Every developing business needs to expand and make its mark in the industry. This is how you build a formidable brand that lasts. However, creating a strong brand identity can be tricky in a dynamic and evolving consumer market. We’ve laid out some of the strategies and examples that you can use to build your brand identity and ensure a lasting reputation.
Brand identity refers to the visible elements of a brand. This includes color usage, designs, and logos that help consumers identify and distinguish the brand specifically. Your brand identity represents how your company is perceived by your target market.
A successful brand identity instills immediate responses and recognition from consumers. Consider the Nike “swoosh”, the Apple icon, or the famous McDonald's yellow “M” – all of these are visual symbols that are intrinsically connected to their relative brands.
The brand identity you choose needs to resonate with your company’s values, goals, and personality while catering to the focus of your target market. It needs to hold significance and stand out amongst a crowded market of emerging brands.
Your brand identity is what separates you from other companies. This unique and memorable image will help your brand in the long run. Some of the main benefits of building a strong brand identity include:
Most brands will fade into oblivion as time passes and newer products take their place. A strong brand identity ensures that your brand remains a hallmark in your industry. This means that your brand will always be associated with the products it sells – even after it stops providing them.
In a fast-paced and evolving consumer market, it’s important to stay relevant and create a brand identity that can be easily and quickly recognized. A stronger brand identity ensures that consumers can immediately recognize your brand and differentiate you from competitors.
Having a stronger brand identity makes your brand more trustworthy and reliable in the eyes of customers. You’re more likely to trust the brand that has been consistently marketed and popular.
A study showed that 71% of consumers said it was very or somewhat important that they recognize a brand before they make a purchase. With a strong brand identity, your products are more likely to be bought over brands that are less known or marketed.
Companies with a strong brand identity are also more likely to receive positive consumer attention for newer product rollouts or platforms. Consumers are already convinced by your existing range and will receive new products in a better light.
A strong brand identity also creates a loyal consumer market. This ensures that your products will always have supporters who will purchase your products. This allows you to easily expand your brand and business as time goes by.
Throughout history, many brands have made lasting names for themselves in their respective industries. This is due to cultivating a strong brand identity that can be instantly recognized, trusted, and sought. A few examples of successful brand identity cases include:
In 2020, Apple was ranked number 1 in the Forbes of the world's most valuable brands. However, the company started with much humbler beginnings. To establish its unique brand identity, the company first positioned itself against established tech giants such as Microsoft. The brand presented a younger, newer, and more exciting form of tech.
To differentiate itself from competitor brands, Steve Jobs created a “Think Different” campaign to sell Apple computers. The campaign created a contrast to the usual “beige” computers in the industry with their vibrant colors and structure.
Sourced from Business Insider
While the brand struggled through the earlier years, Apple has now become a global name in its industry and is synonymous with advanced and cutting-edge engineering. The Apple logo on all of the brand’s products is now associated immediately with uniquely modern and innovative technology.
Another widely renowned name is the McDonald’s fast-food franchise. The famous and instantly recognizable golden arches stand testament to the food company’s strong and successful brand identity. Founded in 1940, McDonald’s has become a household name. In 2022, the company successfully operated and franchised a total of 40,275 restaurants worldwide.
Sourced from InkBotDesign
The company made many changes to its design, logo, and branding to commit to a vision of being more than a “burgers and fries” restaurant. The company focuses on customer needs and even tailors its menus according to different tastes around the world. Moreover, McDonald’s leaned heavily into ensuring quick and convenient food with better service to keep up with a fast-paced world.
Nike, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that manufactures and sells footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The brand has established itself as a leading name in athletic wear and sports apparel.
The company started out trying to create a better brand of sports shoes. Soon the company gained traction in the US after signing basketball star Micheal Jordan and started to spread out across the globe as the shoes that professional athletes wear.
However, the Nike brand built its identity on being accessible and giving everyone the ability to win and push their limits. After all, the Nike brand does get its name from the Greek goddess of victory. The company diversified its range with its core values in place. Nike maintained that its goal was:
Bring Inspiration And Innovation To Every Athlete*
*If You Have A Body, You Are An Athlete.
Sourced from DigitalBrandBlueprint
The Nike “swoosh” and slogan - “Just Do It” – have become instantly recognizable and have created a brand identity that seeks to unite communities through sport.
Another example of creating a strong brand identity is the streaming service Netflix. The CEO of the streaming giant, Reed Hastings, once said that he got the idea for Netflix after he once had to pay US$ 40 as a late fee while returning a DVD. The company started in the movie rental industry and then switched to online streaming.
As of 2023, the company has 238.39 million paid subscribers worldwide. Netflix established itself as a leading name in streaming services by offering quality content, original shows, and an advanced algorithm that keeps up with viewers.
Sourced from Netflix
In 2019, Netflix was ranked as the fastest-growing brand in the United States. The simplistic Netflix logo and famous sound are instantly recognizable and have made the brand a popular household name. The brand also adapts quickly to shifting audiences and needs – gaining a lot of traction as more streaming sites pop up.
Levis is an American brand that was established by Levi Strauss. The company is known mostly for its denim jeans production. The company established its brand identity in 1853 when it promoted its jeans with a tag that featured two horses trying to move in opposite directions but were hurdled by the pair of jeans.
The logo sent a clear and simple message representing the high quality and strength of the cloth used by the Levis brand.
Sourced from AnimationVisArts
Today, the Levis brand is quickly associated with quality denim products, “All-American” apparel, and distinction. The brand’s slogan - “Quality never goes out of style” - also reinforces these values.
There are several ways that a company can build a stronger brand identity to stay relevant in the modern age. Businesses need to create a cohesive and integrated plan to ensure a lasting brand identity for consumers. Some of the key strategies for building a stronger brand identity involve:
Your brand identity can only thrive if you have a clear understanding of your business goals and business personality. Every company has a specific set of ambitions – whether to solve an existing problem, provide a new service, or anything else. Your brand identity hinges on your understanding of your business’ niche interests and goals. Luxury stores will likely build a glamourous and classy image while a fast-food chain would want to be more fun and accessible.
While this might seem like a given, many brands often fail to recognize their target market when building a brand image. This leaves them in a limbo state that doesn’t connect with anyone. Your brand identity uses reliability to boost traffic from the most lucrative target markets. A tech company is probably going to target younger markets that use more of their products. Try to conduct surveys, use focus groups, and analyze consumer feedback to narrow down your target market.
Logo designs might seem like a smaller design issue but branding depends almost entirely on your logo being recognizable. Research at MIT showed that the brain could process images in 13 milliseconds – meaning that your logo is key to instant brand recognition. A logo needs to be clear, unique, and easy to remember. The best logo is one that also conveys the company’s values or message.
The Unique Value Proposition – or UVP – is the one thing that differentiates your brand from competitors. This is a way of creating the need for your product and establishing your brand as a leader in the market. The UVP will describe the benefits of your brand, how it solves specific problems, and why it’s better than any other option on the market. According to Harvard Business School, the value proposition is the element of strategy that looks outward at customers and the demand side of the business.
Every business needs to advertise to grow. Brand identity relies heavily on your company’s ability to secure consistent, far-reaching, and effective advertising. This means ensuring media coverage, visual branding, email marketing, and publishing. Billboards, product placement, YouTube advertising, and more are great ways to shoehorn your brand into the market and create a stronger brand identity. Your advertising needs to be memorable, unique, and reflective of your company’s brand personality.
When it comes to branding in the modern era, you need to keep up with the latest trends or get left behind. The digital landscape has transformed the world of marketing and your brand identity needs to adapt to keep up. Make use of social media platforms to connect with a wider audience and gain traction online. Brands often collaborate with influencers and celebrities to boost sales and recognition. Your brand identity will only stick when it gains enough engagement.
Building a strong brand identity can be challenging for any company. Establishing your brand as a leading choice in the market requires focus, dedication, and a unique insight into consumer needs. This is why TMG Global is the ideal choice for building a strong brand identity for your business. At TMG Global, we use skilled and committed writers to amplify your brand’s voice and create a lasting brand identity for your company. Contact TMG Global today for a free content audit or to learn more about how we can help your brand grow.
