Design Must-Haves: What Makes a Brand Memorable?
When you see the word “brand”, we all have a specific one that comes to mind. Maybe it’s their iconic logo, use of color, or witty humor. A memorable brand will capture your attention, whether you’re driving past a billboard, scrolling past an ad on social media, or walking past a new product in a store. But what makes a brand stick out in the first place? Let’s break it down.
Here are a few elements that make a brand memorable:
- Imagery
- Color Palette
- Typeface
- Tone of Voice
- Social Media Presence
Imagery
Studies show that humans can assess images within 13 milliseconds. Your brand’s logo, photos, website, and all other visual elements come together to form your brand identity. Think Coca-Cola. You immediately picture their red and white logo, glass bottles, and their countless commercials showing how people feel refreshed after drinking it. With clear imagery, you’ll be able to get your message across and create a lasting impression.
As you consider what images to use, think about your target audience. Who do they connect with? What products do they purchase? What are their lives like? These are just a few questions you can ask yourself as you figure out what visuals they may be attracted to most.
Color Palette
How do you want someone to feel when they see your brand? Color is one of the most important elements in your brand’s design as it instantly sends a message without needing to say anything at all. Warm colors like red and orange evoke a sense of passion and intensity while cool colors like blue and green communicate trust and security.
Your color palette should include one to three primary colors and one to six secondary colors. This limited range will help you stay consistent and recognizable. When creating your branding guidelines, you can define the do’s and don’t’s of possible color combinations to ensure that the best ones are being used.
Another important element to keep in mind is accessibility. This is key when choosing colors for things like your website or company emails and ensures that everyone is able to read it, no matter their visual impairment. According to the U.S. Web Design System Standards, text and interactive elements should have a color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 so that viewers who cannot see the full-color spectrum are able to read the text.
Typeface
Your typeface is crucial to your brand’s expression. While picking the right one can seem like a complicated task, considering your brand messaging can help narrow down the process. A font like Bondi uses a combination of thick and thin lines to look dramatic, most recognized through Vogue and Nirvana’s logos, while a font like Univers is simple and readable (think eBay and UNICEF).
Your next focus should be legibility and making sure that the font works on all platforms. The typeface you choose should always be readable whether you’re using it for your logo, in a social media post, or on a huge billboard.
Tone of Voice
When you speak to someone, you can easily get a feel for their personality through their voice. Maybe they’re funny and outgoing or reserved and serious. The same goes for your brand’s voice. A brand like Starbucks is outgoing and friendly while still pushing customers toward sales whereas Old Spice is centered around humor and plays on masculinity. A recent study by Sprout Social on consumer behavior found that a brand’s tone of voice plays a vital role in helping a brand stand out amongst others. Of the thousands of consumers surveyed, 40% stated they prefer memorable content, 33% said distinct personality, and 32% prefer compelling storytelling. By effectively speaking directly to your key audience, your persona and core values will stick with them.
Social Media Presence
As we all know, consistency is key. By letting all of these elements come together through your social media presence, it further reinforces your brand’s messaging and captures your target audience’s attention. A recent study found that one in three consumers use social media to discover new products and brands. Additionally, one in four use social media to purchase a product. From Instagram graphics to photos on Facebook, you’ll want to make sure that your branding is consistent across all platforms. As your audience’s social feeds continue to fill with more and more content, having a clearly communicated brand identity will allow you to be memorable while separating yourself from your competitors.
Ready to stand out? From business branding to website design and social media, Nice Branding Agency can help you with any and all of your branding needs. Contact us today!
