GoldenWing Assistant
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Hello! I'm the GoldenWing Assistant. How can I help you today?
Always here for you
Hello! I'm the GoldenWing Assistant. How can I help you today?
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 – from strategy to implementation. With concrete examples and tools we use daily in our client projects.
Brand identity is the sum of all elements that make a brand unique:
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." — Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder
Every strong brand begins with a clear Purpose – 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:
Example Patagonia: "We're in business to save our home planet." No word about outdoor clothing – but everyone understands what it's about.
Brand values are not marketing phrases but decision criteria. Good values are:
At GoldenWing we define values that have real impact – not those that just sound good.
Positioning answers: For whom are we the best choice – 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."
Brands are like people – they have a personality. Psychologist Jennifer Aaker identified 5 dimensions of brand personalities:
Define 3-5 personality traits for your brand. These influence tone, imagery and customer service.
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 – 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.
Before you design, you must understand:
Tools: Customer interviews, surveys, competitive analysis, strategic workshops.
Based on the analysis, define: Purpose, vision, values, positioning, target audiences. The result is a Brand Strategy Document – the foundation for all further decisions.
Develop:
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.
Document everything in a Brand Book or Brand Guidelines:
Tip: Make guidelines as simple as possible. Nobody reads a 100-page document. 20-30 pages are enough for most SMEs.
The best brand identity is useless if not consistently implemented:
We offer complete website relaunches including brand implementation.
Not every Austrian SME needs a €50,000 branding project. Here are realistic approaches:
Budget under €5,000: Focus on logo, basic colors, simple guidelines. Website template with customization.
Budget €5,000-15,000: Complete visual identity, professional website, basic strategy.
Budget over €15,000: Comprehensive strategy, complete identity, custom website, rollout support.
Ask yourself: How much is a new customer worth? If your average purchase is €1,000 and you gain 10 additional customers per year through better branding, a €10,000 project pays off quickly.
Starting point: Established consulting company, 15 years on the market, but outdated appearance. Growth stagnated, recruiting was difficult.
Our approach:
Results after 12 months:
A simple project (logo + basic identity) takes 4-6 weeks. Complete brand development with strategy, design and implementation takes 3-6 months.
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.
Basics like purpose and values can be developed internally. For professional design and strategic expertise, we recommend external support – the investment pays off long-term. Talk to our branding experts.
In Austria, you pay between €5,000 and €30,000 for a complete branding package (strategy + design + guidelines), depending on scope and agency. More in our cost guide.
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.
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.
No, but a good slogan can help anchor the core message. "Just Do It" (Nike), "Vorsprung durch Technik" (Audi) – 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.
We bring the same dedication and expertise you see in our articles to every client project.
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.”
“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.”
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