A brand’s visual and verbal language is created to help build and portray a brand’s identity. It refers to how a brand expresses what they stand for, what needs they fulfil and how they go about doing so.
Every point of contact a brand has with their customers has the potential to influence the feelings and relationship their customers have towards them (Klopper and North, 2011). It is therefore crucial that a brand creates a strong visual and verbal language that is communicated to employees on all levels, as well as the marketing activities, to ensure that the brand is always portrayed in the same correct manner.
By doing so, companies can ensure that their customers continually experience their brand in the same way and receive the same brand message with regards to lifestyle, product, purpose, personality, and values.
Consistency is key in building trust amongst your customers, and by always speaking, behaving, and visually representing yourself in a coherent way, customers will learn to trust and know your brand.
To build a strong visual and verbal language, Klopper and North suggests defining the following three distinguishable properties for your brand:
[1] Brand Voice
A brand voice refers to the language a brand uses throughout their communication in order to express their personality. It is the specific words, phrases, adjectives, style of language and tone of voice a brand will use. Think about your brand as a person – what will they sound like when they talk? What message are they delivering, and how do they deliver this message?
Start off by choosing the three main traits of your brand. Let’s use Mercedes-Benz as an example:
- Class
- Champion
- Pioneer
The next step is to expand on these three traits, and define how they are further portrayed and communicated:
- Class: sophisticated, elegant, luxurious, quality, refined, style.
- Champion: elite, best, performance, top-class.
- Pioneer: ground-breaking, innovative, creation.
Now you are able to create a brand voice chart that will illustrate how your brand voice should be communicated across your various customer touch points/platforms:
Your brand voice will only work if all relevant parties are using it in their daily communication and marketing activities. It is therefore important that companies train old and new employees in how they should communicate and behave, and how they should present the brand’s tone of voice.
[2] Brand Symbols
A brand symbol is anything that represents the brand visually, such as a logo, tagline, colour or character. Here are a few examples:
- Ferrari who is synonymous with the colour red.
- The M of McDonald’s that can be seen from blocks away.
- Colonel Sanders from KFC.
- The slogan “Just do it” from Nike.
- The famous print of Louis Vuitton.
Focus on a symbol that will be easily recognisable and is unique to your brand.
[3] Brand Story
A brand story is about what a brand is selling apart from their physical product or service. It evokes imagination and emotion; and showcase your brand identity and purpose. It is through the brand story that a brand can portray the lifestyle, achievement or fulfilment that comes from purchasing their product or service. It also portrays the greater idea or purpose that the brand is serving.
Nike is a great example of a brand focusing on their brand story rather than their product itself. All of their ads, whether print or video, portrays the “champion-like” lifestyle of their wearers. It shows the heart of true champions who “just do it” and never give up. They go through phases of sweat and tears, but always come out victorious. This is the story and lifestyle they are selling. Ultimately, their customers buy into the story, the greater idea of the brand rather than the product and its features itself.
Another brand who successfully executed a brand story campaign is Dove. The brand launched a brand story idea of “real beauty”. Through this brand story, they focus on the raw, natural beauty of women (and men) and how we should be proud of and have love for ourselves just as we are. This falls in line with the natural, simplistic beauty products that they sell. Watch their brand story below:
Given the saturated markets in modern day, it is a Brand and its story that makes a company unique, instead of their product or service itself. It is therefore important to not only have a Brand Identity, but to ensure that this identity and story is clearly and consistently communicated and portrayed throughout your various channels and touch points. By doing so, customers will get to know “YOU”, like “YOU”, prefer “YOU” and ultimately promote “YOU”.
Need assistance with setting up your visual and verbal brand language? Contact us today for more information.
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