5 Top Branding Examples for Creating Distinctive Brand Assets
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What are Brand Assets?
- Importance of Brand Assets in Brand Building
- Examples of Brand Assets
- Nike's Swoosh Logo
- Lush's Unique Typography
- Netflix's Jingle
- Coca-Cola's Contour Bottle
- Dollar Shave Club's Tagline
- Developing Brand Assets
- Easy Access to Brand Assets
- Clear Brand Guidelines
- Monitoring and Optimization
- Different Types of Brand Assets
- Social Media Brand Assets
- Website Assets
- Digital Asset Management
- Maximizing the Value and Efficacy of Brand Assets
- Conclusion
What Are Brand Assets and How Can They Help Your Brand?
Brand assets play a crucial role in brand building, as they are the distinct visual, verbal, and audible cues that help consumers identify and connect with a brand and its experiences. Think of Nike's iconic swoosh, Netflix's catchy jingle, Apple's sleek logo, or Coca-Cola's unique contour bottle. These brand assets Create associations in the audience's mind and reinforce the brand's uniqueness, even when they are not actively engaging with the brand.
Brand assets are valuable tools for brand strategists, as they express and reinforce the brand's identity in the market. They include elements such as the brand name, logo, color palette, slogan or tagline, songs or jingles, Typeface or typography, mascot, and distinctive brand voice. When used consistently, these assets build a distinct and immediately recognizable brand identity.
Importance of Brand Assets in Brand Building
Brand assets serve as marketing campaigns that consistently reinforce the brand's uniqueness, allowing it to stand out from competitors and be remembered in the critical buying decision process. If a consumer can quickly identify a brand through its assets, it becomes easier for them to recall and adopt the brand. Effective branding involves building the desired brand Perception in the audience's mind, and brand assets are immensely valuable tools in achieving this.
Examples of Brand Assets
Nike's Swoosh Logo
Nike's swoosh logo is one of the few logos that can stand alone without any supporting text and still be immediately recognizable. It has become an iconic symbol associated with the Nike brand and its experiences. Despite initial reservations from its owner, Phil Knight, about the logo, it has become one of the most recognizable logos globally and helps consumers recall the Nike brand as a whole.
Lush's Unique Typography
Lush, known for its forward-thinking and innovative brand identity, has chosen a unique typography for its logo. The bold and distinctive font reflects the brand's commitment to personalized and handcrafted products. This typography immediately stands out in the marketplace and helps consumers recall Lush's brand attributes and experiences.
Netflix's Jingle
Netflix has created a valuable asset with its jingle, which plays at the beginning of every Show or movie on its platform. This jingle evokes positive emotions and associations, as it is heard during moments of relaxation and entertainment. By consistently associating the brand with these positive experiences, Netflix has made its jingle a highly valuable brand asset.
Coca-Cola's Contour Bottle
Coca-Cola's contour bottle, introduced in 1915, is a packaging asset that has become synonymous with the brand. The unique Shape of the bottle was designed to make it recognizable even in the dark or when broken. Over the years, the contour bottle has become an iconic symbol associated with Coca-Cola, creating positive memories and associations in consumers' minds.
Dollar Shave Club's Tagline
Dollar Shave Club burst onto the scene with its distinctive tagline, "Shave Time, Shave Money." This tagline reflects the brand's cheeky and cost-effective approach to shaving products. It has become a recognizable brand asset that conveys the brand's personality and attributes defined in its strategy.
Developing Brand Assets
To maximize the value of brand assets and extend their reach, it is essential to follow certain methods:
Easy Access to Brand Assets
Brand assets need to be stored in a place where they can be easily found and used by anyone who needs them. Internal team members, external partners, designers, and other stakeholders should have access to these assets to ensure consistency across all consumer touchpoints.
Clear Brand Guidelines
Sharing access to brand assets is not enough; clear brand guidelines should be established to ensure their consistent and Meaningful use. These guidelines can include rules or best practices for using the assets and can even involve the creation of templates for various marketing materials. Keeping these guidelines visible and easily accessible helps maintain consistency in brand representation.
Monitoring and Optimization
As brand assets are used, it is crucial to monitor how they are being utilized and how they contribute to the overall brand experience. By analyzing the effectiveness of each asset and identifying opportunities for optimization, brands can continuously improve their brand experience and recognition.
Different Types of Brand Assets
In today's digital era, brand assets have evolved and expanded into different categories. Two key categories are:
Social Media Brand Assets
These are assets specific to a brand's social media presence. They include hashtags, reels, images, tone of voice, and any other distinguishing features that resonate with the audience through social media channels.
Website Assets
Website assets refer to the design elements used on a brand's website. These assets can include the logo, color palette, typography, illustrations, and unique calls to action buttons. Well-designed website assets reflect the brand's identity and contribute to a seamless brand experience for website visitors.
Digital Asset Management
With the increasing number of touchpoints and assets in the digital media space, digital asset management has become an essential element of a brand manager's role. Effective management of assets ensures easy access, organization, and utilization of assets, leading to more efficient marketing efforts.
Maximizing the Value and Efficacy of Brand Assets
To maximize the value and efficacy of brand assets, brands should focus on:
- Ensuring easy access to assets for all stakeholders
- Establishing clear guidelines for consistent use
- Monitoring how assets are used and optimizing when necessary
By designing brand assets from a strategic perspective, using them consistently across touchpoints, and evoking the desired emotions and associations, brands can increase brand recognition, recall, and ultimately drive consumer engagement and loyalty.
Conclusion
Brand assets are essential tools in building a distinct and recognizable brand identity. They create associations and reinforce the brand's uniqueness in consumers' minds, helping them identify and recall the brand and its related experiences. By developing and leveraging brand assets effectively, brands can elevate their brand perception, increase recognition, and ultimately drive business success.