Learn how to define or refine your brand identity for the new normal
Amid the continuous change and disruption of the past several years, brand identity has become more crucial than ever. How can you create a brand identity that reflects your values, personality, and objectives, resonates with your target audience, and gives you a competitive advantage in the post-pandemic world?
We’ll explore those questions by walking through each of these topics in turn:
- The role of brand identity in a changing world
- Shifts in consumer behavior and branding
- How to refine your brand identity
- How to convey your identity effectively
- Pitfalls to avoid
- How to monitor and maintain your brand identity
Let’s dive right into what makes brand identity so critical in the new normal.
The Importance of Brand Identity in a Changing World
A strong brand identity garners loyalty among customers. That’s always been true, and it hasn’t changed. But at the same time, the pandemic has shaken up brand loyalties. As shopping habits change and increasingly move online, 75% of consumers have engaged in new shopping behaviors like shifting to new brands for the sake of value and convenience. By rebranding, you can proactively grow your customer base.
Let’s explore how changing consumer demands are shifting how companies can earn their loyalty.
Pandemic-Inspired Shifts in Consumer Behavior and Branding
Consumer priorities and expectations have shifted as a result of the pandemic—so branding must evolve in turn. Here are several key shifts that have occurred:
- Concern for social wellbeing has risen. People are more concerned about workers’ wellbeing, sustainability, and their local community. Brands that demonstrate a commitment to all three will have an advantage.
- While brand identity has always hinged on building trust and credibility, those things have taken on a heightened importance. Concerns about health, safety, and security guide consumer decision-making more than ever.
- With discretionary spending down due to economic fluctuations, consumers want products that deliver value—whether they’re newer or more established brands.
By reflecting a commitment to these priority areas, a brand can drive customer acquisition and retention.
Defining and Refining Your Brand Identity
To adapt your brand identity to a post-pandemic environment, align your company’s values, personality, and objectives with changing consumer needs.
Understand Your Target Audience
Work to identify and understand your target audience by recreating your customer persona. Think about your ideal customer’s goals and dreams, biggest fears, hobbies and interests. How can your product speak to them?
With this in mind, craft a unique value proposition that resonates with your audience, catering to their changing needs. What pain point does your product address today, or how will it enhance their lives?
Define Your Brand’s Voice
Think about the tone you’ll use in your messaging. How would you describe the personality it conveys—fun and whimsical, creative and energetic, sleek and sophisticated, simple and austere, or something else? This is your brand’s voice.
Visualize Your Brand Identity
Articulate that value proposition through a compelling and consistent brand identity to make it captivating and memorable. Developing a strong visual identity system will also ensure consistency across platforms and channels.
Where to begin?
- Select a color scheme, typography, and imagery that reflect your brand’s personality and values.
- Design a memorable and recognizable logo that also speaks to who you are.
- Establish a brand style guide based on these choices.
Then, translate these core elements into a coherent messaging strategy.
Communicating Your Brand Identity Effectively
Now, develop a brand messaging strategy that speaks to your target audience. In your messaging, convey a commitment to the priorities mentioned above, like the value you’ll deliver for them. Think of key talking points that address these areas.
Then, create a content marketing plan that supports your brand identity. Plan and create media that your target customers will enjoy consuming, leveraging social media channels to enhance your brand’s online presence. Strive to entertain or inform while reinforcing your value proposition and key priorities.
Avoiding Common Brand Identity Pitfalls
Here’s how to avoid several key pitfalls of branding:
- Steer clear of mixed messages and inconsistency in your branding and messaging. For instance, you wouldn’t want your brand’s voice to clash with your visual image. Both should convey the same personality, creating authenticity and building trust.
- Differentiate your brand from competitors rather than falling into the imitation trap. Hone in on what makes you unique from them and emphasize those key points.
- Ensure online and offline brand identity alignment. Don’t present one version of yourself on social media and another in person. Update in-store branding in accordance with your new image and messaging. Seeing one cohesive image will build loyalty among customers.
- Don’t sacrifice quality when scaling up. Plan thoroughly and follow a strong growth strategy rather than rushing your efforts to scale; haphazardly rushing to meet rising demand will backfire.
Now, let’s discuss how to ensure your identity stays relevant.
Monitoring and Maintaining Your Brand Identity
Track brand performance and adjust your strategies as needed. For instance, optimize the effectiveness of your brand communication by measuring the success of each post or email. Look at key metrics like website visits and click-through rates to gauge effectiveness.
Strive for creative and agile responses to changing consumer needs and market conditions. Remember your core value proposition while shifting how you reach consumers. By doing so, you’ll uphold brand integrity while you navigate the dynamic post-pandemic landscape.
FAQs
What is the difference between brand identity and brand image?
Brand identity is how you want customers to view you, while brand image is how they actually perceive you. After defining your brand identity, you must work hard to translate it into a brand image that resonates with your customer base.
How can I ensure my brand identity remains relevant in a post-pandemic world?
Try polling your customers regularly to learn about their changing needs. Pay attention to how they engage with your brand on social media, too. You can also enlist their support as brand ambassadors by prompting them to share photos of themselves interacting with your brand.
How do I balance brand consistency with the need for adaptation?
Maintain a strong set of values that describe the core of who you are. How you articulate these values can change over time. Continuously reevaluate consumer expectations and needs, assessing your purpose in their lives and how to stay relevant to them.
In Conclusion
Brands that successfully adapt to the changes of the post-pandemic world will earn consumers’ trust and loyalty. By thoughtfully recrafting your brand, you can stay true to its core values while speaking to what matters to your target customer. As a result, you’ll ensure your continued relevance and longevity.
Sources
https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/how-to-build-a-brand
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/brand-image-vs-identity-with-examples-explanation-landis-eigsti