Brand Identity: Three Key Components

It has taken us thirteen years to hone our Branding process. Throughout that time, we have tried just about everything, learning what works and what doesn’t, what is worth the time and what’s not. After helping hundreds of clients find clarity, up-level their business and make more revenue, we’re sharing three cornerstones to the process with you.

These elements are: your brand advocate, the tension point, and the vision board.

As we break down each of these three key components, we’ll show you what the final product looks like through the use of one of our clients, Mashup by Left Bend Winery.

Let’s get into it.

Your Brand Advocate

95% of companies create brand advocates, and 77% never use them (Marketing Millenials). Through the power of storytelling, we craft the story of an ideal customer, with a name, age, occupation, but more importantly a value system. What keeps this person up at night? What motivates them? This person is a raving fan of your brand. They are completely bought in on what you do and want to tell everyone they know about you. 

In order to make the brand bigger than the founder, it is essential that we zero in on our target. Often our clients tell us they are for everyone that owns a home, everyone that needs shoes. When you try to speak to everyone, you speak to no one, and your marketing dollars can’t go nearly as far. Your messaging is watered down and weak. When we focus on one north star, we get clear on how to reach them and where to find them. By telling a realistic story, we make the brand advocate “sticky” and someone your team can refer to like someone they know, because they do.

The Brand Tension Point

This strategic element captures the very essence of your brand in only two words, educating your team, and any collaborators in just seconds. It's the key to setting yourself apart from competitors, and it leaves an unforgettable impression on your customers.

We like to say that if your brand doesn’t have tension it isn’t doing or saying anything that’s unique. 

The brand tension point is designed to be helpful to your internal team, but there’s no rules on how to use it.

Why it works: 

Emotions create lasting memories. By carefully crafting a tension point, we immediately communicate how you should look and sound in only two words. Content becomes much easier when we can constantly check ourselves against our tension point. 

Seeing Mashup’s tension point can help you wrap your mind around this concept. 

Ready to craft your own brand tension point?

Download our free worksheet below to help you get started.

The Vision Board

Visuals are the silent ambassador of a brand. They are often the first touchpoint of the consumer experience and set expectations for the brand experience. When we craft a vision board for a brand, we’re taking a variety of elements combining them into a cohesive vision for where we see your brand going visually. 

The vision board isn’t intended to be the end result, but it functions as a guiding light as we move into the development and execution of your brand’s visual identity.

Why it works: 

Clarity breeds confidence. The vision board lays out  textures, images, colors, patterns, and font styles in a visually cohesive manner. It ensures everyone on your team shares the same vision and is intended to be inspiring. When you look at your brand’s vision board, you should feel something. Like a spark or excitement or anticipation. 

The vision board allows you to provide feedback, make tweaks, and actively participate in shaping your brand's personality. We don’t move into the next phase of brand development until we are all aligned on where we’re going.

See more of the Mashup brand that we created here.

Still curious about our brand identity process? Schedule a free call to learn more.