In order to create a memorable brand identity and stand out against competitors, you have to determine how you want your business to be perceived. Essentially, how do you want the public to view your brand?

Do you want your brand to be a tough authoritative figure? Or a fun and easy-going friend?

Of course, those aren’t the only two options as there are many facets to a brand’s identity. A concept introduced by J. Kapferer, an MBA marketing professor with over 100 published scientific articles on branding, is the ‘Brand Identity Prism’. Kapferer introduced what he believed six elements of a brand’s identity were. By building a memorable brand with these brand identity elements, a business can communicate clearly and transparently both internally and externally.

The brand identity prism consists of 6 elements:

Physique

What design elements do you want to represent your brand? The physique element represents all of the physical qualities that will be seen by customers. This will be reflected in your brand’s logo, colors, website, store, and everything you can see or touch. This evokes a visual image of your brand in the mind of customers that they will recall when talking or thinking about your business. Create a brand physique that is easily recognized and remembered.

Personality

What is the overall character of your brand? Is your brand playful, kind, exciting, or sophisticated? If you personified your brand, what type of personality would you want it to have? You can then portray this personality through design and copy. This helps consumers know what to expect when interacting with your brand.

Relationship

The relationship between your brand and the consumer shows how the brand fits into the customers’ lives. Over time, as your marketing interacts with your brand, a consumer-brand relationship will form. But what type of relationship do you want to have with your customers? This is influenced by your marketing messages, how you interact with customers, and how you support them.

Culture

Your brand’s culture signifies a deeper understanding of what the brand stands for as far as values, principles, origins, and behaviors. What is your workplace culture like? People buy from brands they like. A major factor that determines whether someone likes a brand or not is their culture. You want your workplace to reflect the brand you want to portray. Start by identifying your company’s culture internally so that you can accurately portray it externally.

Reflection

Reflection refers to your buyer persona: the demographics and other characteristics of the ideal consumer of the brand. Depending on what your ideal customer is like, how you portray your brand will change. For example, Nike has a buyer persona that includes a young adult with an interest in sports and fashion (this is a very simplified version of one of their personas). This influences their messaging, creative, and even the music they play in-store.

Self-image

How does your customer perceive themselves? What do they consider to be their values, goals, and image? Once you know who they want to become, you can position your brand as one that can help them achieve this. Understanding this aspect is essential in relation to other aspects of the brand identity prism because it forms the brand personality as a whole.

How you want your brand to be perceived starts from within. By going through the six elements of the brand identity prism and utilizing the expertise Millennium has to offer, your business will be one step closer to being memorable.

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a nationally recognized, top woman led B2B branding, positioning, and digital marketing firm who knows how to create value that emotionally influences your customer’s buying decision, giving you the competitive advantage. As your trusted partner in B2B software technology and manufacturing, we provide the branding and positioning framework that make an impact – so you can focus on what you do best – run your business successfully. With offices in Boston and New Hampshire, and a worldwide presence, the professionals at Millennium Agency would like to learn more about your business.  Visit www.mill.agency or book time here.