Picture this: You’re out for a Saturday morning stroll, leash in hand, pup by your side, taking in the fresh air and hometown atmosphere. At the corner, you spy a Starbucks, the only thing that could possibly make this walk any better. You head through the door, hoping nobody cares about Fido, and inhale deeply.

But instead of the heady aroma of freshly ground java, you smell stale beer and old pizza.

Jarred, you start to take in the rest of your surroundings. Heavy metal music blasts through the speakers—a far cry from the sparkly pop tunes your ears were tuned to expect. The walls are decorated with boar heads and other hunting trophies. And instead of the stalwart green you know, you’re surrounded by firetruck red.

This Starbucks is unidentifiable, transformed into something you don’t recognize.

Starbucks, like any great brand, is so much more than a name. It’s a million little details that combine to create a clearly defined brand—one you recognize instantly.

What is “brand identity”?

So often, people hear “brand” and think visuals—and that’s certainly part of it—but brands that stand the test of time are so much more than a logo.

Building Blocks: The four big components that make a brand stick.

1) Visual Expression

Let’s start with the most familiar part of a brand: Visual expression.

This includes everything you’d expect: logos, colors, font choices, and any other visual expression.

A brand’s visual presence covers everything from the screaming orange walls of Home Depot to the iconic red Target bullseye.

It can also include mascots, like Geico’s gecko, or McDonald’s Ronald.

Visual expression also includes where a brand shows up (brand positioning), which should be intentionally considered. Is your band on Instagram, or part of a hyper-local billboard campaign? Where you show up matters, so make it count.

2) Brand Communication

Boiled down to its most basic element, a brand’s communication starts with its name. Whether it’s “Starbucks” or “Momma Jane’s Country Biscuits,” every brand makes its first impression with its name.

After that, brand communication broadens to include taglines and slogans, a la “What’s in your wallet?” and “We have the meats,” and jingles, like “Nationwide is on your side.”

(Are you amazed at how instinctively you know these brands? Don’t be—they’re all a masterclass in brand identity.)

Brand communication also includes any other facts or feelings used to explain the why and what behind it—it's meaning.

3) Brand Position

A brand’s position (or category of product or service) considers a company’s audience and competition—worthy rivals, as we prefer to call them.

It’s often important to understand how other businesses are attempting to solve a customer’s problem. Once you do, you can highlight exactly how you’re different, giving you an unmatched advantage.

And speaking of advantages, too many businesses don’t take the time to understand their ideal client. That means they have no idea who they’re speaking to. Instead of composing a specific, relevant message that resonates with a clearly defined audience, brands will shout nonsense into the void in the hopes that something will stick.

(Which we find to be just too much a gamble.)

When a brand takes the time to truly know their audience—their desires, fears, and motivations—magic happens.

4) Brand Persona

Here's where a brand really gets to shine, transforming a brick-and-mortar (or even digital) company into a vibrant, lifelike persona.

A brand persona is made up of its personality and voice, the characteristics that make a brand seem, well, human.

A brand can use sass and humor, like the U.S. National Parks Service (if you aren’t following them on social media, you’re missing it out) or even profanity, like Gordon Ramsay, who has made cursing a core part of his personal brand.

If your brand uses puns, that’s part of your persona. If your brand communication is serious and informative, that’s personality, too.

There are endlessly different ways to communicate, but consistency is crucial when it comes to solidifying your brand.

Tying it all together: How a brand makes sense (and becomes more than just a brand).

Putting all these building blocks together is what makes a brand transcend from good to extraordinary, simply present to downright memorable. By crafting a consistent message, tone, visual presence, and story, you’re creating an identity that clicks with your ideal customers.

Quite simply, you’re building an unforgettable identity.

Your audience will clearly understand how your brand makes their life better. They’ll instinctively recognize your personal touch on any ad or publication, just like you know an Apple commercial before ever seeing the logo flash across the screen.

Remember, it’s okay to be a coffee shop that blasts heavy metal and also serves pizza and beer—as long as those are intentional parts of your brand.

By becoming a stable, consistent, remarkable brand, you’ll build trust with the people that count—your customers and fans—and that’s thing that matters most.

What is brand identity, and why does it matter?