I can’t tell you how many businesses I’ve spoken to who believe that branding is getting a new logo and slapping it on all of their marketing. But there’s much more to brand consistency than that, and I wanted to share with you how getting branding right, from a design point of view, works to tie all the elements together cohesively.
Put simply, brand consistency is the glue that holds a brand together. From the logo on a business card to the imagery on a website, consistent design elements reinforce brand recognition and foster trust with your audience. Having consistent branding that is instantly recognisable creates trust and confidence.
If you think about some of the brands that you buy, the best ones are the ones that you can recognise just by a simple colour, logo, or font style – think the red and white of Coca-Cola, its iconic bottle shape, or the simple bitten apple logo on the back of your iPhone. They’re unmistakable and don’t even have to show their name; you know who they belong to. That’s what branding does – it creates a set of rules that govern how visual elements are used across different mediums and platforms.
Use design systems to maintain brand consistency.
1. Establish brand guidelines - Begin by defining clear and comprehensive brand guidelines that outline the use of brand elements, including specifications for logo usage, colours, typography styles, and imagery.
2. Focus on brand values and personality - Identify the key attributes that define the brand’s personality and values. Whether it’s sophistication, playfulness, or innovation, ensure that every design decision aligns with these core attributes to maintain brand authenticity.
3. Design for flexibility - Create flexible design elements that can be applied across various mediums, whether print or digital, without compromising brand integrity.
4. Keep evolving - design is not set in stone; it should evolve alongside the brand and the changing design landscape. Continuously gather feedback, analyse performance, and refine things to keep your brand fresh and relevant.
The customer experience.
What matters most when thinking about branding is the user experience. Whether it’s the logo, a social media post, packaging design, or website design, consistency in not just the colour palette but also the overall look, style, and tone work together to build trust and strengthen brand identity and ultimately contribute to the brand’s long-term success.
If you can achieve uniform branding across the board, customers will get to know and recognise it and feel like they have a connection with it – making it front of mind when they’re ready to make a purchase.
