Intention, Purpose and Brand Identity

What is the purpose behind branding your business? What is the desired effect that you want to achieve with your brand?

When developing a brand identity, a good starting point is to identify your brand's intention.

A brand's intention can include things like conveying a certain image or message to consumers, differentiating you and/or your company from the competition, or creating an emotional connection with your target audience.

For example, a luxury car brand may want to convey a sense of exclusivity and prestige with its brand identity, while a children's toy brand may want to create a sense of playfulness and fun.

In this sense, intention is the underlying promise that a brand makes to its customers, and it's this promise that it stands for.

In her book, How to Style Your Brand, Fiona Humberstone, a brand consultant specialising in brand strategy and visual identity design, discusses the importance of understanding a brand's intention and using that understanding to guide the development of its visual identity.

Humberstone writes that, "Intention will make the difference between a superficially pretty brand and one that has traction. One that captures the essence of your business and wins you work.”

She goes on to explain that by understanding and articulating this intention, and being consistent about this across all of your brands touch-points, your business can ensure that all elements of its brand, including its visual identity, align with it’s promise and are effectively communicated to your customers.

When it comes to the use of photography in a brand's visual identity, she emphasises the importance of carefully curated, high-quality imagery to effectively communicate your brand's message stating that, “photography plays a huge role in your brand identity. From your website and blog to packaging stationary, marketing literature and everything in-between, images that capture the essence of your business are a real asset to your brand.”

Photography, she points out, is one of the most important elements in a brand's visual identity. It can instantly communicate a brand's message, style, and tone of voice, and it can create an emotional connection with customers.

Additionally, she advises that it's crucial to use original and authentic images rather than stock photography to create a more personal connection with your audience and avoid being generic.

And in an endpoint I wholeheartedly endorse (okay, yes, I’m biased but it’s true) she says, “Enjoy the process: beautiful photographs really unlock your creativity and transform your design. In a nutshell, if you want to create a strong first impression, “invest in beautiful imagery”.

Are you ready to invest in your brand? I promise you’ll enjoy it - let’s go!