All iconic brands share one thing in common: brand recognition at first glance. Anyone walking into a computer store looking for a MacBook would justifiably be upset if the salesperson brought in a silver laptop with a multicolored apple logo. Consumers know the Apple brand because it’s consistent. It’s this consistency makes a brand iconic, memorable, and recognizable. That is why a visual identity guide is a vital marketing tool every company should have.
A visual or corporate identity guide is a document that outlines the directions for using your company’s trademarks and visual characteristics. The guide ensures consistency and uniform identity.
Why are consistency and uniformity important? When consumers see a consistent graphic identity again and again over time; they will eventually see that icon as a symbol of quality, innovation, and trust.
Corporate Identity Guide Equals Consistency Equals Brand
Look no further than household names like Apple, McDonald’s, and Nike for corporate identity inspiration. They are instantly recognizable because of their iconic symbols. They were able to achieve this level of brand recognition because their style guides outline strict and specific instructions on colors scheme, fonts, logos, and other elements.
Because of these guides, they are able to maintain their graphic identity consistently in their stores, in marketing materials, and on their websites.
Why Visual Identity Guides are Important
- Consistency – Without clear guidelines, it’s impossible to make sure the visual branding stays consistent across all spectrums.
- Recognisability – Consistency makes the brand clearly identifiable and easily recognizable so that consumers can spot the brand from a mile away.
- Cohesion – The guidelines ensure that everyone from CEO to the rank-and-file staff knows the brand’s visual identity by heart; making the brand cohesive.
- Value – Brand cohesion leads to increased perceived value, making the company look and feel trustworthy and professional; inspiring customer loyalty.
- Tone – A picture speaks volumes and a company’s visual identity says a lot about the company. A consistent visual identity also sends a consistent message to current and potential clients.
What’s in the Corporate Brand Identity Guidelines?
- Logo Design – It goes without saying that a company’s logo must be uniform. The guide must then include clear instructions on the logo’s sizes, backgrounds, placements, and colors.
- Colors and Color Scheme – Picking the right ‘red’ from the 20 million variations of red can be tricky. Therefore, the company’s style guide must include the RGB and CMYK codes so the colors remain the same in print or online.
- Fonts and Typography – A brand’s guidelines must also include instructions on fonts styles, sizes, and hierarchies.
- Other Elements – Other graphic images such as symbols, wordmarks, etc. should also be outlined clearly in the guide.
Why Hire Corporate Identity Design Services
Any organization wanting to create a strong corporate identity through visual branding needs to establish style guidelines. It’s easy to download corporate identity vectors but most brands prefer professional corporate identity design services. Here’s why:
- Insight – Firms have conducted market research. This gives them the insight to what makes or breaks a brand in terms of visual branding.
- Stake Out – Firms that specialize in corporate identity conduct competitive research to understand the company’s competition and plan accordingly.
- Attention to Detail – Pros have done it before and miss absolutely nothing. Call the pros; they know what to do.
- Value – In the long run, paying for services saves companies money, time, and effort because they provide the company with much-needed expertise, advice, and insight that not all entrepreneurs have.
- Copyright and ownership – When you get something custom designed, it’s yours. Taking someone else’s work is not just unethical, it’s also illegal and that cute logo you found on Google and “made yours” can end up costing you a lot more than you’ve bargained for.
Marketing consistently and effectively entails that trademarks and visual characteristics be used in a manner that retains the graphic integrity of the original design. The most iconic brands have got this down to a tee. Having an excellent visual identity guide is the first step to achieving a superb brand recognition status.