Since the Titanic, we all know what an Iceberg is: a huge rock of solid ice floating in the middle of the ocean, with just a small part of it over the surface, while the biggest and most dangerous part is deep in the water where we can’t see it.
Well, you might be wondering what does an Iceberg have to do with Branding? How are they similar?
Well, turns out that Brands are like Icebergs. Both an Iceberg and a Brand have a small part that we all can see, and a bigger and deeper part we don’t see at first sight. So, to have a strong brand aligned with your company’s goals, you must work carefully on all the things that are invisible (or under water) to obtain the results you need.
The iceberg metaphor can help you better understand why you think that “you charge a lot just for a small design” and you will understand why it is better to trust professionals when it comes to the image of your brand.
If you’re interested in knowing where you should focus your efforts so your audience loves your brand, this post is for you!
What are Brands made of?
Brands are made of a 10% of easily visible elements, and a 90% that we cannot see. However, just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean is not important.
That 10% we see is the obvious part of a brand, but the other 90% is what lies within our customer’s minds and that truly adds value and benefits. It’s that 90% what drives different behaviors, feelings and connections with or towards the brand.
So, what are those visible and invisible brand elements?
Visible Brand Elements:
- Name
- Colors
- Logo
- Icons
- Fonts
- Pictures or images
Invisible Brand Elements:
- Values
- Vision
- Mission
- Brand promise
- Personality
- Audience
- Brand architecture
- Goals
- Buyer Personas
Why is it important to focus on the invisible part of the Brand?
When you’re building a house, the last thing you put on are the ornaments and painting. First you have to build all the foundations, add the columns and all the supportive elements, and once you have all that done, you move towards the other features.
This is the same when you’re designing or building a brand. You have to define first all those foundation elements to support both visible and invisible features, and the last thing you do is move to design the visible elements. However, this doesn’t mean it’s not important. The Brand’s Identity will bring the strategy to life, and will set the experience the audience will live.
This is why all companies must focus their efforts on building something strong that allows people to truly connect with their brands, identify with them, recognize them and remember them. This is accomplished by working on all the elements that are hidden, like brand values, a well-designed personality, brand architecture and more.
Similar to a house, which will be strong and last many years as long as its foundations are strong; a brand will also live many years in the hearts of its clients and customers, and will remain strong and relevant if its foundations, values, personality and architecture are carefully designed and thought.
Conclusion
Those invisible brand elements are the ones responsible for adding true meaning and values to your visible side of the brand. So, if you don’t have a strong foundation, your brand will only be a nice piece of colors and features, but won’t last that long.
Your brand identity should be strong and consistent, according to your company’s goals and your audience profiles. This is the only way your brand will earn a place in the hearts of your clients.
If you’re working on your brand and would like some help, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’ll be happy to help!