What is brand identity? Meaning and elements
For a product brand, identity is tested on the shelf and the product page, not on a presentation slide.
Definition
Brand identityBrand identity is the set of visual and verbal elements a company uses to make its brand recognisable and consistent, such as the name, logo, colour palette, typography, imagery, packaging system and tone of voice. It expresses the brand positioning and is usually documented in brand guidelines that designers and suppliers follow.
What a brand identity needs to do for a product
A product brand’s identity has a harder job than a company logo. It must be recognisable on a crowded shelf from a few metres away, readable as a thumbnail on a marketplace search page, and adaptable to many SKUs without each pack looking like a different brand. It must also leave space for mandatory label content in several languages.
The parts that matter most are usually the packaging system rather than the logo alone: a consistent layout, a colour code that separates variants, a clear hierarchy of brand, product name and key benefit, and rules for photography. Guidelines should cover how these elements adapt to a small sachet and to a large box. Keep the rules short enough for a printer to use.
Common mistakes include choosing colours that cannot be reproduced on the actual packaging material, approving designs on screen without printed proofs, and using fonts or images without a licence that covers commercial packaging. Another is designing before the name has been screened, then having to redo work when the trademark search raises a conflict. Test the design on real packaging at real size, next to competitors, and photograph it as a marketplace thumbnail before signing it off.
Identity and packaging are one stage in our process: see identity and packaging. The guide packaging design guide covers print and shelf practice, and naming comes first.
Related terms
Brand positioning
The specific place a brand aims to hold in buyers’ minds compared with the alternatives.
Brand architecture
How a company organises its master brand, sub-brands and product lines.
Dieline
The flat template of a package showing cut, fold, glue and bleed lines for print.
Planogram
A diagram showing exactly where and how each product is placed on a retail shelf.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between brand identity and brand image?
Brand identity is what the company creates and controls: name, visuals, packaging and voice. Brand image is how buyers actually perceive the brand, which depends on the product and experience as well.
Who owns the brand identity created by a designer?
It depends on the contract. Make sure copyright in logos, artwork and packaging designs is assigned to your company in writing, including the right to modify them.
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