How to create a brand identity that is deeply rooted in people’s hearts?

If you want consumers to be able to better identify your brand among many brands, then it is very important to do a good job of "brand recognition". So, what are the relevant elements of brand recognition? How can we do a good job of "brand recognition"? Let's take a look at the author's interpretation.

1. What is brand identity?

We have to admit that our users or consumers are often very opinionated when choosing brands... From small sports shoes to big cars, they have clear preferences and may even blindly follow a certain brand. If people are following your brand, you will definitely be very happy. It is particularly important to build a brand that is deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Hardcore fans of a brand often show off the logo on their clothes, shoes or electronic devices, which can easily lead people to misunderstand that a brand is just a logo. In fact, a brand consists of many elements.

For example, company name or product name, brand concept or slogan, brand reputation or word of mouth, product packaging and design, etc. These are all part of the brand, and the others are not listed one by one.

In a broad sense, all elements that can distinguish your business, products and services from those of your competitors can be collectively referred to as brand.

Once users establish an emotional connection with your brand, they may become die-hard fans and regular customers. If you want to become this kind of brand, you can't just buy and sell.

A brand is the external image of a company. Only when it effectively touches the hearts of users can it make them believe that you are more to their liking than your competitors.

Therefore, how to identify a brand, or how to enable consumers to easily identify their own brand among many brands, and the process of enabling consumers to recognize you, remember you, and identify with you, is brand identification.

Brand recognition appeals to being different and appeals to consumers’ memory and cognitive responses. In the process of brand building and brand management, no matter how good the brand positioning and value proposition are, if users cannot clearly identify them, the brand value will be lost or even non-existent.

2. What are the elements of brand identification?

Brand identity can also be said to be the expression of the brand's value proposition. It means that through a set of systematic settings or designs, the brand's value proposition can be clearly presented, making it easy for consumers to identify and believe in the brand's promises to consumers.

A brand identity usually includes four dimensions: product level (such as category, attributes, quality/value, usage scenarios, user associations, etc.), corporate level (corporate organization, business philosophy, etc.), personalized perception (brand personality, brand image, social relations, etc.), and symbol system (visual expression, brand story, etc.). It defines the elements that enable consumers to identify the brand and distinguish it from competitor brands. These elements, together with the brand's core value proposition, constitute a comprehensive brand identification system.

A brand that can be called a strong brand must have comprehensive and distinctive brand identification elements. After scientifically and completely planning the brand identification system, the core value of the brand can be effectively implemented and effectively connected with daily marketing and communication activities, giving the company's marketing and communication activities standards and direction.

Brand positioning is the soul, and brand identification is the body that supports the soul, just like the process from knowing a person to identifying a person, from brand naming, brand vision, brand concept, to brand image, it is a process of identifying a brand.

The name is the hook that hangs the brand on the product ladder in the minds of potential customers - Reese and Trout;

Yet names are more permanent than most other elements of marketing, since packaging, price, or advertising themes are more easily changed than names. --David Aaker

Positioning is a language concept, a nail. The tool that drives the positioning nail into the minds of consumers is the visual hammer - Reese.

In addition to the above, an excellent brand will also build its own brand identity elements through brand culture.

3. The most important elements of brand identity

Brand concept includes mission, vision, business philosophy, code of conduct, etc. Different brand cultural concepts can extract different brand stories, guide brand marketing activities, convey to consumers the emotional level of brand cognition, and let consumers feel the brand temperature, brand spirit and brand values, thereby forming a unique identification effect on the brand.

Of course, if we want to create a brand identity that is deeply rooted in people’s hearts, let’s start with the following four brand elements, centered around the company.

1. Brand Vision

This should be a statement that expresses the company's goals and ambitions, as well as a self-introduction. It should be forward-looking, inspiring and enlightening employees, customers and partners.

2. Corporate Mission

The corporate mission is more specific than the brand vision. It tells people the meaning of the company's existence. The focus is on introducing what you can do and the products and services you provide.

3. Brand personality

Brand personality is a word that reflects the brand positioning or brand concept. For example, some car companies will shape their brands as "safe" while others will shape their brands as "luxury".

4. Brand Image

You need to define your brand’s tone of voice, color scheme, and design features for use in marketing and other brand communications.

4. How to formulate a brand vision?

To conceive a brand vision, you need to understand what your business stands for and what it doesn't stand for.

first step

Think about why you are doing this business and how it works. For example: Mr. Mo's company aims to innovate the art world and sell artworks made from discarded plastic bottles. His way of operation is to combine sustainable development with craftsmanship.

Step 2

Compare your best selling product to the product you would never sell. The product you would never sell is the opposite of your product and the product that goes against your principles.

Step 3

Think about how your target audience would describe your business and how you want to position your business in the future.

Step 4

Put the previous answers together into an inspiring sentence, including the name of your business, its aspirations, and how it works. For example, Mr. Mo could write: Dedicated to revolutionizing the art world, turning waste into treasure through sustainable craftsmanship.

Finally, share this brand vision with everyone you work with. The more they understand and identify with it, the stronger your brand will be.

5. How to formulate a corporate mission?

Before writing, summarize what value your company brings to customers?

first step

Think about it: What industry is your business in? Agricultural products, health care, art collection, or something else? Who are your customers?

Step 2

Think about it: How does your brand meet the needs of the industry? What means do you use (e.g. innovative thinking, data, discounts, etc.)? Does this differentiate you from your competitors? What other differences are there?

Step 3

Put these answers together into a short, colloquial statement, avoiding any industry jargon.

Mr. Mo's corporate mission: to pursue environmental protection and exquisiteness, and to create reasonably priced artworks for art lovers. Each piece is hand-made and customized by skilled sculptors.

6. How to establish brand personality and brand image?

To establish brand personality and image, everything must start from the customer's perspective and think about what the customer thinks.

1. Brand personality

Brand personality is about condensing your brand vision and mission statement into one word. Think about how your brand makes people feel and the answer will be self-evident.

Does your brand make them feel safe, free, happy, excited, relaxed, confident, or what? You can use questionnaires or focus groups to dig deep into your customers' real thoughts and see if they are consistent with your assumptions.

2. Brand Image

If your brand is a person, how would you describe him? That is the brand image you want to establish. For example: charismatic, disruptive, sarcastic, humorous, serious, innovative, traditional, mature, youthful, cynical, authoritative, professional, witty, reliable, adventurous, rebellious.

You may think your company is glamorous, innovative, cool, young, and smart, but verify your assumptions through surveys or focus groups.

7. The final step

Once the four brand elements are established, you can use them in combination to standardize marketing, strategy, and execution.

For example, when planning an advertising campaign, the brand vision allows the advertising to take into account long-term strategy and focus on the goals; while the corporate mission ensures that the advertising reflects the company's core business.

In addition, your advertising campaign should also reflect the personality of your brand and make people feel the corresponding emotions; the tone of the advertisement should also be consistent with the personality traits you set.

You can use these brand elements to tell people through marketing activities: what services your company provides, what is unique about it, and who it serves. This can help you consolidate your brand's position in the industry and in the minds of your customers.

Train the marketing team, including agents, to ensure that everyone is aware of these four brand elements and can use them in combination to ensure consistency in marketing across all channels.

Remember, always seek truth from facts and practice your brand identity with actions. Don't just talk about it on paper or empty words. After all, no customer will pay for a brand they don't trust.

8. Final

Whenever it comes to "brand", we must remember:

Brand is user thinking. Brand is formed in the minds of users. What companies can do is to exert influence and try to make the "results" conform to the "results" they want.

Returning to brand recognition, we must pay attention to the differences and distinctions between brand image and brand recognition. There is a distinction between "recognition" and "image". Recognition focuses on clarifying its own value connotation, while image focuses on the impact on the communication object (consumer). Recognition is "who I am", and image is "who you think I am" after external communication. We cannot let customers decide "what the brand is", but strive to make "who I say I am" and "who you think I am" consistent.

Building "brand identity" is an important part of brand building and an important starting point for brand growth. For brand growth, please refer to "2023 New Brand Growth Methodology" and "Brand Building Quick Strike". The "Brand Growth" series will explain the sixteen parts of the brand growth path in detail.