Humans are visual creatures who process visual data faster than other forms of data. This instinct to convey ideas in visual form is deeply rooted in our nature and plays a key role in shaping visual identity. History has proven that people first used symbols or images to communicate ideas to others, laying the foundation for how visual identity continues to evolve today.
The representation above highlights the crucial role that visual identity plays in the realms of design and branding. It is a powerful way for a brand to convey value and meaning to its audience. A brand must possess a distinct and impactful visual identity to successfully convey its design message.
As Paul Rand, an iconic graphic designer and art director, stated, “Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.” This essentially means that your design serves as a subtle promotional media that significantly influences your brand.
That’s why this article will explore further what visual identity is and how to optimize the use of it in a brand. Let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
Visual identity embodies the essence of a brand, showcasing its unique image and infographics that set it apart from the competition. It encompasses all the tangible elements we perceive, including logos, typography, colors, and various supporting visuals that define a brand’s unique characteristics.
The brand’s identity is carefully crafted around its image. And its physical appearance powerfully reinforces its core values and purpose. Therefore, a cohesive and well-crafted visual identity will powerfully convey your brand story, ensuring your message resonates with your audience.
While they may appear the same, brand identity and visual identity are distinct concepts. Brand identity is more about the message, value, and purpose that resonate with the audience, while the latter serves as the easily identifiable face of the brand.
In short, brand identity is like the soul of a human being, which contains values and goals. Meanwhile, visual identity is like the face or body, which can be seen visually and will indirectly reflect the soul of the human being itself. Therefore, it is important to align both, because essentially these two elements are a unity that forms the brand image itself.
If you want to learn more about brand identity, you can check out our article Brand Identity: More Than Just a Logo.
To build an excellent visual identity, there are essential elements that are correlated to each other, as they, in unity, have a great impact on shaping one brand’s identity. Here are some important elements you need to know:
Logo is the first thing on people’s minds when they are asked about one brand identity. The logo establishes the brand’s first identity. Therefore, it is critical to design a logo that is both visually appealing and consistent with the brand’s identity. The logo also functions as the identity that sets it apart from competitors.
For example, wordmark logos are ideal for businesses with unique, distinctive names who want their identities to stand out. However, if the brand or company name is too long, a lettermark logo with the brand’s initials will be the best option.
The chosen brand colors will shape the brand’s visual identity. It is important to remember that each color palette plays a role in the perceptions and feelings of potential customers toward your brand. Therefore, it is crucial to understand color psychology and color theory.
Make sure to choose colors that are functional and flexible. Because brand colors will be used in various contexts, the chosen colors must also be suitable for each context. Consider everything carefully when using the website, social media posts, and promotional materials.
Just like logos and colors, the selection of fonts also affects the representation of a brand identity. That is because typography, or typeface, used by a brand can give a certain, distinct effect to the audience. For instance, serif typeface may be able to give a classic vibe to a brand. That’s why a brand should determine the choice of font from the very beginning, as it will shape the brand’s overall image.
Good typography for a good visual identity includes:
The brand chooses image, video, and illustration assets; it can also include the staff uniform. Just like what has been previously explained, visual identity focuses on what is being seen by the audience, and that’s exactly why image representation is crucial.
When choosing imagery for assets such as websites or social media posts, keep the style, composition, and subjects displayed in mind. It ensures that the content is always consistent with the brand identity. Such consideration is key to creating a cohesive look.
Just like when you choose hand-drawn illustrations as imagery, they bring a personal touch with a human feel that makes the audience feel closer to the brand.
The consistent use of shapes and patterns creates continuity in the brand across all its aspects, such as website design, social media posts, and other promotional media. In visual identity, small elements like shapes and patterns also become important, as identity encompasses all aspects as a form of evaluation.
Designing visual identity that aligns harmoniously with the brand is not an easy feat, as it takes time, idea, and energy. And because of that, there is the need for a style guide to maintain the originality of your visual elements.
Usually, a style guide also contains rules on how to use and apply visual elements. Here are some key elements that are often included in a style guide:
Making a good visual identity needs more than just arranging design elements into one unity. There are some other points to consider to ensure that the visual identity created aligns well with the brand’s purpose.
The previous explanations and points lead to the conclusion that visual identity holds significant importance. So what makes it vital?
Both brand awareness and brand recognition can improve with a strong visual identity. With a strong visual identity, the audience will easily recognize the brand, especially with the very tight competition in the global market.
The faster the audience recognizes the brand, the faster they will connect with it. This will be a fantastic first step.
By having a strong and unique visual identity, the audience will recognize the potential of the brand and perceive it as different from competitors. Having a distinctive characteristic in the audience’s mind is the main goal of creating a visual identity. By having an eye-catching and attractive appearance, it will make it easier for the audience to recognize and differentiate your brand from competitors.
Even if the audience knows the brand, you must still engage them and get them to try your product. The audience will identify with the brand if it has a compelling visual identity, from storytelling and recognition to distinguishing features. In this manner, the brand and its audience will form an emotional connection.
Consistency is key in all aspects of branding. Maintaining a consistent visual identity will create loyal customers and, ultimately, a high level of loyalty to the brand. The more customers know your brand, the more likely they are to stay loyal and recommend it to others.
The overall conclusion is that a compelling visual identity is essential for any brand. Even if a brand has a positive brand identity, without balance with the supporting visuals, then the brand’s message and values will not be properly conveyed to the audience.
This article has outlined various aspects of visual identity, including its meaning, elements, and important things to consider. Thus, by reading this, we hope you can connect the audience with the brand and ultimately achieve loyal customers.
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