Introduction
To develop a brand identity is to keep older customers happy and get new ones curious about your work. However, I know that this a struggle for many organizations.
My guess is that one of the following statements sounds familiar:
- My organization doesn’t have a brand strategy
- We believe a logo is enough
- Our brand identity is all about our organization
- We don’t know our purpose and goals
If any of these statements are true for your organization, you’ll want to keep reading. Above all, if you’re developing your brand identity or even if you’re revising it, you first have to know what a brand identity is.
What is a brand identity?
A brand identity is like a personality. It tells your target audience everything about you: what your organization’s values and goals are, what your interests are and how you communicate all of that to your customers. Furthermore, this identity distinguishes your organization from another one. For example, think about when you go grocery shopping for cereal. There are tons and tons of cereal brands. When you’re deciding which cereal box to choose, you probably consider a number of things, including
- brand voice
- logo
- tagline
- colour
These are all things that make up a brand and impact how a customer perceives it. Brand identity is one aspect of that.
Why is it important?
Brand identity is important because it helps your organization differentiate itself from its competition. Additionally, it allows you to tell your customers exactly that with compelling storytelling. Developing this identity creates consistency for your customer. If they know how your brand communicates (i.e., tone and voice), they’ll have a deeper understanding of your organization. This will enable them to make quicker decisions about investing in your brand.
What are some examples of strong brand identities?
Nearpod
Nearpod is an education technology tool that allows teachers to use interactive learning resources in the form of slides. Teachers can use media from around the web to create original lessons. There are also resources on the Nearpod website to do the same. Furthermore, the company prides itself on making learning fun and engaging. It does a great job of using bright, vibrant colours without overshadowing their own brand colours.
What makes their brand stand out is how serious they are about teachers and their inclusion in Nearpod’s work as partners. From the moment you visit their website, they tell you and show you clearly that they value teachers and the responsibility of teaching. Then, they tell you that their product is shaped by teachers. Even on social media, Nearpod has the same tone of voice.
Canadian Women’s Foundation
Canadian Women’s Foundation is one of the few foundations in Canada dedicated to women, gender-diverse people and girls. That fact alone makes the Foundation a clear standout amongst almost every other foundation in Canada. Additionally, their goal is to “support women, girls, and gender-diverse people to move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership.” They support this goal with their diverse and inclusive imagery on their website. The organization’s voice is inviting yet clear and professional on a consistent basis, which makes it easy for anyone to understand what they’re all about.
How do you develop your brand identity?
Every answer on the internet will be different, but mine is this: ask a lot of questions. Questions help you get to the essence of your organization. Also, they help you be specific in your definition of the brand. So, consider the following questions:
- Who is your ideal audience and what do you do for them (that others don’t)?
- What keywords best describe your organization’s tone and voice?
- When people learn about your organization, what do you want people to know?
- What are some key messages that are important to your organization and will resonate with your target audience?
- How do you want to be perceived?
- Why does your organization exist? Why do you do the work that you do?
- What are some examples of organizations whose brands or unique selling points you like? Why do you like them?
Over to you
Fortunately, it’s never too late to develop your brand identity. There is always room for improvement, so get started, even if you’re 5 or 10 years into your business. People want to engage with your organization. They want to understand what you’re all about. You just have to give them a great reason to start that journey.
Ready to clarify your big ideas about your brand identity?
Let’s get in touch and get started.