A pipe, an apple that has been bitten into or two red bulls - no need to mention the names of the companies, we all know it's Nike, Apple and Red Bull, that's the brand image.
How is this possible? This is the power of a strong and attractive image, properly supported by marketing and communication. Do you want your company to be as successful with its brand image? Then you're in the right place.

More about the world's best-known brands HERE you can read.

The term branding in marketing

Brand identity is the visual and communicative representation of a company or organisation, including the logo, colours, typography and other elements that identify and differentiate the brand in the marketplace. It is how people perceive and perceive the brand (Google neg definition).

Refining a brand's image is key if you want to increase brand awareness and recognition. The central function of an identity is to give a company or brand a unique personality. Just as with the conclusions drawn from human characteristics on a first encounter, the image also allows for the perception of values, whether positive or negative. A well-designed corporate identity helps potential customers to find their way around, as they can quickly recognise a company by a font and colour combination.

By fine-tuning your brand's visual identity, you can stand out from the competition and attract more customers with an authentic approach. A well-defined brand identity not only promotes recognition, but also builds trust and loyalty by conveying consistency and authenticity across all interactions.

What is the difference between branding and image?

While image refers to the external appearance of a company and its overall appearance, image refers to the impressions that a customer has of a company.

While the design of the image is primarily the creative vision of the designer, it is the marketers who shape the image. The two areas go hand in hand, and the lines between them are often blurred - but it's crucial to be clear about the difference if you want to build a truly powerful and authentic brand.

Branding step by step

Step 1: Defining the brand essence

The first step in the brand building process is to lay the foundations of the brand, i.e. to define its essence. This is where we define the brand's reasons for being, its essence, core values, mission and vision, as well as the target audience and their needs. The essence of the brand is the central core on which all the other layers are built, and which radiates outwards.

Step 2: Research

The next step in developing a brand image is research to identify the target group, competitors and market.
Target group analysis: determine the demographics, buying habits, behaviour, preferences and values of the target audience. This will enable us to develop brand messages and values that resonate with them.
Competitor analysis: we analyse the image, positioning, strengths and weaknesses of competitors in the market. This will help us to position our own brand effectively in the market and deliver superior value to consumers.
Market analysis: review market trends, consumer behaviour and market opportunities to ensure that your brand is best adapted to the market environment.

Step 3: Marketing strategy, branding process

In developing a marketing strategy, we define our brand's short and long-term goals, formulate our unique value proposition (USP), develop our core messages, brand personality and plan our communication channels. Primary objectives may be to increase market share, brand awareness or customer engagement. The choice of communication channels depends on where we can best reach our target audience.

Step 4: Logo design

The most important visual element of the identity is the logo. A well-designed logo increases brand awareness and helps differentiate your product or service in the marketplace. The logo should be simple, easily recognisable in all sizes and environments, and reflect your brand's unique personality and values.

Step 5: Defining the image

At the heart of the brand's identity is the logo, from which the other visual elements unfold. Colours, typography, graphic elements, image and photo style, as well as advertising layout are all important parts of a consistent and coherent look.

Step 6: Brand sound, slogan

The brand voice is the style and tone through which the brand communicates with its audience. It can be friendly, direct, formal or distant, depending on what best suits the brand's personality and the needs of the target audience. A tagline is a short, pithy phrase that summarises the brand's essence, values or promise and helps the brand to be understood more easily. It is also an important part of the branding process.

Step 7: Design materials

A brand has many touch points with consumers, whether offline, such as point of sale and printed materials, or online, such as websites and social media platforms. These brand materials should be designed to be consistent with and reinforce the brand image.

Step 8: Developing a design manual

The corporate identity manual summarises the guidelines, rules and constraints that apply to corporate identity, ensuring consistent application of the elements of corporate identity. It can be a few-page summary for smaller brands or a brand book of hundreds of pages for larger companies and brands.

Step 9: Introducing the brand identity

A brand launch is the first time the public will encounter a new brand identity, whether it's a new website, store or office. When it comes to redesigning an existing brand, all the elements of the identity need to be replaced, which requires a lot of organisation and planning.

Step 10: Maintain consistent use of branding

Once the identity is successfully implemented, it is important to ensure that the identity elements are applied consistently across all channels. This requires a branding manual, which needs to be updated from time to time. Regular checks should be made to ensure that the brand image remains consistent and in line with the requirements of the brand manual.

Gathering and updating brand guidelines in one place is a critical step towards a great brand identity.

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