How to assess your brand identity?
The quality level of your brand's visual expression could be measured on many criteria. Three seem revealing to us:
- A close alignment between visual expression and the overall strategy of your organisation, - A homogeneous graphic system including the repetition of visual elements recognisable and identifiable with your brand. - The enthusiasm and dynamics that your visual identity arouses among the staff of the organisation.
1. Alignment with your overarching organisation strategy.
When there is an alignment between the visual expression of your organisation with its overarching strategy, the visual identity becomes a real asset for the brand. More concretely, here are an example and a counter-example. Suppose digitisation is at the heart of your vision for the future of the sector you represent. In that case, your visual identity should express a modern and innovative character and preferably use visual codes of the digital world. More simply, imagine a Greek restaurant decorated as a Neapolitan pizzeria. Would you go there to eat Moussaka? Alignment with your organisation's overall strategy is the basis of the consistency and relevance of your visual brand expression.
2. The homogeneity and repetition of recognisable visual elements.
Very often, the brand is perceived as too repetitive by the staff of an organisation. Professionally, each workday, you are repeatedly confronted with the visual identity of your organisation: when looking for information on your intranet; when you write an email, your logo is already in the signature, sometimes accompanied by a slogan; when you arrive at the office, the logo appears on the doorbell and often on the walls of your premises; finally, when you consult your organisation's annual report, statistical reports, the last newsletter or the last position paper. Each time, you are in touch with the identity of your organisation and its messages. It may seem too repetitive to you in the long run, and the temptation to change may be substantial. But keep in mind that your external stakeholders are not constantly immersed in your visual universe like you are. Repeating identical visuals and messages on different media plays a vital role in their assimilation by your external audience. The consistency of your visual identity and the repetition of its essential messages are two characteristics of a successful brand.
3. Enthusiasm and dynamics.
An adequate and positive visual identity reinforces the personnel's adhesion to the organisation's objectives and ambitions. If you are a dynamic organisation and advocate taking the initiative, your visual identity will be flexible and energetic. The choice of colours and visual markers will be guided accordingly. Soft, round and wavy shapes will express the flexibility. And energy through intense colours such as orange, yellow or light green. On the other hand, if your organisation's rigour and respect for the essential values are strict in your organisation, then you should consider your identity in a more rigid and organised framework. Symmetry will be privileged over asymmetry. We will limit ourselves to select the dominant colour (s) mainly used in the sector. It's about getting to know the dominant personality and culture within your organisation and the industry it represents and translating it into a personal and relevant visual system.
An organisation is like a living organism. It evolves, changes, grows, encompasses other responsibilities. This change inherent in any human organisation explains why it is helpful to assess your brand's relevance regularly. If you discover a distancing between your brand and the three criteria we have exposed to you, a more in-depth examination could help you make the necessary corrections.
Do not hesitate to contact us. We have expertise in brand audits which apply more specifically to European and international organisations and associations.
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