Have you ever wondered how brands like Apple, Starbucks, and Netflix manage to achieve worldwide recognition and success? The secret lies in their global strategy.
It takes a lot of effort to become a successful brand. Such brands need to slowly and patiently go through the branding process, which involves the preparation of a number of brand elements. It is very easy to notice when a brand is incomplete because some of the brand identity elements are missing.
In this article, you will learn more about the seven essential brand elements that every brand needs to succeed and how to create them for your business.
What is a brand?
In order to create each of the brand elements, you need to understand what a brand actually is.
Brand is the most precious asset of every company. Customers are usually more familiar with the brand than the company behind it.
The full image of a good brand is a collection of a number of elements that set it apart from other brands which compete in a given industry. Most importantly, the brand is a protected property and its brand identity cannot be used by anyone else (trademark protection).
What are brand elements?
Different brand elements make up all the brand’s features. This includes not only the visual side (colors, image, text) but also what distinguishes it from the similar brands – the components that make your brand unique.
The key elements can help you grow your business by raising brand awareness, recognition, reputation, trust, credibility, and loyalty among customers.
Well-crafted brand elements attract more customers and thus increase sales, which is what business is all about. In addition, such branding elements ensure that the company is a professional workplace and motivate your employees.
All brand elements are strategic. Each of them builds the company and its image, regardless of the age of the target group, niche or scale of operations.
The most important and necessary elements of every brand
There are many brand elements, but we will now discuss the seven most important types of brand elements necessary to function and become a successful brand. Each of them consists of several other elements that you need to consider.
1. Brand’s essence
The essential part of a brand is what it represents, i.e. its mission, values, and goals. Many people mistakenly think that they are only useful for marketing purposes, to present on a website or to boost the brand image and awareness. In fact, they are mainly used by employees of a given company as a guide during the decision-making process to ensure that they appropriately represent the brand.
Brand mission and goals
Every brand exists not only to sell products or services and generate profits, but also to fulfill its pre-established goals. Defining the goals will make the company’s work and its contribution to both the audience and the global market meaningful.
Brand mission, on the other hand, is its commitment to its vision of the future. Every brand has to build its influence. Creating the brand mission and setting plans for future activities will enable your brand to maintain and develop its reputation in the right direction.
Brand values and vision
A brand vision is the image a brand should have in the future. It is a visualization of what the brand will look like and how it will affect the audience and the industry within a few years. The vision provides direction for the brand and what it intends to be.
Brand values determine how a brand behaves on the market. They are often overused on websites to impress the target audience. Forming a connection with the clients is important, but it is not the main function of brand values.
2. Brand positioning
It consists of all aspects that affect the brand position on the market. The status of a brand is often among the reasons for choosing one brand over another. It is shaped by understanding the target audience, what they are already getting from competitors and how the brand is supposed to provide them with something different.
Target audience
Every company and brand needs an audience and customers to prosper. Everything a brand does has an impact on its clients and influences their final purchasing decisions. The better you understand your audience, what a brand means to them, the better you can align and position your brand on the market. In order to meet your customers’ needs, you have to establish who they are and what they are looking for.
Competition
Every brand has competitors that offer similar products, services or values to the consumers. To position yourself as a leader on the market, you need to have the customers’ attention. Establish who your competitors are, how they run their companies, what they offer and how they are perceived.
Brand positioning direction
Once you know your target audience and competition, you can create a brand positioning strategy. It is a clear summary that sets the direction for further branding and its subsequent brand elements.
3. Brand personalization
We live in the times of humanlike brands. Brands have learned to appeal to who their audience is as a person and to adapt to what attracts them. A brand personality is a set of elements, such as archetype, language and brand voice. They show how a brand intends to resonate with customers, from the way of communication to the personality traits.
Brand archetypes
The twelve archetypes, introduced by psychiatrist Carl Jung, are a way of categorizing personality. On their basis, you can assess the personality of your target audience and develop your brand in that direction.
Brand archetypes are currently one of the most important branding elements.
Brand language
Adapting the language your brand uses to communicate with its target audience is very important in branding. You should use formal forms if your goal is to attract industry experts, and if your target group consists mostly of ordinary people, the way you communicate with them should be casual and easy to understand. Make sure to do the research and prepare guidelines for communication in advance, otherwise you might make your brand seem unprofessional or pretentious. Remember that unique branded vocabulary will set you apart from the competition.
Brand voice
Tone of the brand voice is as important in the branding process as brand communication. It is a tool that enables the brand to express itself better through its every component – from communication to visual elements.
4. Brand communication
Every brand has something to convey to its clients. However, you still need to know the most effective ways of getting that message across to your target audience. This is where communication strategy comes in handy.
Appropriate communication is part of the marketing strategy and an important branding element. It should be established with the most important elements of your business in mind – brand name, slogan, message and history.
Brand name
Brand name is among the most important brand elements. It is the first thing customers learn about a brand so it should pique their interest. The brand name should be related to the industry in which the brand operates, easy to remember, catchy and evoke positive emotions.
Brand slogan
Slogan should be a catchy and memorable sentence that defines a brand and resonates with its consumers. An effective slogan has a huge impact on the position of the brand on the market, and thus, the success of the business.
Brand message and story
A brand’s core message represents what it wants to convey to its audience. However, the main message is not everything – you cannot repeat the same words everywhere, in all communication channels. You should therefore create a set of key messages that will influence the consumers’ perception of the brand and become the guiding tool for brand communication.
Each brand has its own history. It should not always be told, but many people include such information as one of the core elements in their marketing materials.
From the audience’s perspective, it is not the brand that is the hero, it is them. You have to tell a story about who they are, what challenges they face and how your brand can help them. This is supposed to be a story involving the brand, not a historical recap of your achievements.
5. Brand identity – visual design
Brand identity elements are the most recognizable branding elements. Customers use them to define a strong brand. They appear in all marketing materials and are an integral part of the brand that shape its impact on audience perception. Brand identity elements are primarily its visual identity – logo, color scheme and typography.
Brand’s logo
The concept of logo is the easiest to understand when it comes to the branding elements. It has even become synonymous with the word brand. A logo, like a brand name or slogan, is the most memorable element of brand identity, so without it the business basically does not exist. Logo design is one of the most complex skills as it should create a lasting impression in just a few seconds. Good logos should be visible on everything they are put on, regardless of location and size.
Typography
Typography is a brand element that also has a big impact on brand identity. There are many fonts and typefaces that have their own unique characteristics with which you can create a specific brand image. Poorly selected typography can destroy the brand identity because fonts are one of the most important logo design elements.
Color scheme
Colors play a very important role in our lives. You need to understand the impact they can have on perception so you can tailor your color palette to the emotions and feelings your brand wants to evoke. The color scheme is the most influential and one of the most effective tools among brand elements.
Specific colors will be more memorable and instantly associated with a brand that uses them. However, they do not always have to be vivid colors. The brand colors palette is present in marketing materials, in the logo and on the website.
Images, graphics, photos
Images and graphics can also be considered as recognizable elements of a brand identity. They can capture mood, tone, emotion, style or ideas. They fulfill their functions properly only when the styles of images and graphics show the features of the strategy.
Graphics should be as expressive and unique as possible because it is easier for the audience to remember experiences and impressions. Brand colors also come into play here. Images need to follow a color scheme to keep the elements consistent.
Elevate your brand to new heights with our expert branding services. Contact us to discuss how we can help you create a captivating brand that leaves a lasting impression.
6. Brand presence – meaning
This concept describes the way in which a brand is visible and connects with the audience both online and in the real world. Each brand element associated with its market presence must combine strategy and expression. A brand should have a website, be present on social media and visible through its content and advertising. These elements, when optimized, guarantee the success of a business. The way your headquarters look also matters, especially if it is a place where customers are received and served.
Website
The website is a presentation of the brand. It contains all information about it, its products and services. It gives the clients the opportunity to contact you directly or even make a purchase, or place an order. The appearance, color palette, and each image are very important because the page must be consistent with all other brand elements. It should be intuitive to operate and have a simple shopping path with calls to action.
The website must be user-friendly and create a positive experience. Content is also extremely important. Create it using brand language that is relevant to your audience. Do not forget about SEO activities, as they translate directly into reaching a larger number of potential customers.
In addition to a website, creating a marketing one pager can be a strategic way to improve brand presence as it presents a brief outline of a company’s products or services.
Social media
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are the most popular social media platforms, and having accounts on each of them is in every brands’ best interest. Many people around the world scroll through their feeds every day, which makes it the easiest way to reach a lot of potential clients.
Social media is the most effective way to show people the personality of your brand and increase brand awareness by publishing engaging content. It is also one of the most important marketing channels for business as it allows you to use both buzz marketing and paid advertising.
Content and advertisement
By knowing your target audience, you can create relevant content as well as advertisements and, as a result, make effective marketing decisions. The right messages will help you establish contacts and increase brand awareness. You should create content that engages your customers and enables them to understand and remember your brand better. A good advertisement, paired with an appropriate communication channel, will encourage them to buy your products or services.
Physical headquarters, shop, location
Currently, most companies operate online, however, there are still a lot of those that operate from shops and offices. That is why it is worth choosing the right location and taking care of the company store or headquarters, especially if you intend to receive and serve customers there because the place also represents the brand. When you come to a restaurant, you pay attention to its location, surroundings, appearance, cleanliness and atmosphere.
In a store, you pay attention to the appearance, the arrangement of goods, the ease of finding what you are looking for and neatness. In the same way, you need to take care of your company’s headquarters so that it leaves only good impressions on your clients. Remember, that the conditions you provide for your employees are equally important for branding.
7. Products and services
The products and services you offer are also very important brand elements. The purchasing decision depends on factors such as product quality, appearance, packaging, or smell and taste if you offer food products, which are all elements that should be taken into consideration during the branding process.
Taste and smell
The taste and smell of products is very important for food brands and restaurants. It is the same with the fragrance of cosmetics and cleaning products, which consumers tend to associate with a given brand. The products should smell nice, and so should your stone.
Product packaging
Product packaging is yet another very important brand element. Many people base their purchase decision on the packaging itself, and not on the product. Packaging must not only contain all the most important information about its contents, but also be consistent with the brand color palette, name, logo or even a slogan. It is also an important part of the brand identity elements, which, together with the smell and taste, create a complete image of the product.
Brand elements – examples
We will now show you other brands that we consider to be the best example of how creating branding elements properly can help your business.
Adobe – an example of innovation and creativity
Adobe is an American company that develops computer software. We all know and use their programs such as Adobe Acrobat, Flash Player or Photoshop. It is one of the most profitable and successful brands that generates huge revenues every year. It is worth paying attention to its unique logo, slogan, icons and vocabulary. Adobe is a great example of perfect branding.
Its advertisements show a combination of creativity and innovation. The company is usually associated with one color – red. It is everywhere, in the company icons, logos and software, which makes the visual identity very consistent and is the key to the brand’s worldwide success.
Google – ideal brand identity elements
This brand does not need any introduction. Almost everyone around the world knows about it, which is the effect of top-line branding efforts. It does not only provide us with the world’s most popular search engine, but also a whole lot of other Internet services, including those for companies. Google represents the Sage brand archetype. Its mission is to seek and share knowledge, truth and wisdom. The company is therefore associated with a trusted and reliable source of information.
The most important element of its brand identity is the logo design. Google has had many logos and is constantly changing them, keeping up with many events or anniversaries, but it does not change its style. The logo has always the same basic color scheme which makes it so memorable and easy to recognize.
Nike – slogan as the main brand element
Basically everyone knows the iconic Nike slogan: “Just do it.” This brand is the perfect example of the Hero archetype. Nike’s concept is to create innovative products and experiences to inspire and make the world a better place. Its sports theme line products are often used by the best athletes all around the globe.
The basic element of Nike’s brand identity is, of course, the iconic logo called the “Swoosh”, as well as the slogan mentioned above. The brand sticks to its vision, mission and has an established style when it comes to brand voice and tone. By cooperating with athletes and sponsoring events Nike can reach a wider audience.
Disney – entertainment not only for children
To achieve success, brands that produce and sell physical products need to create impeccable brand identity elements. The same is true for the providers of digital services. Let’s use Disney as an example. It is an archetype associated with providing experiences that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. The brand promotes creativity through its products – animated films, TV channels and theme parks like the famous Disneyland in Paris.
Disney has already iconic branded elements, namely the logotype known to basically everyone in the world, its own font and even a mascot. It pays a lot of attention to its image. The brand offers an unforgettable experience, incredible products, graphics, images and icons to its customers.
Create your brand elements
Now it is time to take a closer look at your business. You already know what brand elements are most important, so create your unique brand identity elements and develop your brand. You do not have to do it alone.
Nopio can help you in the process of creating your website and conducting professional branding activities. We will create a corporate identity design for your company and help you in establishing brand management strategies.
Just like the above-mentioned brands, you have a long journey ahead of you, but you do not have to embark on it alone. We will be happy to help your brand succeed!
