The Art of Branding
Image courtesy of Zhiyue on Unsplash
There are several traits that successful brands share. There is a difference between a brand and a company. Anyone can create a company but not everyone can create a brand.
To begin with the cornerstone traits of good branding, logos and color are significant brand assets for almost every brand. Visuals are quite important for human perception and this is clear with the use of branding through logos (BlackBearDesign). There are many times when people can recognize a logo without really knowing the brand, and although this isn't exactly what brands want, it is still beneficial to have a recognizable and memorable logo. The logo is like the cover of a book and most consumers, on their first introduction to a brand, judge it by its logo. Logos help set tone, aesthetic, and voice. Victoria’s Secret is a wonderful example to analyze. When most people think of Victoria’s Secret, they automatically think of the color pink. This immediately strengthens their “Lover” brand archetype and feminine brand image (Houraghan).
Another common similarity in successful brands, and arguably the most important, is that they aim to create some type of community with their consumers. This was touched on by Lululemon (“Our Business.”), Warby Parker (“Culture.”), and even Victoria’s Secret (“Our Values & Culture.”). Community and inclusion are extremely important to humans and most brands understand this are able to use it to their advantage. Building a strong community with consumers cultivates trust and deepens brand loyalty. For instance, while Louis Vuitton may not emphasize community as explicitly as other brands, it benefits from inherent luxury pillars—such as heritage—that naturally create a sense of belonging and exclusivity among its target market (“A Legendary History.”).
The last factor to touch on is passion and authenticity. Believe it or not, majority of consumers can immediately sense if there is a lack of value and purpose behind a brand. They might not understand exactly what they are sensing, but authenticity is one of the most important aspects a brand can have. Emotional appeal creates a connection and memorability in the consumers mind. This is every brand’s goal. Apple is the easiest example to use for excellent branding. They are firm in their stance in the market, they appeal to consumers needs which creates emotional connection, they have an instantly recognizable logo, and they have created trust with their consumers by the quality of their products. Successful branding seen from brands such as Apple, Warby Parker, and Louis Vuitton, goes beyond just selling and marketing products. These brands have found the golden egg hidden within branding which is making a lasting connections with their consumers.
Sources:
BlackBearDesign. “The Meaning of Color in Graphic Design from Black Bear Design.” Black Bear Design, 26 Mar. 2018, blackbeardesign.com/blog/graphic-designers/understanding-color-the-meaning-of-color/.
“Culture.” Warby Parker, www.warbyparker.com/culture. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“History.” Warby Parker, www.warbyparker.com/history. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“Innovation.” Lululemon, corporate.lululemon.com/our-business/innovation. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“A Legendary History.” LOUIS VUITTON ®, Louis Vuitton, 23 May 2014, us.louisvuitton.com/eng-us/magazine/articles/a-legendary-history#.
“Our Business.” Lululemon, corporate.lululemon.com/our-business. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“Our Values & Culture.” Victoria’s Secret & Co., www.victoriassecretandco.com/our-company/values. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.