Brand identity includes all the visual elements with your brand.
It includes the logo, the main color and color stories, the fonts you use online and in all your printed materials, the tone of voice and supportive graphic elements.
One element to consider extra careful is colors. The choice of color for your logo and brand identity is directly related to your story, values, and your mission.
People have phycological ties to colors and it’s good to know what they mean so you can use them thoughtfully to maximize your impact.
Here are what the colors of the rainbow plus some extra ones can do to help your brand identity:
•Yellow: Yellow is the color of the sun and is all about happiness. Yellow gives a cheerful vibe and is perfect if you want your brand to feel fun, accessible and affordable.
•Orange: Orange is a high-energy color and is great if you want to appear friendly and playful. It’s a great choice if you want to stand out.
•Red: Red is also a high-energy color. It’s the color of blood, passion, and excitement. if you want a brand identity that is loud, youthful, and exciting, then red is a great choice.
•Pink: Pink is mostly tied to femininity, so if you are a women’s brand only, pink can be a good choice. Soft pink can be perceived as luxurious and bright pink can be perceived as strong and powerful.
•Purple: Purple is the color of royalty. If you want to have a luxurious branding all shades of purple are a great choice.
•Green: Green can be used for any type of brand since it’s extremely versatile. Nowadays green is ties to sustainability since green is nature’s color.
•Blue: Blue is one of the most used colors in branding. it’s very universal, it gives a sense of stability and trustworthiness. If you want to have a wide demographic, all shades of blue are great.
•Brown: Brown is a somewhat more masculine color and is not so common in branding. it can be used to your advantage, to stand out.
•Black: Black is a modern, sophisticated and luxurious color. It’s classic and effective and you can never go wrong with black.
Preferably create a brand guide where you explain how your brand identity should be applied. This creates consistency and it wouldn’t matter how many people join your team, they will all have the brand guide to keep the branding cohesive.
The competition is tough out there. Just look at all the apparel brands that exist on the market. Business owners know that brand-name awareness and brand loyalty are the driving forces behind the customer coming back to you.
The most successful current brands have evolved into lifestyle brands. Lifestyle brands go beyond specific apparel products to include goods used in many areas of everyday living.
To accessories, footwear, hardgoods, to bed sheets and furniture. Think Ralph Lauren for example.
It helps to communicate your brand’s personality and values to your customers. A great brand identity can literally transform a brand.
Most importantly it helps to set your brand apart from competitors and builds recognition that is not only depending on your logo.
So, how do you create a brand identity?
In order to bring out your brand identity, you can answer these eleven questions.
It’s time to bring out paper or pen, or your pad, phone or computer if you are one of those who prefer that.
1. What are you doing?
What does your business do? Summarize what your business is about. Explain it like an elevator pitch—short and sweet.
By summarizing it, you force yourself to bring out the essence of what you do.
Imagine you are at an event or at a party and you meet a new person. They ask you politely, so what do you do? Then how would you explain it so they pay attention and actually understand what you are doing? Be specific.
2. What problem do you solve for your customers?
Why is your product needed and how can it facilitate daily living for the customer? Describe the problem you’re trying to solve and how your product solves it.
Will it make their lives easier? How?
Besides helping you with your brand identity, this question will be of great value when you are working on your marketing messages. This relates to the promise you give to your customers.
If you think it’s hard to come up with an answer to this question or any of these questions, then think harder. Dig deeper. That’s the purpose of them. You want to activate those brain cells of yours. The more effort you put into answering these questions, the easier it will be to create your brand identity.
Again, what problem do you solve for your customers?
We often hear: but we don’t solve a problem. Well, there typically is. If your only angle is that you don’t want people to be naked, then you will have a hard time to make your brand stand out. Because so does all the other clothes as well. In this case, why should they buy your clothes and at your price point?
Your problem and solution can be that a certain sport or activity becomes easier, a certain demographic easier can find suitable garments, or existing products aren’t sustainable enough. Go back to your reason for starting your brand, and the answer to this question will come naturally.
3. Who are your main competitors?
List your main competitors.
Then ask yourself What do you like about their brand identity?
And what do you want to do differently?
Learn from them and make sure you’re not just copying them. If they are one of your main competitors, and you take after them, you will look like a copy-cat.
4. What about your product sets you apart from your competitors’?
What is or will be different from your products?
Why should customers buy your product instead of your competitors’? Let’s say the customer sees both your product and your competitor’s right in front of them. What will make them choose your product and bring it to the checkout?
There must be some unique selling points. Aim for having 3 clear and strong unique selling points.
5. What’s your story?
Storytelling connects your customers with your brand. What can you relate to your product, background, and business?
Think about why you started your brand. What are your background and experience has led you to create your brand?
Have you been in situations when you wished you had your products, but you didn’t?
6. Can you give five words that describe your company?
Use adjectives or any words to describe your company—simply. This brings focus to your brand. It could be words like timeless or joyful.
7. Can you describe your ideal customer?
Use five words that describe your client. We really want you to list five things.
When you only use five words, you are again forced to bring out the essence or core of your customer.
When you are thinking about your ideal customer, you can see if you can find any market research that you can add and that describes your customer further.
8. Can you name three brands that inspire you?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a clothing brand. It can be any brand that inspires you.
Describe what it is that you like about these brands. How do they make you feel? Do you want your brand to evoke the same feeling? Take a deeper look and see how they have done it. Can you be inspired by that and implement something similar to your brand?
9. Can you mention three brands that you think are weak?
Again, these don’t have to be clothing brands.
What is it that you don’t like about these brands? What do you associate with these brands?
By looking at these brands, you get an idea for what you should avoid when creating your brand identity. Look in the opposite direction instead and it can lead you on the right path.
10. Can you describe your brand’s desired look and feel?
Using only a few words, can you explain the feelings and associations you want your brand to identify with?
This is quite straight forward. When you are able to do this in only a few words, you are getting closer to understanding your brand image’s core message.
11. What is the primary message you want to present to your customer?
How do you want your customers to feel every time they’re in contact with your product?
Out of all your values, unique selling points, and stories, what is the number one message you want o to bring forward and present?
Answering these 11 questions will give you a good foundation so you can create your brand identity.
When you have created your brand identity, perform a self-check by asking yourself
➢ What does your brand identity say about your brand?
➢ Is your Brand Identity applied consistently?
➢ Is your Identity inspiring? Does it improve your business image?
It can be a good idea to get help from someone who’s good in the brand-identity field.
The first reason is of course so that they will be able to help you with the actual identity.
The second reason is at least as important as the first. They’ll also make sure you avoid any similarity with existing labels or unwanted associations. If they are experts in the branding field, they will have a great overview of brands, and probably years of paying attention to all kinds of brands. They can usually pretty quickly say if your brand reminds them of an existing brand. With that information, you can make adjustments to your brand identity so that you can stand out even more.
Also, when creating your brand, remember to tie it closely together with the product. It will, for example, be a mismatch if you have a joyful cheery brand identity and only make dark somber clothes with classic lines. Make sure your brand identity matches the design language of your garments.
The brand and product have to deliver the same message and feelings to your customers. Make sure it all sticks out. Make a brand that gets noticed.