If you own a business or are just starting one, chances are you’ve come across the term brand identity. This is a rather complex term that can be interpreted in various ways. Therefore, different sources may define brand identity and its elements in different ways.

Despite the complexity of the term, everyone building and running a business needs to understand what it is and why it’s important. Also, every business managing a brand should take care of its identity, as it can contribute to awareness and business success. In this article, we will discuss the concept of brand identity

What is brand identity?

Every business, no matter what it is, manages a certain brand. And the brand has its own identity, which to a large extent contributes to the brand’s reputation.

Generally speaking, brand identity is everything that makes up and defines a certain brand. These are visual elements, brand name, style of communication with the audience, services provided, and others. The process of creating a brand identity is a continuous work that involves many areas. A strong brand identity has many benefits, such as:

• Helps you stand out from other brands. A brand with a strong identity is well-recognized. A strong identity is often inseparable from uniqueness. Therefore, its creation can be perceived as part of marketing;
• Builds brand reputation. If a brand has a strong identity, it is not only known, but also often perceived as trustworthy;
• Allows you to create a relationship with customers. A strong identity means that customers tend to assess your brand and business positively;
• Attracts new customers. If you actively build a brand identity, you can attract new customers, especially those who value brand awareness and reputation.

It should be emphasized that brand identity is not brand image. Identity is created by the business itself and various specialists, and the image is the result of all the work. This means that brand identity does not depend on consumers, and brand image is how consumers perceive the brand itself. These terms are closely related – without a strong identity, there will be no good image.

What constitutes a brand identity?

As we mentioned, brand identity is a broad concept, it consists of many elements from different fields. The elements of this term can be classified in various ways. Below are the key elements:

• Visual elements. Brand identity is sometimes referred to as visual identity. Indeed, the visual side is highly important – graphic design contributes to a large extent to the creation of identity. These include logos, images, layouts, colors, fonts, design, and everything else that is visible;
• Brand name. Brand name creation is a very important element in creating an identity. The brand name should reflect your brand, be simple and memorable;
• Brand history, values, mission. The section that tells about the history, values, and mission of the brand also contributes to the formation of the identity. It creates solidity;
• Content. The content you create is also important to your brand. You should create content consistently, aiming to make it unique and relevant. For example, a catchy slogan can perfectly reflect an identity;
• Communication with customers. How you interact with your customers often has a big impact on how your customers perceive your brand. Communication can take place by phone, or email, but the most common space is social media.

All these elements are inseparable. For example, in social media, a brand not only communicates with customers but also provides content, both textual and visual. As a result, creating a strong brand identity requires keeping in mind that different elements often interact with each other.