – What’s the Difference?’. We will be covering:
02. What is a Brand Strategy?
– What do you want your business to communicate with the world?
03. What is a Brand Identity?
– Logo Design
– Colour Selection
– Imagery
– Texture and Pattern
– Font selection
Click on any of the above links to direct you to the exact section you’re looking for!
Branding, brand strategy and brand identity?
Aren’t they all the same thing? What’s the difference?
They may sound similar but believe me there are BIG differences!
It’s true, they all work together, but your brand is so much more than your logo design or business cards. Of course, these elements add value to branding your business, but they aren’t your brand. For a strong business you need all three!
In this blog, we’ll talk about what a brand is and the difference between brand strategy and brand identity.
What is a Brand?
Everything your audience sees, hears, and feels is your brand.
Your brand the experience people have with every part of your business: your social media presence, how your receptionist answers the phone, your website. It’s how you’re different from all those other businesses out there. Your brand is your businesses personality!
Consider some of your favourite brands. What do you love about them? Is it their views on the environment, their beautiful packaging, incredible customer service or simply the soothing scent as you walk into one of their stores?
Branding goes far more than just how your business looks, it’s how people perceive your business when they see or experience it.
Your Brand builds relationships, create customer loyalty and make businesses stand out in the crowd.
If you were to ask your audience how they feel when they interact with your business – what would they say? What impression are you giving to them?
“Branding is what people say about you when you are not in the room”
– Jeff Bezos
Your overall brand should take into account how you make your audience feel. It’s your way of telling your audience you’re the better choice!
How do you create a high-quality brand?
First things first, you need a brand strategy.
What is a Brand Strategy?
To put simply, it’s the foundation of your brand.
Brand strategy is all about running your business in a way that reflects your values. When your brand lacks strategy – when it lacks clarity on who you are and who you’re trying to reach – it’s not going to resonate with anyone.
Creating a brand strategy provides clarity around your mission, vision, audience, and personality. By determining who are you, what you do and who you serve, you can create a brand that truly reflects your business and reaches your target audience.
When you work with Azori, one of the first phases in our process is a Brand Strategy Workshop. If you would like to know a little more about what to expect in a brand strategy, you can find out in this blog: What to expect during your Brand Strategy Workshop.
“If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.”
– Howard Schultz
What do you want your business to communicate with the world?
When creating a brand strategy with AZORI our team will consider the following key questions with you before we even begin to think about your logo design:
- What is your purpose?
- What’s your mission for your business?
- Do you have values that guide your business?
- Who are your target audience?
- Who do you consider to be your competitors?
- What differentiates your business from others?
- What is your brand voice? – how do you communicate with others
Using the answers to these questions, we can create your brand using design elements that we know your target audience will adore!
Now you’ve created your brand strategy – it’s time to get yourself a brand identity.
What is a Brand Identity?
Once you’ve created your brand’s foundation, you’re ready to come up with your brand identity.
Brand identity is the face of your brand – the visual side of your business. Your brand identity is how all of the visual elements of your brand reflect and align with your brand strategy – your values and mission.
With a clear brand strategy, you can create a professional and memorable brand identity that reflects every aspect of your business.
For a consistent brand identity your business will need the following visuals:
Logo Design
A logo design communicates your values as a business in a visually appealing way that makes a lasting impression on your target audience.
Your logo doesn’t have to be elaborate to be intentional. Think about some of the most iconic logos. Apple, Nike, Mcdonalds – they may seem simple, but we bet you remember them! Ultimately, a great logo design is distinct and memorable!
Colour Selection
Colour selections provide a shortcut to your client’s hearts! Emotions are powerful and drive decision making so it’s essential to build a strong emotional connection with your customers. Remember – branding is all about how your audience FEELS.
Let’s say you want your audience to see your business as passionate and exciting – using the shade red commands attention and signifies importance! Maybe professionalism and security are more your scene, in which case dark blue is a great option – representing maturity and trust.
Of course, there are hundreds of colour selections to choose from! If you’re interested in colour psychology and how different colours make us feel, read this great article by very well.
Imagery
Images also powerfully stir emotions! The mood of your photography can be altered by framing, lighting and angles. Your imagery must align with your brand identity to maintain the effectiveness of the brand. If your brand voice is full of energy, your images need to be too!
Texture and Pattern
Texture and patterns are the surfaces of your brand. They provide a base upon which you can pull together your brand elements, providing a background for websites, photography and social media.
Font selection
The font you choose may seem like a small detail, but it plays a crucial role in every brand identity. Your font needs to work well with your logo whilst holding up the brand identity. Is your brand formal or informal, dramatic or subtle? The mood can all be altered by the font selection.
With a clear brand strategy and brand identity design, your business benefits from a consistent brand that represents your mission and values perfectly.
So Remember
Your branding is how people perceive your business when they see or experience it.
Brand strategy provides clarity around your mission, vision, audience, and personality.
Brand identity is a visual representation of your brand which aligns with your brand strategy – your values and mission.
Combine all three and your business will build credibility, authority and trust so they’ll be no stopping you from attracting your ideal audience!
Ready to take your business to the next level? If you have any questions or are interested in creating a brand for your business head to our contact us page and get in touch! We would love to help you build a brand to last.
