These days, anybody can rise to fame—even for just 15 minutes. Almost anyone can shoot a viral video, come up with a catchy beat, or start an eCommerce business. We all have the potential and the resources, and we're all in the business of self-promotion.
Making a name for yourself in the Digital Age can be ridiculously tedious, or it can be a smooth and gentle elevator ride up to the top floor of Popularity International. The difference is in the steps we take and the efforts we make. One of these steps to success comes in the form of a brand, a concept that by definition is easy to illustrate:
How quickly were you able to name each of these trademarks? Almost instantly? That's because each company has established brand recognition, effectively helping consumers instantaneously "connect" with an image that communicates the brand's larger idea, without any words at all. It's all in the imagery, and many industries have bent over backwards to capitalize on this!
Think about the app icons on your phone, or the "share" buttons on this article:
We just know them. And this is where visual identity comes in, defined as the visual elements of a brand that clearly and consistently communicate its underlying message; its philosophy, if you will. Visual identity encompasses everything from color scheme to forms, to placement & layout of elements, and all the way down to nitty gritty ligatures & contextual alternates.
Think about your brand's identity in the same way as your identity—how you dress, how you talk, how you present yourself... Your identity may change as time goes on, but it's consistent wherever you are—in your verbal communication, your nonverbal, your actions, and your mindset in life. And it's communicating it every minute of the day.
In short, sticking to specific shapes and colors may seem nitpicky, but in reality it's an easy way to capitalize on the familiarity principle. Your visual identity may change over time...
...but hiring an experienced designer to develop & maintain that identity will effectively increase your business's revenue and community reach, and of course promote new customer acquisition along the way.
Think of custom-building a new house for you & your family. Your industry is the neighborhood you decide to build in. Your brand guidelines are the blueprint that will tell all the other pieces how to fall into place. Your website & is the house itself, where you want your guests to feel comfortable and welcome. Finally, think of your logo as the wreath on the front door that will greet your guests when they come visit you.
As a fresh young business owner, you already have an idea of how you want your brand to feel. You know what you want to sound like, how you want to do business, and with whom you'll be doing it. All you need now is an identity to tie it all together, and to stand out from your competitors. An experienced designer + brand strategist will help you stand out.
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