Brand Strategy vs. Brand Identity: What’s the Difference?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
+ What is a brand?
+ What is brand strategy?
+ What is brand identity?
+ Branding basics recap
Did you know that your brand isn’t your logo design or color palette? It’s not your website design, business name, or color palette, either.
Those are all great, necessary efforts to branding your business, but they aren’t your brand.
In this blog, I’ll define what a brand is, the importance of brand strategy, and answer questions like, “What is brand strategy?” and “What is a brand identity?”
Your takeaway: understanding the difference between brand strategy vs. brand identity, and the value of both.
Let’s start with the basics: what’s a brand?
What Is a Brand?
A brand is how other people perceive your business (or you).
Have you ever heard the phrase “perception is reality”?
The perception people have of your brand is significantly influenced by (1) design, (2) client experience, and the quality of your (3) deliverables; but the brand itself is all-encompassing.
A brand is the experience people have with every touchpoint of your business (e.g., your website, how your receptionist answers the phone, your social media presence). It’s how you position yourself (or business) to the world.
The main questions you want to ask yourself are:
How do potential clients feel when they interact with my business?
What do people think about my business?
What do people say about my business?
Your brand sets the tone for a client’s experience and directly influences all of those questions. If your brand isn’t consistent and cohesive across all platforms, it’s likely attracting the wrong client (or no clients).
A brand helps you establish authority and a high-quality standard for your business.
But how?
Your business doesn’t need a logo to launch; it needs a brand strategy.
What Is Brand Strategy?
Brand strategy is a holistic plan crafted to help you reach long-term business goals. It focuses on the what, when, where, how, and to whom you communicate your brand message.
Without a strategy, your brand is just sittin' there lookin’ pretty.
Establishing what you do, how you do it, and who you serve helps a designer create a brand that accurately reflects your business and resonates with the right people.
Have you ever tried to explain what your business does with extreme difficulty? Or walk away after a conversation with another business owner without knowing what their business does/sells? Those are prime examples of businesses lacking a clear brand strategy.
A holistic brand strategy answers key questions about your business before you even think about what shade of blue to use in your logo:
Why do you exist?
What is your mission in business?
What is your big-picture vision?
What are the values that guide your business?
Who are your ideal clients?
Who are your competitors?
What is your unique value proposition? (I.e., what differentiates your business from competitors).
How does your brand communicate? (I.e., brand messaging).
Each of these questions could be a blog post of its own, but that’s why working with a designer who is creative and strategic is so essential!
Okay, now listen up – you might wanna write this down:
A brand strategy connects the heartbeat of your business to the needs of your audience to ultimately reach your business goals.
Once you’ve done the heavy lifting and laid the groundwork, crafting your brand identity is much easier.
What Is a Brand Identity?
Your brand identity should reflect your brand strategy, which is why brand strategy comes first.
Once you’ve answered strategic questions about your brand to lay the foundation, you’re ready for a brand identity. When most people think of the words “brand” or “branding,” they automatically think of a brand’s visual identity: logo, color palette, typography, patterns, etc.
“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.”
Brand perception can be visual or experiential, but you want both to be exceptional, considering it impacts your bottom line.
If you want people to perceive your business as sophisticated and modern, you may choose black as your primary color. If you want your brand to exude cheerfulness, yellow is a great option.
Creating a unique, recognizable brand identity should be the goal of any design process. Some of the most iconic logos are simple in design. Think of the Target circle, Apple, the Nike swoosh, and the McDonald’s arches.
Nothing too fancy, but incredibly distinct and memorable.
A brand identity creatively aligns your brand strategy into visuals:
Color selection (informed by color psychology)
Imagery (i.e., photography)
Illustrations (e.g., patterns)
Your logo doesn’t have to be impressive; it needs to be intentional.
Brand vs. Brand Strategy vs. Brand Identity
Let’s quickly review all of that new information on branding your business:
A brand is how people perceive your business when they see or experience it.
A brand strategy is an actionable plan that helps you reach long-term business goals (and the right audience) before jumping into the brand design process.
A brand identity is a holistic, compelling visual representation of your brand that draws from a strong strategy (i.e., not just a logo) that resonates with your target audience.
BONUS: Branding is when you combine your brand strategy and brand identity, allowing you to market your business with clarity and consistency.
Now that you have a better understanding of the importance of brand strategy and the difference between brand strategy and brand identity, which one do you need?
Do you have a brand identity that lacks strategy?
Are you a side hustler without a brand, but a business that you want to visually (and strategically) bring to life?
Check out our brand identity design packages or contact Selah Creative Co. about a design project, so we can start brand planning!
