What Is Brand Identity?

What is brand identity? Why does it matter? Your logo is the main imagery your company portrays, but did you know that brand identity is more than a logo?

I am a child of the 80s and 90s and often will reminisce with friends and family about our experiences from childhood. My husband and I were recently watching a new show on Disney+ called The 80s: Top Ten. The show was what it sounds like, a 30-minute episode count-down of different pop-culture memories from the decade that gave us the Happy Meal (o.k., technically that was late ’79), Nike’s Air Jordans, and the Apple MacIntosh home computer. Hosted by the ultimate 80s icon, Rob Lowe, this show was a fun-filled journey down memory lane.

But what do the above brands have in common? Besides developing product giants in the 80s, these brands are all memorable. They are recognizable. Even kids today who were born after the 80s are familiar with McDonald’s, Nike, and Apple and are likely even consumers of their products. And sure, each of them has a very distinct and recognizable imagery in all their aesthetic choices.

Let’s first discuss what a brand is made of. To put it simply, a brand is the entire experience that a company or organization provides to their customers and clients. Yes, that encompasses the logo, color palette, and typography choices. It also includes the products and/or services provided, your culture, your values and what you stand for. 

David Brier founder of Rising Above the Noise is a creative director, writer, speaker, teacher, and branding expert who has worked with countless companies in branding, rebrand, design, and brand strategy. Brier, with over 30 years of experience in the field, is often quoted as saying, “branding is the art of differentiation.” He says, “Branding is the way that consumers identify and experience a product, service, or person, from the look, taste, feel, and sound—a brand is all of those multifaceted parts.” 

In the examples above, McDonald’s, Nike, and Apple are successful brands because the consumer experience is more than surface deep. They make connections with their customers. They do their research and create products and services that their customers want. They continue their brand voice and create an atmosphere that earns trust from their customers and that produces brand loyalty.

But what exactly is a brand identity? Your brand identity is all the visual elements that encompass your company. This is your logo (primary and secondary), your color palette, and your typography choices. Your brand identity is present in your printed and digital collateral. It is front and center in your web presence and your social media account(s). And your brand identity is used in any apparel or merchandise you may sell or gift your customers. This is the aspect of your company that should evoke instant recognition in your customers and clients.

But how do you begin this process? Or how do you know if your current brand identity is effective in portraying your company the way you intend? That’s where Forrest River Creative comes in! Brand Identity is one of our specialties as well as one of our biggest passions. Let’s connect and talk about your brand identity project!