How to develop a visual brand identity? /PBL3

What is a visual brand identity? According to a Business Stylish Debbie La Chusa a visual brand identity is related to the brand itself. However she states that there needs to be a clear distinction between these terms. A visual identity stands for the visual components of the brand, the visual look so to say. This includes the colors, logos, images etc. styled in a specific way. A brand on the other hand is “Who you are and what you stand for”. (Debbie La Chuse 2013.) Regularly described in my opinion as how your customers see you. Jerry Shrair (Founder & CEO Boiling Point) states that the foundation of the visual identity is indeed the brand identity (J. Shrair 2013).

Why is visualization important for the brands? By making the brand visual companies make the product or a brand look a certain way with a goal to increase the sales in the market. A visual personality for the brand attracts recognition and appeals to the customers which hopefully develops the memorability of the brand. Think for example about Coca-Cola! People around the world recognize the brand from its red color, the Coca-Cola signature and the Santa Claus appearing in many commercials. Same goes for McDonald’s and the letter M as well as Twitter’s blue bird. Visual image ups your changes to differentiate form the competition.  A few year ago I remember everybody was playing mobile games called the “Logo Quiz” (Android) where colors and pictures from different brands were presented without the logos and people needed to guess the right brand behind the clue to succeed in the game. Check out the Logo Quiz game from this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW3JhbxmhEM. This in my opinion is a perfect prove of how a visual image of the brand increases recognition and memorability in peoples mind. (Michelle Choi/ Clear Books WEBINAR 2013.) Other great example in my opinion is a Finnish brand that produces sweets called: ”Panda”. They have a clear visual image, the panda animal, which everybody here in Finland probably recognizes: http://www.panda.fi/#/teatteri/.  They have also created a total website world around the brand: http://www.panda.fi/.  

What you need to consider when creating a visual brand image?

I found Michelle Choi’s definition of five W’s an interesting perspective in making a brand visual. She demonstrates that the process of creating a visual brand needs to consist of these five questions. Even the last one doesn’t start with a W I guess it stands in the line by just including the letter.

Combining these questions with the comments of J. Shrair, R. Kellum and D. Arky in “How to think about a brand’s visual identity” I see that the following should be taken into consideration when creating a visual brand image:  

1. What? (Product & service)

You need to a have a clear message of the thing that you do and aim for. This avoids giving mixed messages to your audience. Like said your brand itself is the foundation to the visual identity.

   
2. Who? (Audience)

What is your target group? Who are the most important people that will create your brand profitable? To reach these people you need to create a few promises to these people and fulfill these promises. Learn from these customers and make promises directly to them. These promises will hopefully appeal to the customers and differentiate you from your competition. We also had Mikko Lintunen from Microsoft yesterday in our class telling us about CRM and Marketing. I remember him also mentioning that it is very important that you learn about the customers before you make action.  This way the action will be more efficient and segmented to the right group. Being able to make promises that appeal to your customers you need to know them first. 

       3. Why? (Story)

Why you will create a visual identity to your brand? What is the message/story that you want include with your brand? What is the spark that will create the relationship with your customer? According to J. Shrair it is important to create a personality to your brand that illustrates the nature of your brand. 

        4. Where? (Situation)

Where will your visual brand be presented? Location really matter. Michelle Choi states that it is highly relevant to think about the location of your brand being viewed. Will it be the side of a car or in television, it’s up to you to decide. 

        5.  How? (Style)

According to R. Kellum clarity and flexibility are very important when thinking about the style of the visual brand. You need to be able to reuse it in many places. In the video above J. Shrair, R. Kellum and D. Arky discus more detailed about “How to think about a brand’s visual identity”. 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHbJ0fkqI6I

In addition to these it’s essential to have the ability to change and to develop the visual brand. Michelle Choi states that it is needed yearly to step back and have a look at the brand to see if it’s dated. According to her: “The details make a difference!”

Sources combined: (Michelle Choi/ Clear Books WEBINAR 2013; J. Shrair 2013.)

Good channels and ways to implement your visual brand identity to customers?

Implementing your visual brand in my opinion is like doing business. You need to consider your target group and where you want your brand to be seen. It's highly important to think about the strategy via the customers. Let's go back to the Finnish sweet manufacturer Panda I think that for example television is a good way to implement the visual brand. It is important that the channel they use is visual so that people can actually see the panda and follow what it is doing. For target groups like families etc event where the kids could actually play in the Pandaland or for example hug the Panda could be very appealing. They could connect sweets to the nice and fun Panda and straight go back to this memory in the shop when asking the permission to buy candies from their parents. 
Also taking risks is important and in my opinion the key to success. You need to shoot for the stars and try again if you don't succeed. One day you migh! 

References:

Debbie La Chuse 2013. Youtube: The Difference Between Brand & Visual Identity. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33_q4GyCOjM. Accessed: 10.02.2015. 

Michelle Choi/ Clear Books WEBINAR 2013. Branding & visual identity for startup businesses. Graphic Designer. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1vZTnSxp2k. Accessed: 10.02.2015.

J. Shrair 2013. Youtube/ How to think about a brand's visual identity. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHbJ0fkqI6I. Accessed: 10.02.2015.