When you have a brand, the corporate identity design automatically becomes one of the most important aspects that will determine the success or failure of your business, because it goes beyond a logo or slogan, it will be the first aspect that customers will see, and if you want to stand out from the competition and have a higher conversion rate, it is time to start working on it.
What is the corporate identity design?
Corporate identity design is part of branding, which refers to the process of creating, managing and developing a brand with the objective of building an identity that impacts the target audience and differentiates it from the competition. This process includes the definition of visual elements such as logos, colors and typography, communicative themes, and other aspects such as brand values, mission and philosophy.
Defining a corporate identity consists of working on the visual elements that a brand will transmit to the user. And how can it not be an aspect of utmost importance? This is the area where the logo, the color palette, typographies and slogans are created, stationery material is designed and, of course, digital design is handled.
But be careful, because a graphic designer in charge of corporate identity design, not only has to make the detailed choice of visual elements and verify their performance, his work also extends to psychological issues, such as the application of color theory, which tells us that depending on the use of colors can influence consumer behavior or appeal to human behavior, where menus, bars and elements are arranged according to human logic.
To give you an idea of how important it is to analyze colors and where to place each element in the corporate identity, according to Nielsen Norman Group, users spend 80% of their time looking at the left side of a website and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) added that the first impressions a user has of your website are 94% related to the design.
A great example of an impeccable corporate identity design that takes up several concepts of color theory is McDonald's, as its logo uses 2 golden arches that allow to quickly identify the brand anywhere in the world; while its characteristic colors, used in social media, website and even in the packaging of their food are red and yellow.
In food, red is totally related to appetite, with hunger and stimulates people to want to eat; while yellow causes a feeling of happiness, so combining both colors the attraction to eat is inevitable.
What are the benefits of a good corporate identity design?
By this point, knowing a little more about the importance of corporate identity, you can imagine that if you hit the nail on the head with the design the benefits will be many, among them:
Trust and credibility
Conveys trust and legitimacy, which facilitates the building of loyal relationships with customers.
Brand recognition
Helps make the brand easily recognizable among consumers, which can increase loyalty and preference.
Emotional connection
A well-designed corporate identity can resonate emotionally with consumers, creating a bond that fosters long-term loyalty.
Have you seen Coca-Cola's Christmas commercials, familiar and very emotional, that leave us all in tears? Well, that's what we call great brand identity work.
Increasing brand value
Over time it can increase the value of the brand, making it more attractive to investors and business partners.
Consistency in communication
Ensures that all materials used in marketing, communication, public relations and many other efforts maintain a consistent presentation, reinforcing the brand's message and values.
Differentiation in the marketplace
A corporate identity that is well-designed and strong allows a company to stand out from the competition, which is crucial in saturated markets such as we see today. You should always think about what will differentiate your brand from the rest?
3 strategies to have a solid identity
Now that we have told you about its advantages, you can imagine that it is not something easy or that is created overnight, it has a detailed and punctual process to achieve a coherent and effective image. Here are some strategies that can help you.
Research your target audience
Understand your audience's needs, wants and behaviors. Apply surveys, interviews and market analysis to identify what aspects resonate with users, and based on this establish what makes you different from the competition.
Remember that your audience's interests should be reflected in your visual and communicative identity, and also be prepared to be open to constant feedback.
Create a brand manual
Document all use of your corporate identity in a manual that includes specifications on the logo, colors, typography and tone of voice. This will ensure that any future materials remain consistent.
Choose typefaces that are legible and reflect your brand identity; consider using a limited set of fonts to maintain visual consistency; choose colors that represent your product or service; develop patterns, icons and other visual elements that reinforce your brand's personality.
Define your company's mission and values.
Clarifying your company's mission, vision and core values is the most important thing, as it will be the basis for all branding elements and will ensure that your brand has a clear purpose.
Keep in mind that as your company grows and changes, your identity may also need updates, stay flexible and open to brand evolution, but always stay aligned to your philosophy.
By investing time and resources you will have an image that resonates with users and causes an increase in your conversion rate and user retention. Studies show that 73% of companies invest in web design to differentiate themselves from their competitors; while 52% of Internet users said they did not return to a website because of the poor aesthetics of the platform.
In a world where first impressions are crucial, a well-designed corporate identity translates into opportunities. Don't hesitate to write to us, because at BluePixel we have the team and the know-how to support you in the process.
You may be interested in: Intercultural design and what it means in our global context.
