Brand Identity: The Foundation for Sustainable Business Success
What makes Apple Apple? Why do people pay more for a Red Bull can than a no-name energy drink? The answer: Brand Identity. According to a study by Lucidpress, consistent branding increases revenue by an average of 23%.
In this guide, we'll show you how to develop a distinctive brand identity β from strategy to implementation. With concrete examples and tools we use daily in our client projects.
What is Brand Identity? Definition and Distinction
Brand identity is the sum of all elements that make a brand unique:
- Visual Identity: Logo, colors, typography, imagery
- Verbal Identity: Tone, messaging, slogans, word choice
- Values and Purpose: What does the brand stand for? What drives it?
- Personality: If the brand were a person β how would they speak and act?
- Experience: How does contact with the brand feel?
Important: Brand Identity is not the same as Brand Image. Identity is what you want to communicate. Image is what customers actually perceive. The goal is to align both.
"Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room." β Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder
The 5 Pillars of a Strong Brand Identity
1. Purpose & Vision β The Why
Every strong brand begins with a clear Purpose β a reason for existence beyond profit. Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" showed: People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
Questions you should answer:
- Why does our company exist?
- What problem do we really solve?
- What would the world look like without us?
- What would our most loyal customers miss?
Example Patagonia: "We're in business to save our home planet." No word about outdoor clothing β but everyone understands what it's about.
2. Values β The Guardrails
Brand values are not marketing phrases but decision criteria. Good values are:
- Specific: "Innovative" is meaningless. "We question every standard" is concrete.
- Differentiating: What makes you different from competitors?
- Livable: Every employee must be able to implement values daily
- Decision-relevant: If a value never influences a decision, delete it
At GoldenWing we define values that have real impact β not those that just sound good.
3. Positioning β The Place in the Market
Positioning answers: For whom are we the best choice β and why? The classic positioning statement follows this format:
"For [target audience], who [need], [brand] is the [category] that [differentiation], because [proof]."
Example: "For Austrian SMEs who want to become more visible online, GoldenWing is the digital agency that delivers measurable results instead of empty promises, because we prove every euro of ROI."
4. Personality β The Character
Brands are like people β they have a personality. Psychologist Jennifer Aaker identified 5 dimensions of brand personalities:
- Sincerity: honest, warm, down-to-earth (Example: IKEA)
- Excitement: daring, spirited, innovative (Example: Red Bull, Nike)
- Competence: reliable, intelligent, successful (Example: Microsoft, Mercedes)
- Sophistication: elegant, exclusive, cultivated (Example: Chanel, Rolex)
- Ruggedness: natural, masculine, adventurous (Example: Jeep, Timberland)
Define 3-5 personality traits for your brand. These influence tone, imagery and customer service.
5. Visual Identity β The Face
Visual identity makes your brand recognizable. It includes:
Logo: The central symbol. Should be memorable in 5 seconds and legible at any size.
Color palette: Primary and secondary colors with clear usage rules. Colors trigger emotions β blue means trust, red means energy.
Typography: Fonts for headlines and body text. Consistency is more important than originality.
Imagery: What style do photos and illustrations have? People, products, abstract?
Design elements: Icons, patterns, shapes that visually support the brand.
Our branding experts develop visual identities that don't just look good, but are strategically sound.
The Process: Developing Brand Identity in 6 Steps
Step 1: Research & Analysis
Before you design, you must understand:
- Who are your competitors and how do they position themselves?
- What do your target customers really expect?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses from customer perspective?
- What trends are shaping your industry?
Tools: Customer interviews, surveys, competitive analysis, strategic workshops.
Step 2: Strategy & Positioning
Based on the analysis, define: Purpose, vision, values, positioning, target audiences. The result is a Brand Strategy Document β the foundation for all further decisions.
Step 3: Verbal Identity
Develop:
- Core brand message: The one sentence that sums it all up
- Messaging hierarchy: Key messages for different audiences
- Tone of voice: Formal or casual? Humorous or serious? Technical or accessible?
- Tagline: Optional, but very effective when done well
Step 4: Visual Identity
Now comes design: Logo, colors, typography, imagery. Important: Design follows strategy, not vice versa. A beautiful logo that doesn't fit the positioning is worthless.
Step 5: Brand Guidelines
Document everything in a Brand Book or Brand Guidelines:
- Logo usage (sizes, clear space, variants, prohibitions)
- Color codes (RGB, HEX, CMYK, Pantone)
- Fonts and hierarchies
- Imagery style and examples
- Tone of voice with sample texts
- Templates for common applications
Tip: Make guidelines as simple as possible. Nobody reads a 100-page document. 20-30 pages are enough for most SMEs.
Step 6: Implementation & Rollout
The best brand identity is useless if not consistently implemented:
- Website redesign (our main specialty)
- Update social media profiles
- Business stationery (business cards, letterhead, signatures)
- Train employees (especially sales and customer service)
- Adapt marketing materials
We offer complete website relaunches including brand implementation.
Common Mistakes in Brand Development
- Design before strategy: Designing a logo before positioning is clear
- Too generic: Values like "quality" and "innovation" say nothing
- Inconsistency: Different colors/fonts/messages on different channels
- Putting own preferences over audience: Your favorite color is irrelevant β what works with customers?
- Chasing trends: Minimalistic because it's "in"? In 3 years it looks outdated
- No internal anchoring: Employees don't understand the brand and don't live it
Brand Identity for SMEs: Practical Tips
Not every Austrian SME needs a β¬50,000 branding project. Here are realistic approaches:
Budget under β¬5,000: Focus on logo, basic colors, simple guidelines. Website template with customization.
Budget β¬5,000-15,000: Complete visual identity, professional website, basic strategy.
Budget over β¬15,000: Comprehensive strategy, complete identity, custom website, rollout support.
Ask yourself: How much is a new customer worth? If your average purchase is β¬1,000 and you gain 10 additional customers per year through better branding, a β¬10,000 project pays off quickly.
Case Study: Brand Relaunch for a Vienna Consulting Firm
Starting point: Established consulting company, 15 years on the market, but outdated appearance. Growth stagnated, recruiting was difficult.
Our approach:
- Repositioning workshop (1 day)
- Target audience and competitor analysis
- New brand identity: Purpose, values, positioning
- Visual redesign: Logo, colors, typography
- Website relaunch with new content
- Social media strategy
Results after 12 months:
- Website traffic: +180%
- Qualified inquiries: +85%
- Applicant quality: significantly improved
- Customer feedback: "Finally the appearance matches the service"
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does developing a brand identity take?
A simple project (logo + basic identity) takes 4-6 weeks. Complete brand development with strategy, design and implementation takes 3-6 months.
When should I rebrand?
Signs for a rebrand: The brand no longer reflects who you are. You're reaching new audiences. Competitors have caught up. The brand looks outdated. Mergers or strategic realignment.
Do I need an agency or can I do it myself?
Basics like purpose and values can be developed internally. For professional design and strategic expertise, we recommend external support β the investment pays off long-term. Talk to our branding experts.
What does a professional brand identity cost?
In Austria, you pay between β¬5,000 and β¬30,000 for a complete branding package (strategy + design + guidelines), depending on scope and agency. More in our cost guide.
How do I ensure the brand is lived internally?
Involve employees early in the process. Train all teams after launch. Make guidelines easily accessible. Leaders must exemplify the brand. Celebrate good examples, correct deviations.
Brand identity vs. corporate design β what's the difference?
Corporate design is only the visual part (logo, colors, etc.). Brand identity is more comprehensive and includes strategy, values, tone and experience. Corporate design is part of brand identity, but not the same.
Does my brand need a slogan?
No, but a good slogan can help anchor the core message. "Just Do It" (Nike), "Vorsprung durch Technik" (Audi) β these slogans are valuable. A bad slogan hurts more than none.
Ready to take your brand to the next level? Contact us for a non-binding strategy conversation.
