Why Branding Matters: Identity vs Image
September 5, 2025
Branding is a key component to any business – whether they are just starting out or if they are already well-established. It’s important for any content or statements that represent your brand to also reflect what the brand stands for, the ethos and the moral code that defines who (and what) it is. In its simplest form, for example, if your identity is stated as “edgy, bold, unique”, but you come across as minimalistic, commercial and conformative – that means your image and identity are opposing.
The Difference Between Identity and Image
Brand Identity
Brand Identity is the perception that the minds behind the brand intend to achieve – the way the brand presents itself. It’s important to have an understanding of what your brand identity should be before you start with any creation – such as the logo, the advertising, the products, even the name. A strong brand identity avoids confusing your target market and ensures that you are perceived the way you intend.
Brand Image
Brand Image is how your audience truly perceives your brand. This includes anecdotal experiences, their memories and how they have interacted with your brand. It’s important to ensure that the perception you desire is conveyed in each interaction you have with your audience. In terms of brick and mortar stores, this includes negative interactions with employees or an opposing aesthetic/experience. With e-commerce, this includes experiences with the checkout process or shipping times. Both of these can cause a disconnect between image and identity.
Why Are These Important?
Both Image and Identity are important for different reasons. Brands without an identity risk getting lost in a saturated market; building rapport with customers makes a big difference in whether they are connecting with you, or if they just see you as another leaf in the wind. Brand image works with this as if your customers’ experiences with you are great, then they see you as reputable and trustworthy. Having both is imperative to creating a loyal customer base, which means not having to rely on marketing gimmicks.
Creating a Brand Identity
How to Create a Brand Identity
- Understand your market – To be able to effectively create a brand identity, you first of all need to understand what your target market is looking for. For example, if you’re trying to market to a younger demographic, you have to meet them where they are. You have to understand their challenges and needs, ask yourself “why?” with every decision.
- Develop the elements of your identity – Consistency is key! Make a content pack of all your assets. This should include fonts, logos and colours. No brand should have logos with slight differences, same goes for fonts and colours. Note down your hex codes!
- Brand origin story – Having a page that discusses your roots, where you came from and what you stand for makes all the difference – especially for someone coming across your brand for the first time. For example, if you want to market to a younger audience, it’s important for them to see transparency.
- Emotional Appeal – Use storytelling techniques and anecdotes to engage your audience emotionally – not just commercially. It’s important for an audience to feel like they’re supporting something good to minimise buyers’ remorse.
Building a Brand Image
How to Build a Brand Image
- Develop your brand identity – In case this hasn’t hit home yet, the key to building an accurate brand image is to first have a well-established brand identity. You have to know how you wish to be perceived before you can try moulding that perception.
- Strategise – Ensure that your marketing and advertising campaigns align with what you are trying to get across. The whole aesthetic should be accurate to your identity.
- Consistency – Once again, consistency reigns supreme. If you are going to have brick and mortar stores, the customer experience should be who you are trying to portray your brand as. As well as this, if your e-commerce platform has a poor user experience, or there are issues with checkout, you’ll start getting perceived as unreliable – which is never desirable.
Both brand identity and brand image are equally important to ascertain the loyalty of your customer base, but brand identity is definitely the most important to develop first. At Candid Digital we’re more than happy to discuss your branding with you and assist with aligning your identity with your image, or vice versa.
We love working with ambitious brands like yours.
If you have an idea in mind, feel free to reach out by submitting the form below to schedule a discovery call with us.
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