In Branding, Consistency Pays

Visual identity guidelines ensure consistent use and representation of a brand and all its elements no matter who, what, where or when.

Does your brand follow identity guidelines to ensure consistency in the representation of your brand?

It’s said that the only thing that is certain in life is change; and while that may true of life broadly, there is also a value to being consistent. Consistency is essential when it comes to branding –whether for one’s own personal brand or that of a company or organization.

A brand is more than just a logo. A “brand” is a distinguishing mix of ideas, messaging, symbols, and design elements that combine to project a perceived image or experience to a particular audience.

Strong brands are carefully built to establish an identity. Over time, through positioning, these brands become associated with a certain level of credibility, quality, approval, or loyalty in the hearts and minds of their target audiences.

Change a familiar element of an established brand, and it becomes unfamiliar. It no longer has the same meaning or intent. How would the iconic Target logo look if its color was changed from red to blue, brown or yellow? Though you’d likely still recognize the shape, would the new iteration speak to you and represent “a retail chain offering home goods, clothing, electronics, and more”? What about if Coca Cola changed its immediately recognizable font style or Nike changed its slogan? What would these changes to the identity of the brand mean or signal to the intended audience? How might these changes impact the perception of the established brand?

As we help build and develop brands at Quill Creative, an essential component of the process is the creation of Brand Identity Guidelines. The guidelines serve as a brand’s “rulebook” and dictate how all of the brand’s assets can and cannot be used going forward. This document addresses the logo, typography, colors, imagery, and other essential elements for a given brand. It’s intended to be followed and used by anyone who works with the brand – creative agencies, internal teams, vendors, etc. The identity guidelines ensure consistent use and representation of a brand and all its elements no matter who, what, where or when. Consistency in branding is a crucial element to any company’s success.

Sales professionals often follow the mantra: “Persistence pays.” When it comes to branding at Quill, we say: “Consistency pays.”

How consistent is your own personal or professional brand? Does your brand follow identity guidelines to ensure consistency in the representation of your brand?