Brand Identity
Brand identity is the visual and verbal expression of a brand that makes it recognisable to the world.
What is brand identity?
A brand identity refers to the way a brand expresses itself visually and verbally. From a name and logo to typography, art direction and tone of voice, every element of a brand identity works together to shape how a company or product is understood in the world.
The creative decisions that go into a brand identity are typically guided by the strategy developed before it. This ensures that the look and feel of a brand has an overarching idea behind it, along with clear justifications.
A well-considered brand identity allows a brand to carve out greater distinction in the market, create a deeper connection with its target audience, and develop stronger brand equity over time.
What does brand identity cover?
Brand identity works in two halves. Visual identity is what a brand looks like, while verbal identity is what it sounds like. Together they function as one system, supporting and reinforcing each other to create a single point of view.
Visual Identity
A visual identity is made up of any design element that goes into how a brand looks. Naturally, the breadth and depth depends on the brand, but core components include a logo, typography system, colour palette, art direction and design language, expanding to elements such as illustration, animation and 3D design in many cases.
Verbal Identity
A verbal identity refers to the way a brand speaks, shaping the tone behind their message anywhere a word shows up. This includes the act of copywriting itself, but also covers everything from naming and tagline to brand narrative and messaging frameworks.
How brand identity works in practice: Bristol Dockyards
Since her triumphant return to Bristol in 1970, the SS Great Britain has been a treasured centrepiece of the city. But with lower ticket sales, an aging audience and increased scrutiny over the region's cultural integrity, the ship was no longer enough.
It needed an identity that could channel decades of stories to make way for an all-new cultural destination, true to the ever-evolving character of Bristol itself.
Bristol Dockyards
Starting with a completely refreshed brand architecture and broader name above the gates, Bristol Dockyards now reflects the full scope of a day's adventure.
Whether it's the pink stolen from Totterdown's terraces, the collage system that stitches timelines, textures, typography and trinkets, or the defiant voice that runs through its website, this is a brand identity that's built different, just like Bristol.
Outcome: A brand that's purpose-built for place, matching the radical thinking of the city from A-board to About page.
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