what is brand identity 
brand identity is the visible elements of a brand such as color design and logo that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers minds brand identity is distinct from brand image the former corresponds to the intent behind the branding and the way a company does the following all to cultivate a certain image in consumers minds brand image is the actual result of these efforts successful or unsuccessful investopedia zoe hansenunderstanding brand identitybrand identity in many ways is the visual symbol or illustration aspect of a brand think of the nike swoosh or apple s apple those are two instances where the identity of a brand is connected with a symbol or visual aspect building brand identity must have a strong visual image to link the brand a brand identity is compiled of various branding elements when you put them together the identity in many ways is the mascot of your brand it is how a company expresses and describes itself from the images on its marketing materials the colors that represent the brand and how a company markets itself on social media a strong brand identity strengthens a company s popularity and presence in a competitive market beyond saving the company money on promotion a successful brand can be one of the company s most valuable assets brand value is intangible making it difficult to quantify still common approaches take into account the cost it would take to build a similar brand the cost of royalties to use the brand name and the cash flow of comparative unbranded businesses nike inc for example owns one of the world s most instantly recognizable logos the swoosh according to forbes the 2020 world s most powerful brands report the nike brand ranked 13 with an estimated brand value of 39 1 billion even though in a world devoid of brand perception taking the swoosh off of nike s shoes and apparel would change nothing about their comfort or performance the top brand on the 2020 list was apple with an estimated brand value of 241 2 billion 1building brand identitythe steps a company should take to build a strong cohesive and consistent brand identity will vary but a few points apply broadly to most building a brand identity is a multi disciplinary strategic effort and every element needs to support the overall message and business goals history of brand identitynational religious guild and heraldic symbols which we might see as analogous to modern branding go back millennia the modern practice dates to the industrial revolution however when household goods began to be produced in factories manufacturers needed a way to differentiate themselves from competitors thus these efforts evolved from simple visual branding to advertisements that included mascots jingles and other sales and marketing techniques many companies claim to have the oldest trademarked brands twinings tea stella artois and levi strauss 2special considerationsbuilding a brand identity is a multi disciplinary strategic effort and every element needs to support the overall message and business goals it can include a company s name logo and design its style and the tone of its copy the look and composition of its products and of course its social media presence apple founder steve jobs famously obsessed over details as small as the shade of gray on bathroom signs in apple stores while that level of focus may not be necessary the anecdote shows that apple s successful branding results from the intense effort not just luck but building brand identity isn t just for the big leagues all companies both small and mid sized businesses should build a strong brand identity 