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Brand Identity
Logo-Centric Approach
Brand Narrative
Brand Communication
Test 1
Logo-Centric Approach
Brand Narrative
Brand Communication
ARTICLE #1
Beyond Logos: The essence of brand identities
Brand Identity
Logo-Centric Approach
Brand Narrative
Brand Communication
Brand Identity
Test 1
Logo-Centric Approach
Brand Narrative
Brand Communication
Written by:
3 min read
Updated on: March 25, 2024
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Does a catchy name and a stylish logo instantly make your business the talk of the town? That’s a risky bet. To genuinely connect with people and earn their trust, you need a well-created brand identity that speaks to their needs, values, and even their whims. Let’s dig a little deeper into how you can move beyond mere visuals and build something that truly resonates.
Does a catchy name and a stylish logo instantly make your business the talk of the town? That’s a risky bet. To genuinely connect with people and earn their trust, you need a well-created brand identity that speaks to their needs, values, and even their whims. Let’s dig a little deeper into how you can move beyond mere visuals and build something that truly resonates.
Establish a narrative
Establish a narrative
No brand appears out of thin air. Every successful brand has some sort of backstory, whether it’s a major breakthrough or a gradual realisation. The more genuine and relatable this narrative, the faster your audience will warm to what you offer. In essence, define a problem and show why you’re committed to solving it.
Many brands start with founders who notice a gap in the market—perhaps they struggled to find a product that met a specific need. After talking to others and seeing that the same issue affected more people, they decided to create a solution themselves. Over time, that spark becomes the heartbeat of the brand.
No brand appears out of thin air. Every successful brand has some sort of backstory, whether it’s a major breakthrough or a gradual realisation. The more genuine and relatable this narrative, the faster your audience will warm to what you offer. In essence, define a problem and show why you’re committed to solving it.
Many brands start with founders who notice a gap in the market—perhaps they struggled to find a product that met a specific need. After talking to others and seeing that the same issue affected more people, they decided to create a solution themselves. Over time, that spark becomes the heartbeat of the brand.
Understanding brand identity
Why bother hiring professional designers or brand managers? They don’t simply design logos and fiddle with fonts. Their real strength lies in recognising how diverse design elements and strategic decisions come together, forming an identity your audience can recognise and appreciate.
Why do certain brands rely on particular colours when courting specific demographics? Why do some align themselves with a political stance, even when staying neutral might seem more straightforward? It boils down to one key concept: shaping a narrative that resonates with the right people.
Why bother hiring professional designers or brand managers? They don’t simply design logos and fiddle with fonts. Their real strength lies in recognising how diverse design elements and strategic decisions come together, forming an identity your audience can recognise and appreciate.
Why do certain brands rely on particular colours when courting specific demographics? Why do some align themselves with a political stance, even when staying neutral might seem more straightforward? It boils down to one key concept: shaping a narrative that resonates with the right people.
Creating a brand identity
Everything from your company’s origins to your personal vision as a business owner feeds into brand credibility. If your competitors seem to be running laps around you, it might not be due solely to their marketing spend—it often ties back to a more compelling brand story.
Studies indicate that organisations launching with a clear, persuasive story often find quicker success than those with a purely functional approach. People openly say they’re more likely to back a company prioritising human-centred or environmentally responsible ideals—even if other brands have cheaper, more practical options.
Everything from your company’s origins to your personal vision as a business owner feeds into brand credibility. If your competitors seem to be running laps around you, it might not be due solely to their marketing spend—it often ties back to a more compelling brand story.
Studies indicate that organisations launching with a clear, persuasive story often find quicker success than those with a purely functional approach. People openly say they’re more likely to back a company prioritising human-centred or environmentally responsible ideals—even if other brands have cheaper, more practical options.
Brand communication
Each touchpoint—from your homepage design to the tone of your automated email—shapes how people interact with your brand. If a new user lands on your site, can they sense what you stand for within seconds? They should.
Scrutinise your website chat prompts, call scripts, social media posts, and even how you reply to Google reviews. If you outsource these tasks to different people without proper guidelines, your brand’s voice can become inconsistent. That inconsistency can leave potential customers confused or less engaged.
Each touchpoint—from your homepage design to the tone of your automated email—shapes how people interact with your brand. If a new user lands on your site, can they sense what you stand for within seconds? They should.
Scrutinise your website chat prompts, call scripts, social media posts, and even how you reply to Google reviews. If you outsource these tasks to different people without proper guidelines, your brand’s voice can become inconsistent. That inconsistency can leave potential customers confused or less engaged.
Collaborative partnership
Staying consistent across numerous marketing channels isn’t easy if you’re juggling everything alone. One solution is to collaborate with a specialised agency adept at building and refining brand identities. These experts typically bring a wide range of experiences, advising on how best to connect with your audience across every possible platform—whether that’s a webshop, social media, or even offline events.
Staying consistent across numerous marketing channels isn’t easy if you’re juggling everything alone. One solution is to collaborate with a specialised agency adept at building and refining brand identities. These experts typically bring a wide range of experiences, advising on how best to connect with your audience across every possible platform—whether that’s a webshop, social media, or even offline events.
Adapting to changing markets
Markets fluctuate, trends shift, and that “perfect opportunity” to make a splash can sometimes be short-lived. There's a real benefit in planning your big announcement at a time that amplifies attention, rather than rushing to launch and risking a muted response.
Markets fluctuate, trends shift, and that “perfect opportunity” to make a splash can sometimes be short-lived. There's a real benefit in planning your big announcement at a time that amplifies attention, rather than rushing to launch and risking a muted response.
Professional assistance vs. DIY branding
Doing it all yourself can feel economical, especially in the early stages. But it often leads to missed possibilities that could have given you a stronger foothold in your industry. Investing in professional help can open up broader strategies and secure lasting success.
Doing it all yourself can feel economical, especially in the early stages. But it often leads to missed possibilities that could have given you a stronger foothold in your industry. Investing in professional help can open up broader strategies and secure lasting success.
Strengthening brand identity
Brand identity never stays static. It’s flexible and will change as your business grows, market conditions shift, and consumer tastes evolve. Teaming up with FOR® is one way to move beyond visuals alone and carve out a genuine legacy. If you want to go from a simple logo to a meaningful brand presence, it might be time for a strategic shake-up.
Brand identity never stays static. It’s flexible and will change as your business grows, market conditions shift, and consumer tastes evolve. Teaming up with FOR® is one way to move beyond visuals alone and carve out a genuine legacy. If you want to go from a simple logo to a meaningful brand presence, it might be time for a strategic shake-up.
Refine your brand’s potential: Take the next step
Brand identity doesn’t stand still. If you want your business to outlast passing trends, consider putting genuine care into every part of your brand story. Sure, your logo might look sharp enough to slice bread, but will that really keep people loyal for the long haul? There’s no magic wand here—building a lasting bond with your audience calls for clarity, consistency, and a spark of creative thinking. Keep refining your approach as the market shifts, and don’t be afraid to test fresh ideas. A strong brand is about forging real connections that outshine any single design. The real question is: how will you make yours impossible to overlook?
Brand identity doesn’t stand still. If you want your business to outlast passing trends, consider putting genuine care into every part of your brand story. Sure, your logo might look sharp enough to slice bread, but will that really keep people loyal for the long haul? There’s no magic wand here—building a lasting bond with your audience calls for clarity, consistency, and a spark of creative thinking. Keep refining your approach as the market shifts, and don’t be afraid to test fresh ideas. A strong brand is about forging real connections that outshine any single design. The real question is: how will you make yours impossible to overlook?
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Work with us
Click to copy
work@for.co
FOR® Industries
We’re remote-first — with strategic global hubs
Click to copy
Helsinki, FIN
hel@for.co
Click to copy
New York, NY
ny@for.co
Click to copy
Miami, FL
mia@for.co
Click to copy
Dubai, UAE
uae@for.co
Click to copy
Kyiv, UA
kyiv@for.co
Click to copy
Lagos, NG
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Copyright © 2024 FOR®