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Marketing Canvas - Visual Identity
Our article delves into the integral role of Visual Identity, a critical sub-dimension of the Marketing Canvas developed by Laurent Bouty. We begin with defining visual identity, as conceived by eminent industry figures like David Aaker and Jeff Bezos, and explain how it goes beyond merely a logo or graphic design. Exploring connections to other sub-dimensions such as Purpose, Positioning, and Values, we highlight its overall impact on your brand's strength. We break down the assessment process into a robust scoring system, identifying potential reasons for various scores and recommending improvement strategies tailored to each scenario. By synthesizing theory with real-world applications, this article offers valuable insights for anyone keen to strengthen their brand's visual identity. Whether you're a seasoned marketer, budding entrepreneur, or simply interested in understanding branding better, our guide aims to make the complex concept of visual identity easy to grasp and apply.
Last update: 03/06/2023
In a nutshell
Your visual identity is how you translate your purpose into visible elements. It can be defined as the collection of all brand elements that you create to portray the right image of your brand. While the Values will help your employees taking the right decisions and having the right behaviors, the Visual Identity will ensure your customers/clients to recognize (without any doubt) who you are and why you exist.
In the Marketing Canvas
The Marketing Canvas is a powerful tool for entrepreneurs and non-marketers to build a robust marketing strategy. It consists of six meta-dimensions, each with four sub-dimensions, for a total of 24 sub-dimensions defining your Marketing Strategy. One of these sub-dimensions is VISUAL IDENTITY, which falls under the BRAND meta-dimension
Enhancing and Understanding Visual Identity
Visual Identity is more than just a logo or a specific color palette; it's an amalgamation of all tangible elements that help consumers distinguish one brand from another. More importantly, it serves as a visual representation of a brand's core values, mission, and personality.
Consider a company operating in the clean, green, and sustainable business sector. Its visual identity may embody elements of nature, using earthy colors, and organic shapes, alluding to its environmental stewardship.
Brand is your logo and visuals, too. A great brand deserves a great logo and great graphic design and visuals. It can make the difference when the customer is choosing between two great brands. But these alone cannot make your brand great. [2]
Tools for Visual Identity
Crafting a resonant visual identity requires a deep understanding of a brand's core philosophy and aspirations. Subsequently, these insights are transformed into a coherent visual language. The tools for achieving this comprise of:
Logo: A well-crafted logo should be instantly recognizable, conveying the brand's ethos in a visually appealing manner.
Color Palette: Colors elicit emotional responses and help create brand associations. A well-chosen color scheme can enhance a brand's message and connection with its target audience.
Typography: Fonts often subtly communicate a brand's personality. For instance, a modern, clean typeface may suggest a forward-thinking, innovative brand.
Imagery: Consistency in the style of imagery used, whether it’s the use of photographs, illustrations, or graphics, adds another layer of depth to the brand identity.
Brand Guidelines: To ensure consistent application across all mediums, a comprehensive brand guideline document is necessary. It serves as a rulebook, detailing everything from logo usage to color codes and fonts.
Visual Identity and its Relationship with other Marketing Canvas Sub-dimensions
The real power of visual identity becomes apparent when viewed in context with the other sub-dimensions of the Marketing Canvas. All dimensions are interconnected, and each can impact the other.
Purpose and Values: These drive the creation of the visual identity. A brand with a purpose centered around sustainability will have a visual identity that reflects this commitment, possibly with green color schemes or nature-inspired logos.
Positioning: Your positioning in the marketplace should be echoed in your visual identity. If you're positioning yourself as a luxury brand, your visual identity should exude sophistication and elegance.
Experience: Visual identity plays a significant role in shaping customer experience. It helps in setting the right expectations and evoking desired emotions from customers, thereby influencing their overall experience with the brand.
Pricing : Your product and its pricing strategy can influence your visual identity. If you sell premium products at a higher price point, your visual identity should align with this to convey a sense of exclusivity.
Translating Visual Identity into Action
Translating visual identity into action requires consistency and strategic integration across all brand touchpoints:
Brand Consistency: All visual elements, from the website to packaging, should represent the brand accurately, fostering trust and recognition.
Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations: By aligning with like-minded brands, events, or influencers, you can further reinforce your brand's visual identity and expand your reach.
Product and Service Design: The design of the products or services should also resonate with the visual identity. For a green business, this could translate to sustainable materials in their product design or eco-friendly packaging.
Brand Evolution: As brands grow, their visual identity should also evolve to stay relevant and appealing, while still maintaining a connection to the original brand ethos.
Statements for self-assessment
The visual identity of your brand plays a crucial role in shaping how consumers perceive and connect with your brand. It extends beyond just a logo – it includes color schemes, typography, imagery, packaging, and even the layout of your physical or online presence. It should be consistent and aligned with your brand values, resonating with your target audience while differentiating you from competitors.
To evaluate the effectiveness of your visual identity, measure your agreement with the following statements on a scale from -3 (completely disagree) to +3 (completely agree):
Your brand identity is consistent throughout the customer touch points.
Your brand identity is in line with brand purpose, positioning and values.
Your brand identity characteristics are different from other competitive brands and are easily attributed to your brand.
Your brand identity has high like-ability rating with your target audiences.
Your brand identity accurately reflects the sustainable nature of your products or
services.
If you find yourself disagreeing with these statements, it's time for a reassessment. This might involve refining your logo, re-evaluating your color palette, redesigning your website or packaging, or even embarking on a complete rebranding journey.
Example: Suncharge
To elucidate this further, let's consider a practical example in the context of a clean, green, or sustainable business. Suppose we have a start-up that aims to revolutionize the renewable energy sector by introducing portable, solar-powered chargers for electric vehicles, named "SunCharge". The purpose of the start-up is clear: to promote sustainable energy usage and reduce reliance on non-renewable sources.
The creation of the visual identity for SunCharge, like any brand, starts with understanding its core values, target audience, and unique selling proposition. The brand aims to convey innovation, environmental responsibility, and reliability. With this in mind, the creation of visual assets, such as logos, color palettes, and typography, should all be aligned with these principles.
Logo: The logo is the most crucial aspect of visual identity. A logo should be unique and must encapsulate the brand's essence. For SunCharge, the logo could be a sleek, modern design combining a stylized sun and a charging symbol, hinting at the renewable energy source and its application.
Color Palette: The choice of colors significantly affects how a brand is perceived. Greens and blues are typically associated with environmental friendliness and trust, making them a good choice for SunCharge. Additionally, warm yellows or oranges could symbolize the sun, bringing a positive and energetic vibe to the brand.
Typography: This should reflect the brand's character. For a modern, innovative brand like SunCharge, clean and straightforward sans-serif fonts might be the best choice.
Images and Graphics: These should consistently follow the chosen aesthetic. This might include images of clean energy sources, modern technology, and graphics with a simple, modern design.
Brand Guidelines: This document ensures consistency across all visual aspects of the brand. It should define the logo usage rules, primary and secondary color palettes, typeface choices, and more. This will serve as a reference for anyone creating materials for the brand, ensuring a unified and coherent brand image.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a strong visual identity does more than making your brand look good. It communicates your brand's values and personality, creates a memorable impression, and fosters a deeper connection with your stakeholders. It's a demanding process, but when done right, the result is a brand that is not only visually appealing but also communicates its essence at a glance.
Sources
Woven Agency, https://woven.agency/blog/what-is-the-brand-identity-prism/
Harvard Business Review, A logo is not a Brand, https://hbr.org/2011/06/a-logo-is-not-a-brand
HowBrandsAreBuilt, https://howbrandsarebuilt.com/blog/2018/12/21/the-brand-identity-prism-and-how-it-works/
Inkbotdesign, https://inkbotdesign.com/kapferers-brand-identity-prism/
More on the Marketing Canvas
Marketing Canvas - Values
Your values are the translation of your purpose into key behaviors. Most of the commercial activities are delivered through behaviors (from people or from systems). When developing your marketing strategy, you should have Brand values that are fully amplifying your Brand Purpose. It will help your organization to translate your beliefs into action.
Last update: 25/12/2024
In a nutshell
The Values sub-dimension of the Marketing Canvas represents the core principles that define your brand’s identity and guide its actions. Brand values influence every decision, shaping how a brand interacts with customers, stakeholders, and society. Strong, clearly defined values help differentiate the brand from competitors, foster customer loyalty, and ensure consistency in behavior and messaging.
For example, a company like Green Clean might adopt values such as sustainability, transparency, and health. These values not only reflect the brand’s commitment to its mission but also resonate deeply with its eco-conscious customers.
Introduction
The Values sub-dimension in the Marketing Canvas plays a critical role in establishing a brand’s identity and aligning it with its purpose, positioning, and customer expectations. Brand values articulate what the brand stands for, serving as a compass for decision-making and a foundation for building trust and loyalty.
Values are not just words on a page—they are actionable principles that must be consistently demonstrated in the brand’s behavior, communications, and offerings.
What are values?
Brand values are the core beliefs and principles that define what your brand represents. They influence every aspect of your operations, from how you treat customers and employees to how you address societal and environmental challenges.
For example:
Sustainability might drive decisions about materials, suppliers, or packaging.
Integrity might ensure transparency in advertising and customer communications.
Customer focus might prioritize delivering exceptional service.
Green Clean’s values could include:
Sustainability: A commitment to eco-friendly practices and products.
Health: Ensuring safe, non-toxic cleaning solutions for families.
Transparency: Being honest and clear about the ingredients and processes used.
These values help customers understand what the brand stands for and why it matters to them.
Translating Beliefs into Values
Ideally, your Values should be a perfect reflection of your Purpose, or the fundamental beliefs that drive your organization. This consistency allows the values to amplify your brand's purpose, guiding its actions and decisions.
Consider, for example, a green, clean-focused company, which operates under the belief that sustainable practices are paramount to our future. Its core values may include sustainability, accountability, and innovation. These values are the bridge between its purpose - promoting environmental responsibility - and its day-to-day operations, whether it's in product development, supply chain management, or customer service.
Values: an in-depth perspective
Frabrikbrands proposes that effective core values should be Memorable, Unique, Actionable, Meaningful, Clear, Timeless (MUAMCT). This is not a mere acronym, but a mantra for brands to assess the strength and relevance of their values. Each attribute plays a crucial role:
Memorable: The values should resonate with your team and your target audience, making them easy to remember and internalize.
Unique: Your values should set you apart from the competition, demonstrating your unique perspective and approach.
Actionable: They should translate into concrete behaviors and processes within your organization.
Meaningful: The values need to be significant, appealing to the emotions and beliefs of your stakeholders.
Clear: Clarity avoids confusion. Your values should be understood by everyone.
Timeless: Despite market changes, your core values should remain constant, reflecting enduring principles.
For example:
Internal Alignment: Green Clean’s values guide employee behavior, ensuring all actions align with the brand’s mission.
External Perception: Customers see Green Clean’s values reflected in its products, marketing, and partnerships, reinforcing trust and loyalty.
When values are authentic and consistently upheld, they strengthen the emotional connection between the brand and its audience.
Translating values into action
Defining brand values is only the first step; the real impact comes from living those values every day. From product development and customer interactions to advertising and community involvement, values must be evident in every touchpoint.
Questions to consider:
Are your brand values clearly articulated and consistently communicated?
Do your values align with the current and future context of your industry?
How do your values differentiate your brand from competitors?
Are your values evident in your brand’s behavior and interactions?
How do your values reflect a commitment to sustainability?
Statements for self-assessment
Evaluating your values is as essential as defining them. Ask yourself: Are your brand's values helping you achieve your goals? Are they a reflection of your purpose? Are they incorporated into every aspect of your business?
To assess the effectiveness of your values, consider your agreement with the following statements on a scale from -3 (completely disagree) to +3 (completely agree):
Your brand values are well defined and clearly articulated.
Your brand values are relevant with respect to the context your brand is operating in.
Your set of brand values allows to differentiate what you stand for with compared to your competitors.
Your brand values are reflected in your brand behaviour and what you.
Your brand values are all focusing on sustainability
If you find yourself disagreeing with these statements, it's time to revisit your core values. This might involve a re-examination of your purpose, a re-interpretation of your values, or even a complete overhaul of your organization's culture. Remember, the relationship between your purpose and values should work as an accelerator, not a brake.
Interpretation of the scores
Negative scores (-1 to -3): Negative scores indicate a lack of clarity, relevance, or alignment in your brand values. This suggests that your values may not be well defined or communicated, leading to inconsistencies in behavior and customer perceptions. Without clear values, the brand may struggle to differentiate itself or build trust with its audience.
A score of zero (0): A neutral score reflects uncertainty or incomplete articulation of your brand values. While some values may be present, they lack depth, relevance, or alignment with customer expectations and sustainability goals. Further refinement and integration are needed to make values a meaningful part of your brand identity.
Positive scores (+1 to +3): Positive scores indicate that your brand values are clearly defined, relevant, and consistently demonstrated. Customers and stakeholders understand what the brand stands for, and its actions align with these principles. Strong values help differentiate the brand, inspire loyalty, and reinforce its commitment to sustainability.
Case study: Green clean’s values
Misaligned understanding (-3, -2, -1): Green Clean lacks clearly defined values or fails to articulate them effectively. Customers and stakeholders are unsure of what the brand stands for, leading to weak differentiation and limited trust. The absence of a focus on sustainability further disconnects the brand from its eco-conscious audience.
Surface understanding (0): Green Clean has a general sense of its values but does not consistently reflect them in its behavior or communications. While customers may recognize some alignment with sustainability or eco-friendliness, the values lack depth and differentiation, limiting the brand’s ability to build loyalty or stand out.
Deep understanding (+1, +2, +3): Green Clean has well-defined, relevant values centered on sustainability, transparency, and health. These values are consistently demonstrated across all touchpoints, from product design to customer service. By emphasizing its commitment to these principles, Green Clean differentiates itself from competitors and builds trust and loyalty with its eco-conscious audience.
Conclusion
Brand values are the foundation of a brand’s identity, guiding its actions and shaping customer perceptions. Clearly defined and consistently demonstrated values differentiate the brand from competitors, foster customer loyalty, and ensure alignment with societal and environmental priorities. By living its values, a brand can build meaningful, lasting relationships with its audience and create a positive impact in the world.
Sources
Harvard Business Review, 2002, Make your values mean something
Frabrikbrands, https://fabrikbrands.com/how-to-define-brand-values/
More on the Marketing Canvas
Marketing Canvas by Laurent Bouty
Marketing Canvas - Purpose
The Marketing Canvas is a tool to build a marketing strategy that consists of six categories, including PURPOSE, which identifies a brand's reason for being and contribution to the world. Purpose-driven brands are more successful in today's world as customers want to engage with brands that align with their values. By starting with the WHY and formulating a purpose-driven brand ideal, businesses can differentiate themselves and build a loyal following. TOMS Shoes and Ben & Jerry's are examples of purpose-driven brands. Having a clear purpose is a key driver of business success, according to a Deloitte survey. It is critical to identify and articulate a brand's purpose to guide its marketing strategy.
Last update: 11/11/2024
Purpose drives firms to find and create new forms of value (Jim Steingel)
In a nutshell
The Purpose sub-dimension in the Marketing Canvas delves into the core reason for a brand’s existence, beyond profit-making. A clear, meaningful purpose resonates with customers on a deeper level, guiding all aspects of the brand’s identity and actions. Purpose defines the why behind the brand, aligning its actions with values and goals that inspire both internal teams and customers.
For example, Green Clean's purpose might be “to promote healthier living through sustainable cleaning practices,” emphasizing not only clean homes but also environmental stewardship and well-being. This purpose aligns with customer values, driving trust and loyalty.
In the Marketing Canvas
The Purpose sub-dimension is foundational within the Brand category of the Marketing Canvas. It helps define the brand's core mission and guiding values, which shape everything from product offerings to customer engagement. A clear purpose enables a brand to stand out, offering not just products or services, but also a vision that inspires loyalty and advocacy.
Unlike functional goals, which focus on meeting specific customer needs, Purpose focuses on the brand’s larger role in the world and its impact on society and the environment.
What is purpose?
Purpose represents the core mission and values that drive a brand's existence. It goes beyond selling products and seeks to make a positive difference, whether through societal, environmental, or personal impact. A well-defined purpose strengthens the brand’s identity, uniting its internal team and resonating with customers who share the same values.
For example, Green Clean’s purpose might focus on environmental preservation, educating customers on sustainable practices, and providing safe, eco-friendly products. This purpose provides a shared goal that connects the brand with its customers and the broader community.
Purpose: an in-depth perspective
In today’s world, consumers are drawn to brands with a clear and compelling purpose beyond just making a profit. PURPOSE is about defining your brand’s reason for being and its contribution to the world—it goes beyond profit, which is simply a result. A clear PURPOSE allows you to articulate why you are in business.
Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle [1] illustrates that great leaders and brands always start with the WHY. Similarly, having a clear PURPOSE enables you to build a purpose-driven brand that inspires loyalty and connects with customers on a deeper level.
For example, Patagonia’s purpose is to help save the planet by offering high-quality outdoor clothing that is environmentally sustainable.
Patagonia Purpose
Jim Stengel [2], a businessman, author, and professor, proposes that having a purpose means that you have clearly identified and formulated a brand ideal for your activity that is the higher benefit your brand gives to the people. This can include eliciting joy, enabling connection, inspiring exploration, evoking pride, and impacting society broadly. Stengel argues that personal inspiration can come from the most trying times, as he shares the story of his brother Bob, a beloved physician known for his compassion and dedication towards his patients.
Eliciting Joy: Activating experiences of happiness, wonder, and limitless possibility
Enabling Connection: Enhancing the ability of people to connect with each other and the world in meaningful ways
Inspiring Exploration: Helping people explore new horizons and new experiences
Evoking Pride: Giving people increased confidence, strength, security, and vitality
Impacting Society: Affecting society broadly, from challenging the status quo to redefining categories
Your brand’s reason for being and contribution to the world. It goes beyond profit because that is a result.
In today's crowded marketplace, having a clear purpose can help your brand stand out from the competition. By identifying a purpose that resonates with your target audience, you can differentiate your brand and build a strong, loyal following. This can help you to outperform your competitors, as customers are increasingly looking for brands that align with their values and beliefs.
According to a survey conducted by Deloitte in 2014 [3], organizations having a strong sense of purpose are much more optimistic about their ability to stay ahead of industry disruptions and to outperform their competition. These organizations understand that a clear PURPOSE is a key driver of business success.
Best practices of purpose-driven companies
Sustainability: Consumers are increasingly demanding that companies take responsibility for their environmental impact. Purpose-driven brands can incorporate sustainable practices into their operations and communicate their efforts to their audience.
Social responsibility: Purpose-driven brands can also make a positive impact on society by supporting social causes, such as poverty alleviation, education, and healthcare. Consumers are more likely to support brands that demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility.
Ethical branding: Purpose-driven brands should ensure that their messaging and practices align with ethical values. This can include using fair labor practices, avoiding exploitative marketing tactics, and being transparent about their operations.
Authenticity: Consumers can easily detect when brands are engaging in purpose-driven marketing for the sake of profit. Purpose-driven marketing must be authentic and align with the brand's values and practices.
Employee engagement: Purpose-driven marketing can also be used to engage employees and build a positive company culture. Companies that prioritize their employees' well-being and work to make a positive impact on society can improve employee satisfaction and retention.
Storytelling: Purpose-driven marketing can be more effective when brands use storytelling to communicate their values and mission. Stories can create an emotional connection with the audience and help to communicate the brand's purpose in a compelling way.
Some examples
TOMS Shoes: TOMS Shoes is a great example of a purpose-driven brand. Their purpose is to improve lives by providing shoes, sight, water, and other basic needs to people in need. For every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need. This purpose has driven their marketing strategy, as they have built a loyal customer base who are inspired by their mission and values.
Ben & Jerry's: Another great example of a purpose-driven brand is Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Their purpose is to make the world a better place, through their commitment to social justice, environmental sustainability, and economic equality. This purpose has driven their marketing strategy, as they have built a loyal customer base who are passionate about their values and mission.
Translating purpose into action
Defining purpose is only the first step; the next is integrating it into every aspect of the brand. From marketing strategies to product design, purpose should guide decisions to create a brand experience that consistently reflects its mission.
Questions to consider:
How is your purpose clearly formulated and communicated?
Is your purpose aligned with current and future trends?
How does your purpose differentiate you from competitors?
Does your purpose inspire stakeholders and instill belief?
Is sustainability a core element of your purpose?
Statements for self-assessment
For a comprehensive evaluation of your understanding and application of the Purpose concept, rate your agreement with the following statements on a scale from -3 (completely disagree) to +3 (completely agree):
You have a well defined and clearly formulated purpose.
Your purpose is very relevant in the company's current and future context, addressing all the influencing trends..
Your purpose stands out from direct and indirect competitors.
Your main stakeholders are inspired by your purpose, they believe it.
Your company’s purpose is explicitly centered around sustainability.
Interpretation of the scores
Negative scores (-1 to -3): Negative scores indicate that you disagree or strongly disagree with the statements, suggesting that your purpose lacks clarity, relevance, or inspiration. This may result in weak brand identity, lack of stakeholder buy-in, and limited differentiation from competitors.
A score of zero (0): A neutral score reflects uncertainty or a basic understanding of the brand’s purpose. While purpose may exist, it lacks the depth and alignment needed to inspire stakeholders or differentiate the brand. Further clarity and relevance are needed to make purpose a central part of the brand’s identity.
Positive scores (+1 to +3): Positive scores indicate that you agree or strongly agree with the statements, meaning your brand’s purpose is well-defined, relevant to market trends, and able to inspire stakeholders. A strong purpose differentiates the brand and creates deeper customer and stakeholder connections, supporting long-term brand growth.
Case study: Green Clean’s purpose
Misaligned understanding (-3, -2, -1): Green Clean lacks a clear purpose, focusing solely on the functional benefits of cleaning products without a broader mission. This lack of purpose results in minimal differentiation and fails to inspire customers or stakeholders who seek brands with clear environmental or societal commitments.
Surface understanding (0): Green Clean has a general purpose related to eco-friendly cleaning but lacks the clarity or differentiation to set it apart. Although it recognizes the importance of sustainability, the purpose is not fully integrated or consistently communicated, limiting its impact on customer loyalty and brand identity.
Deep understanding (+1, +2, +3): Green Clean has a well-defined, relevant purpose centered on sustainable and healthy living. This purpose is clearly communicated across all customer and stakeholder interactions, and the brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility differentiates it from competitors. Green Clean’s purpose inspires trust, loyalty, and advocacy among customers and stakeholders who share similar values.
Conclusion
A strong, clearly defined brand purpose serves as the foundation for building lasting relationships with customers and inspiring internal alignment. By understanding and communicating a meaningful purpose, brands can go beyond transactional relationships, creating a community of loyal customers and committed team members. Integrating purpose into every aspect of the brand ensures that it resonates deeply with both employees and customers, fostering long-term engagement and advocacy.
Sources
Simon Sinek, Start with WHY, https://simonsinek.com
Jim Steingel, Purpose, https://www.jimstengel.com/purpose/
Deloitte, 2014, Culture of Purpose (pdf), https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-leadership-2014-core-beliefs-culture-survey-040414.pdf
Deloitte, 2022, Unleashing Purpose Across Industries (pdf) https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/consulting/us-final-unleashing-purpose-across-industries.pdf
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4 Questions for Your Brand in Marketing Canvas
Why you do business is more important than how you do business.
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