A brand is more than the logo, but sometimes a full brand identity system has not been considered when the logo has been designed. This is a big problem and it is one that many businesses face when they go, for example, to make masses of social media content or advertising, only to find that they don’t know what to do. With a limited number of assets, branded content will start to look the same and become boring and expected - consumers aren’t going to look twice at it. Either that or it will all look so mismatched it won’t be identifiable as coming from the same brand and the efforts to increase brand awareness will be rendered pointless.
How do I avoid Boring Social Media Content?
In order to avoid this dead-end, brands need to be created with a unique brand identity system in mind, to enable content to be made in a way that is both unlimited in its amount, whilst feeling 100% like it has come from the brand for which it is for.
Using the example of the rebrand we did for Salvia Glass last year, I will explain how to create a unique brand identity system that works hard on social media.
A brand identity system is made up of several parts:
Ownable and Unique Brand Assets
Firstly, when we create a logo it is part of a set of unique brand assets which are ownable to the brand. It is important that these assets are individual to the brand created and only that brand in order to differentiate from competitors. The unique brand assets will include things like typography styles, illustrated assets, icon styles, a unifying style of photography and a limited colour palette. When the unique brand assets are used consistently, they go on to create a strong brand identity system.
Flexible and Consistent Colour Palette
In order to be able to create a good amount of content on social media and to create an interesting brand that people don’t get bored of, it is important to have variety as well as consistency. A brand may be primarily made of 2-3 colours, for example Salvia Glass is primarily lilac, teal and cream, but having an extended secondary colour palette that feels in keeping with the brand is important to give the brand “legs” when it comes to creating content. Here we ensured that the colour palette remained soft and elegant, allowing the punches of teal and white to provide contrast for legibility.
Rules that are Easy to Implement
In creating unique brand assets it is important that they are implemented with an easy to follow and clear set of rules, outlined in a Brand Guideline Document or Brand Style Guide. Boundaries are important to avoid a brand being led astray. This can include things like: what logos to use, how to create combinations of typography, how to combine colours and outlining the intention behind photography choices.
In response to the Brand Guidelines created for her brand, Becky of Salvia Glass said:
“I have always struggled with finding colours and fonts that work for the tone and values of my business so I’m thrilled with the style guide”
A Unique Brand Story
In order for a brand to truly feel unique, it is important that all of the unique brand assets stem from the unique brand story. If design elements are informed by a story that belongs only to that brand, it will help cement the story in the consumers’ minds and allow it to truly stand out from the competitors. It also enable to the brand to feel cohesive in that every element comes from the original thread. A unique brand storyalso does well to instil an emotional connection, which competitive brands will find hard to imitate, making the brand copy-cat proof.
Conclusion
A strong brand identity system is important to be able to create an interesting and memorable brand content, which attracts consumers attention. A strong brand identity system comes from the use of unique brand assets, ideally stemmed from a unique brand story or proposition, which are used in a consistent way to form a strong brand identity. A strong brand identity will bring longevity to the brand, increase memorability amongst consumers and therefore increase sales and best of all, your consumers won’t fall asleep looking at it.
Read more about Salvia Glass here.
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