Creating a Brand Identity: A Guide for Designers: (graphic Design Books, LOGO Design, Marketing)

Understanding why people buy and the triggers that make them choose one item over another is key to designing appropriately and successfully for today’s brand-savvy consumer.

A successful brand uses its unique set of values to drive a successful business strategy – to encourage consumers to choose it over its competitors. Therefore a successful brand is one that achieves a high degree of recognition by consumers. However, this relationship is based upon reputation, so for a brand to retain its position, it must ensure t

Imperative. Usually a command or direction for action, such as Nike’s ‘Just do it’.

five key stages: 1. Customer research and visual enquiry 2. Concept development 3. Design development 4. Design implementation 5. Testing

Superlative. This defines the market position as top of its category, for instance BMW’s ‘The ultimate driving machine’.

A successful brand identity is made up of a series of interlinked elements that all aim to communicate the values of the brand. Alongside the brand icon or logo, the most memorable is perhaps the strapline – also known as a tagline or slogan. (The word ‘slogan’ comes from the Gaelic sluagh-ghairm, the war cry of Scottish clans.) Made up of a few wo

Consumer culture theory argues that people buy one brand over another because they feel it reflects their own personal identity, or one that they wish to create.

Descriptive. This helps to describe the product service or promise, such as Innocent’s ‘Nothing but nothing but fruit’.

In its simplest form the practice of branding is about creating differentiation, making one product or service seem different from competitor products. Brand values are the core beliefs or philosophy that a brand upholds, and which differentiate it from its competitors. Another way of characterizing a brand is by identifying its brand personality.