Things to avoid when building a startup brand identity

Building a brand identity is one point where a startup can fail. Fortunately, avoiding certain things to build a better brand identity isn’t that hard. Below are some of the most common mistakes startups often make. Read carefully to avoid them. 

 

• Marketing before branding: Startups often want to make money at launch and enter the marketing process before forming a proper brand identity. Without a clear brand identity, the messaging across different marketing platforms can become inconsistent over time and brand equity can be lost. 

 

• Think a logo is enough: Consistent brand identity elements are important to achieve a consistent brand look across all platforms. The lack of a complete brand identity gives the brand a disjointed image. A logo is part of a brand identity element, but it’s not the only one. Most startups create logo designs and ignore other design elements such as websites, social media platforms, and packaging. A brand identity is incomplete if all brand identity elements are not developed. 

 

• Confuse customers: You need to make it clear to your customers what kind of service or product you offer. Too many products and services from your brand can confuse customers as to why they should come to your company. Too many vertical and horizontal processes can confuse customers, not knowing where and how to approach them. Another reason brand identities can be confusing is that your message, content, and tone of voice are inconsistent over time and across platforms. Differing tones and brand personalities across platforms can confuse customers about who you are, your company, and your business values.

Examples of strong brand identities: 

• Coca-Cola: When you hear the name Coca-Cola, you probably think of the familiar logo pictured above. But images like polar bears, the color red, his Share a Coke campaign, or the classic ribbon on his cans might also come to mind. Here are his two elements that make up Coca-Cola’s brand identity:

• Coca-Cola’s brand identity begins with a red logo in his script script. The red color instills confidence in the cola drinker, and the cursive font represents fun. For example, coffee is the drink you drink in the morning before you go to work.
• Coca-Cola prints its logo on its uniquely shaped bottle (which is why no other drink has a similar bottle). This tells the customer that the product is original and not a counterfeit. In this way, the brand builds trust and credibility.

 

• POP Fit:  POP Fit has a beautiful brand in bright pink, purple and yellow hues, but that’s not even the main element of their brand identity. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the brand is the extreme depiction of every message. According to their website, “POP Fit Clothing was built around the idea that expression, inclusivity and body positivity are important in both fashion and media.” up to and made from our signature 4-gauge fabric. path stretch. Supporting the message of inclusivity, POP Fit ads feature women of color, wheelchair users, and women of all body types. Her images are also untouched and show her different models in a realistic and respectful way. Their products solve major pain points in the athletic apparel industry such as sizing issues, lack of pockets and transparency, and rolling during squats and other exercises.

• bart’s bee: From humble beginnings in beekeeping and selling honey, Burt’s Bees has grown to meet the need for all-natural and sustainable products for personal use. The company aims to “make considered choices to reduce our impact on nature, protect biodiversity and maintain our place in the world.” An early logo featuring a bearded founder (pictured above) emphasizes simplicity and humility. This is in stark contrast to the aesthetics that other beauty and personal care products embody. Here’s how brands distance themselves from flashiness and stick to a naturally obsessed focus:

•  Burt’s Bees responsibly sources its products and uses recyclable packaging. 
• They donate to conservation projects and other environmental initiatives.

 

• Asana: Asana’s mission is “to help humanity thrive by making it easier for teams around the world to work together.” The founder joined Facebook to help teams work together more smoothly. We knew we needed a project management and collaboration tool. In Sanskrit, ‘asana’ refers to a particular pose in which a yogi sits, and the company’s name pays tribute to the Buddhist principles of concentration and flow. This is evident in our visual brand as well as our values ​​of “Achieve Great Things Fast” and teamwork.

• Asana uses a lot of white space to focus with pops of color to “liven up” your workspace.
• His three dots in the logo symbolize balance and collaboration.

 

• Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery: Semicolon Books was born when owner/operator girlfriend Danielle Mullen decided to seize the day. After being diagnosed with a tumor on the nerve in her eye, she considered her legacy. Then, without any prospect or intention of opening a store, I passed the ideal rental space. Not long after, the place became hers and she began building shelves. The bookstore’s mission is to “promote connections between literature, art and the pursuit of knowledge while harnessing the power of words to improve our communities.” For this reason, the brand is committed to the Chicago community, fostering spaces that welcome customers. 

• Her #ClearTheShelves initiative allows local students to take home the books they want for free to help boost literacy in Chicago. 
• Residents use BYOB and are encouraged to relax in the store and chat with the owners, creating an air of friendliness and camaraderie. 
• We support local creators by featuring them.

 

• Marcella NYC: From its founder Siyana Huszar’s home, Marcella NYC has grown into a remarkable brand that blends classic silhouettes with effortless looks. Their goal was to create affordable luxury clothing and to take a more sustainable approach to fashion. “I really wanted to dress a woman like me,” Siyana said in an interview with Forbes. The empowerment of women and girls has become an integral part of Marcella NYC’s brand identity. 

• Clothing adopts a monochromatic, uniform look of black, gray, white, and camel. Perfect for building a cohesive capsule wardrobe. 
• True to the women’s empowerment ethos, every clothing item a customer purchases supports her week of school for girls in need, including books, supplies, uniforms and toiletries. 
• The brand maintains its commitment to sustainability, using organic and sustainable fabrics wherever possible and using recycled materials along with biodegradable packaging.

Each of these aspects work together to create a cohesive brand identity. Look at the clothes and you’ll know it’s Marcella NYC.

 

Why is brand identity so important?

A brand identity embodies almost everything your business does and what it does, and can inspire customers and build brand loyalty. Brand identity is therefore very important to the future of the company. If a brand is more than just a logo, how can you emulate what a brand like Coca-Cola has done and imbue your company’s identity with other unique elements?

Here are elements of a well-developed brand identity and why developing it is so important. 

The logo of your company: In every sense, your brand logo is the face of your business. But this face shouldn’t just look cool, it should also be reminiscent of the logo’s contribution to the brand’s identity. You are telling the public that [this photo] means [your company name]. 

 

Trust: A brand identity not only makes a product memorable but also makes your brand more prestigious in the market. Brands that build a face and maintain it consistently over time build credibility with their competitors and trust with their customers. 

 

Impression of advertising: Your brand identity is a template for anything you include in your business’s advertising, including print, online, and YouTube pre-roll ads. A brand with a face and credibility in the industry is ready to promote itself and impress potential buyers.

 

Your company’s mission: When you create your brand identity, give it something to represent. This gives you a business purpose. We all know that companies have mission statements, right? If you don’t give your brand an identity first, you can’t have it. 

 

Generate new customers and inspire existing customers: A brand identity with a face, trust and mission attracts people who agree with what the brand has to offer. But when those people become customers, the same brand identity gives them a sense of belonging. Great products create customers, but great brands create followers.

 

Think outside the box: This is where true creativity and entrepreneurial spirit come into play. Innovation is key in today’s crowded startup environment. In fact, branding innovation, not just product, can propel a startup forward. At its core, branding a startup is about differentiating and standing out in a highly competitive and saturated environment. With this in mind, startups can create their own branding strategies, means, and techniques and be successful as long as the basics are covered.

7 tips for building a startup brand from scratch

• Do market research: The first step is to know your target audience and competitors. Did you know that many startups fail? About 90% and 10% fail within his first year. Therefore, thorough research should be done to avoid this. Luckily, there are several ways to explore and leverage this vital information. For example, you can google products/categories to identify good companies in your industry. You can also conduct polls and surveys to learn more about your target audience.

• Brand personality and tone: Think about the brand’s personality and tone. At this point, you should resolve your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Keep in mind that it becomes difficult to differentiate your business if your product or products are the same as your competitors. The key here is to think of brands as people. Make sure your tone is consistent across platforms. Therefore, you should craft short and meaningful brand messages using the 3-4 adjectives that best describe your brand.

• Decide on a company name: There is no denying that a brand is more than a name. But Adidas with a different name would be seen with fewer feet.Why? Because the brand name matters. Your brand name also influences your logo, brand message, and overall brand guidelines. You should choose a name that is unique, easy to pronounce, instantly recognizable, and difficult to imitate.

• Create a catchy slogan: A catchy slogan adds great value to your branding. We recommend using short and descriptive slogans. It can also be used for slogans, social media pages, website headers, marketing campaigns, etc. This allows you to create consistent branding across all platforms. In general, the company slogan should be compelling and adaptable to customer attitudes. There are several ways to do this step correctly. For example, you can create a rhymed slogan. Some companies use slogans to build a claim, while others use slogans to reflect the literal meaning of their brand name. Whatever you choose, try to stay creative.

• Decide on branding visuals: Choose visuals that influence the overall look and feel of your startup’s brand identity. The color you choose for your brand is the ultimate deal breaker. Choose a color that conveys the emotion you want to share with your audience. Each color has its own meaning. Choose options that help differentiate your brand from your competitors. Similarly, you should choose fonts that are readable across different platforms. Visual branding elements can be used for graphic design.

• Design a logo: Your branding strategy is incomplete without a personalized company logo. Like your brand slogan, your logo should be unique, identifiable, and flexible enough to accommodate future product range expansion. There are many types of logos you can create for your business, including emblems, letters, symbols, and mascots. To make sure your logo is well done, you can hire a startup branding agency or another person to provide branding services. These people can create brand guidelines that speak for the startup.

• Apply branding across your business: The final step is to apply your branding strategy across your business and marketing strategy. This step is very important as we need to keep everything consistent across different platforms. From graphic design to website development to social media posts, building a strong brand presence requires consistency. Let’s look at the example of Pepsi and Coca-Cola here. Both brands have successfully maintained their fonts, colors, designs and images.

 

Conclusion

Brand identity is a critical factor in determining the success or failure of a business. Creating a brand identity that matches your brand equity and audience is an effective way to create a unique presence with your audience.

Building a brand doesn’t end with creating a logo, slogan, or even post-launch brand awareness. Your brand should be present and consistent everywhere your customers interact with you, from the themes you choose for your website, to the marketing materials you create, to the packaging and shipping of your products.