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Style & Substance: The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Memorable Brand

Written by: Robyn Quarles

“Okay, so you’re Brad Pitt — that don’t impress [us] much.” -Shania Twain

What will keep your brand warm in the middle of the night? Style AND substance. Visual identity and brand values + messaging are crucial components of making a successful brand. In today’s fast-paced market, standing out is key, and creating a memorable brand is your ticket to success. So what exactly goes into your brand’s espresso that leaves everyone wanting more?

This guide dives into understanding brand identity, defining mission and value statements that truly resonate, consistently nailing brand messaging and content strategy, and leaving your audience with a lasting impression through visual identity and social media strategies.

Understanding Brand Identity

What is Brand Identity?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines brand identity as “a set of qualities that people connect with a particular company or a product sold under a particular name, that make it different from other companies or products.” 

In other words, brand identity encompasses the visual and emotional aspects that make your brand stand out in a sea of sameness. Having a strong brand identity makes your audience feel like they know the people behind the brand, not just the logo. It helps establish trust and loyalty, as well as attract new customers.

Elements of Brand Identity

Logo Design

The first step of establishing your brand’s visual identity is deciding on a logo. Brands often use their logo as their profile pic on social media, so think of your logo as the face of your brand. It should be memorable, versatile, and simple, giving a glimpse into what your brand is all about.

Color Palette

Is your brand a true summer? Maybe a cool winter? Colors evoke emotion — choose colors that reflect how you want people to feel when they think about your brand.

Typography

Fonts, like colors, help convey a certain tone of how you want your brand to sound. When choosing a font, think about your brand voice and how the message would read. For example, “50% Off Sale Today” gives a totally different vibe than “50% Off Sale Today!” Helpful tip: envision how your brand would speak if it were a real boy (like Pinocchio).

Imagery and Visuals

Consistency is key! 🗝️Create templates using brand colors, consistent imagery, other brand elements to create a cohesive look and feel across all of the platforms your brand uses. 

Voice and Tone

What is your brand’s personality? How would they communicate? Who would they communicate with? Voice and tone are essential for creating a genuine brand identity to resonate with your audience.

Designing a Memorable Visual Identity

Logo Design Best Practices

But what is in a logo (or whatever Shakespeare said)…? A logo should be memorable, versatile, timeless, and an expression of your brand’s visual identity.

Our advice for developing a logo? Especially if it’s your first time, work with a professional to make your your logo reflects your brand. 

Choosing the Right Colors

Color psychology is REAL. Colors have the ability to evoke emotion from people. We often can’t help it. For example, blue can represent a feeling of calmness or trust, whereas red represents boldness or bravery. Colors are often incorporated into trends, so check out visual trends to expect in 2024.

Typography and Fonts

Typography in branding helps visually communicate your brand’s voice and tone and how your brand is perceived. Serif fonts are usually seen as traditional, while sans-serif fonts are more modern.

When choosing fonts, try to stick between one-three to keep your branding consistent and professional — the fonts themselves can be fun and playful if that’s your brand’s flavor!

Building a Strong Online Presence

  • Social Media Strategy
    • Selecting the right platforms.
    • Tips for consistent and engaging social media presence.
  • SEO Best Practices
    • Basics of SEO for brand visibility.
    • Integrating SEO with your branding efforts.
  • SEO Tip: Highlight keywords such as “website design”, “social media strategy”, “SEO for brands”.

So you’ve established your brand’s identity (both visually and substantially), what are you going to do next?? Nope, we’re not ready to go to Disneyland, but you are ready to build a strong digital presence! Here’s a checklist to make sure your online presence is as strong as your brand identity:

  • Web design and usability: a user-friendly website is crucial for success. Make sure your site has a clean design, easy navigation, and quick mobile responsiveness to keep your audience engaged. Be sure to incorporate your brand colors, fonts, and imagery for a consistent look and feel.
  • Social media strategy: think about which platforms your brand would use if it was a real person. Think about how they would engage with their “friends,” how often they would post, and the type of content they would post. 
  • SEO best practices: learn the rules of SEO and make your your website includes relevant keywords, quality content, and proper meta tags to reach the top of the Google search pages. 

Remember, in order to create a memorable brand, it takes a strong visual identity with clear values and consistent messaging to have a lasting impact. Ready to create a brand that stands out or want help with a refresh? Our Madison+Main-iacs are here to help! Give us a call at 877-623-6246 to get started. #BoldBrandsWin!