The impact of branding

We are drawn to attractive ‪‎products, buildings, and ‪‎brands. Our eyes pull us toward things we find ‪‎attractive.

The attraction is magnetic. It is primal —it engages our lizard brains. We often assume beautiful things are better. For example, people assume‪ Apple Products are better because they have a high-quality finish and design. We also choose products and brands to enhance our own sense of self-worth. We may choose attractive things because it fits our notion of ourselves. Many people purchase luxury items to enhance their physical appeal. A picture is worth a thousand words, and your brand’s visual identity is worth much more.

Your ‪company’s credibility is judged by its attractiveness. This is your ‪Visual Identity, and it includes your ‪logo,‪ website, ‪marketing material, and the imagery you use. It also radiates out to the design of your products and ‪packaging, the appearance of your offices, and the way your people look. Your ‪‎brand will be judged at every‪ visual touchpoint, and your customers will decide if your firm is a fit for them based on what they see. Is your company credible or not? Yes or no? Their eyes will make the decision. We are visual beings, and the attractiveness of a person, a product, or a brand influences our attitudes.

Deep metaphors make your brand stand out. Features and benefits have to be explained, but a strong visual identity tells the story and speaks to customers at an emotional level.

When your visual identity is anchored on a deep metaphor you don’t have to explain what makes your business unique. Your customers can see it. They can experience it, and they gravitate toward the attractive images.

Visual identities age and mature, and if they are not maintained they fall apart. Corporate websites tend to need a visual overhaul every two to four years. In the third year they start to look tired, and by the fourth, they are looking dilapidated. An old, dated website is not attractive. It doesn’t draw in your customers or demonstrate your company is a credible option. Visual identities need a tune-up every twelve to thirty-six months, depending on your industry. For example, youth- and technology-focused companies have to update their visual identities much more frequently than companies in the manufacturing or construction sectors do. Regardless of the pace of your industry’s change, it is important to recognize your visual identity requires frequent maintenance to remain relevant. Your visual identity is influenced by two forces: fashion and innovation. First, fashions and tastes change.

What looks hot today will look passé in a couple of years. Even established brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi go through regular updates.