We perceive visual identification as one of the key elements of branding, i.e. the process of building a brand and its image. It is a tool necessary for creating a company's image, as well as a way to create a consistent understanding of the company as perceived by potential customers. Properly composed, standardized and consistently applied visual identity elements create an identity that is considered professional and trustworthy. Learn how visual brand identity can help your business.

Visual brand style - what is it?

Building a brand image is a process that consists of many elements that should be implemented in a long-term and consistent manner from the moment they are developed. These include, first and foremost, the name, slogan and mission, history, website and social media channels, language of communication, offers and opinions. But the element that has a special meaning and unites all the others is the visual brand identity.

What is visual identification? It is a system of visual elements consisting of a brand name (logo), colors and typography, and a visual key. These elements should be consistent and reflect the brand's identity - its history, idea, industry character and its distinctive features from competitors. The main goal - to make it easier for customers to recognize the brand based on its visual representation online and offline. This goal will be achieved if it is unique and memorable.

Why does visual identification work?

Building a brand is important in order to arouse the interest of recipients, attract new customers, and gain their trust. Nowadays, visual content is an integral part of brand identity. There is a reason why sociologists and psychologists call our society a picture. Visual elements influence recipients on many levels. About 65% of the population learns visually, so we can understand and assimilate visual content faster and easier than textual content. It is these facts that are used in the process of building an image by a coherent and sophisticated visual identity.

Corporate identity - is like telling a story without words. Already in 1985, silent films delighted the world thanks to the discovery of cinema. A picture without sound, without subtitles - only a visual message evoked emotions and gave the audience an impression. This was the case in the past, and it is the case today. Taking care to keep your visual brand identity consistent and up-to-date pays off in greater awareness, increased trust, or credibility.

It's also worth remembering that we are biologically conditioned to judge things at first sight. We ascribe negative qualities to a person or company based on the first impression. And it is the professional visual identity of a brand that can guarantee a positive opinion. It evokes the first associations with a particular company and affects its recognition.

Elements of effective visual identification

The visual style of a brand includes basic elements that are used to create specific projects. The determining factor in the development of a specific image concept should be the company's strategy, a thorough analysis of its needs and target group.

• Brand book - description and standardization of the logo.
• Visual key - many graphic elements used in all materials published by the company.
• Color - choose the leading color of your brand, which will be displayed not only in your logo or website, but also in the published content. This will make the publication immediately associated with you and more accessible.
• Graphics. - Try to develop a consistent style of photography and graphic design.
• Video. - Visual consistency in video can be achieved not only by framing and expanding frames, but also by marking the content in them with the same fonts and colors.
• Typography - choosing one or two fonts, their combination, size, and relationship to other elements of the visual key.
• Printing - printed corporate materials such as business cards, folders, price lists, letterheads, envelopes, etc.
• Marketing materials - determining the consistency of visual creations, such as banners, billboards, posters, brochures, leaflets, graphics, infographics, videos.
• Packaging (optional) - boxes, labels, stickers, tape.
• Branded gadgets - pens, business card holders, branded candy, gifts.

The visual accents of your brand go a long way toward making it recognizable in the minds of your recipients. It's worth using these seemingly small factors, such as color or typography consistency, to stand out from other brands publishing their content on social media and the web in general.

What are the functions of visual identification?

The most important visual identification functions include:

• to distinguish the brand in the market by emphasizing its uniqueness in various aspects;
• creating associations with the brand;
• building brand awareness;
• influence the recipients' trust;
• Removing communication barriers;
• Increasing awareness in social media, etc.

Internet users are bombarded with all kinds of advertising messages, information, visual campaigns, etc. As a result, we are dealing with the so-called banner blindness, a phenomenon in which our minds somehow ignore the absorption of advertising banners and focus on what we are looking for on a particular page or social media channel. As a result, it has become even more difficult than ever to capture the attention of Internet users. And even if they interact in response to these messages, they are often not remembered.

To cope with this, entrepreneurs have to use additional marketing and image tools. One of them is professional visual identificationthat can be subconsciously remembered by the recipient and make them come back to you when they think about products or services in your industry. Why? Because you've managed to stand out from other visually inappropriate messages, you've evoked specific impressions and emotions, and thus increased your chances of winning the race for interest and being remembered as an association with the brand's visual identity.

Benefits of consistent visual identification

The image of a company plays a huge role in the functioning of a business. Visual identification helps recipients to look at the company from a different angle and remember it better after being exposed to visually consistent messages several times. Creating a positive image - is a long-term work that requires patience and consistency, where all the details and nuances are taken into account. By taking care of the consistency of visual messages and materials created for your company's marketing needs, you make potential customers even unconsciously start creating a creative image of your company. They will see the consistency of communication across all brand channels and recognize it after the messages are created.

A logo, repeating graphic patterns, fonts, colors, and other visual identification components increase brand credibility. The recipient, seeing the website, communicating on social media or in printed materials that relate to each other, will evaluate the company as modern and attentive to details. It also gains more confidence in the quality of the products or services offered.

In addition, as your business and marketing efforts grow, the demand for projects will increase over time. If you take care of a specific scheme in terms of visual identification, it will be much easier to create additional projects and their implementation will be more efficient. Companies that already have a visual identity concept in place can bring new products and services to market much faster. Thanks to their distinctive symbols, they don't need to advertise as intensively to distinguish them from other messages appearing on the Internet.

Visual style of the brand in social networks

When preparing your content for publication, it is worth remembering that most people browse social media mainly using apps on their mobile phones. Therefore, the materials should be prepared from the point of view of mobile consumption. As a rule, this content is consumed in a hurry, when someone is standing in line, in a waiting room or taking a break from work. We see social media as a temporary bridgehead for entertainment. Therefore, the content we present should also attract them visually. The form of publications must meet the requirements of the platform on which they are posted. In addition, they must be appropriate for each publication site.

Programs that help create visual identity

• Coolors.co - color palette
• Canva.com/font-combinations - choose a font
• Thenounproject.com - numbers
• Canva.com - Create graphics and short videos

To summarize.

The time, effort, and money spent on creating a professional visual identity strategy and concept is an investment that will prove to be very profitable for you. Not only financially, but also strategically. Visual identification is not superfluous. It is an element of brand identity that has a real impact on the functioning of the business. Thanks to it, you will be recognized in the eyes of your recipients and it will be easier to gain their trust. Your company will be mentioned more often because all its components will appear in many places, and they will be unique, which is always appreciated.