Understanding Brand Identity: Who are you? And what do you do?
As defined in the Cambridge Dictionary, identity is ‘who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others’. Similarly, Brand Identity is how a business is distinctively perceived by its consumers. It focuses on how the company chooses to name itself, its designs and logos, typography, colours and other visual elements. The visual elements play a significant role as it gives the brand a unique recognition. This unique recognition is essential for the brand to sustain itself in the market.
If one looks at Godrej Interio as a brand, it has been able to project itself as a high-end, sleek, innovative and sophisticated product which is user friendly. This distinctive character has played a significant role for the brand to sustain its position in the market. Along with the visual elements that are instrumental in creating a distinctive image for the brand, it is essential that the brand seriously immerses itself in the creation of a brand philosophy and brand character. These two factors then decide the face of the brand which would supplement the brand’s philosophy and enhance its identity in the market.
For the brand to have a successful experience in the market it is essential that the brand’s identity remains constant. In 1982, Colgate, a toothpaste brand, had launched ‘Colgate Kitchen Eateries’ with the intent to capture the frozen food market. Since the company had already established itself as a toothpaste brand focusing on oral hygiene, the combination didn’t sit well with the consumers. The company’s eateries went down the drain with its unappealing packaging, while also gravely affecting the toothpaste sales. Thus, we see how it is important for the brands to create a distinctive identity to avoid confusion in the way it is perceived by its consumers.
As important as it is to define your brand’s character, it is equally important to have aesthetics that can appeal and captivate your consumers. It would be futile to develop a unique brand philosophy without having visual elements to supplement the personality of your brand.
Coca-Cola, a 130-year-old brand, was introduced in the market as a delicious refreshment drink and it has maintained its brand identity for over a century now. “Thanda matlab…Coca-Cola” is a tagline that remains ‘refreshed’ in our memories for all these years. Coca-Cola’s logo, the effervescent red and white design with it quintessential font signifies excitement, energy, passion and youth. It is crucial to take note of the colour red. According to the psychology of colours, red evokes strong emotions, stimulates urges and increases passion. Designing played an important role in creating an exclusive appearance for the ‘youthful’ and ‘refreshing’ drink. Therefore, brands are advised to have consistent, engaging, unique brand identities to have a successful market reach.
Many a times, some companies may also wish to rebrand their product. In such cases, the companies have a very perilous task at hand. They not only have to ensure that the brand receives a revived image while also not completely disassociating themselves from the parent identity. Jacob Layani, CEO of Crown TV, shares his experience of rebranding his company. He along with his marketing head and a dedicated team, brainstormed to visualise a new future for their company. They started with asking deeper questions that gave them an insight beyond what the company was and what their product did. The company’s logo and design remained the same while they focused on creating new description and content which they changed over every platform. Such mini-rebranding exercises can prove vital for the company to appeal to a newer target audience in a constantly changing market.
As it is said, the first impression is a lasting impression, the aesthetics of the face of your brand i.e. the visual elements that face the consumers first, affect how the brand will be understood by the consumer. And to build a lasting relationship with the consumer, the aesthetics arguably play the most important role.
